Baseball Topd South Florida 8-3
Feb. 18, 2000
Coral Gables, FL – The University of Miami’s senior ace David Gil struck out 12 South Florida batters over six innings en route to a 8-3 Hurricane victory over the Bulls (4-4) in the first of a three game series at Mark Light Stadium.
With the victory, Gil (2-0) extends his win streak to 15 games dating back to the 1998 season. The senior out of Miami (Columbus) lasted 6.0 innings, allowing six hits and one earned run. In addition, to his team-season best 12 strikeouts, Gil allowed zero walks in his outing.
Gil’s USF counterpart, John Gorham (2-1), took his first loss of the season with eight hits, five runs scored – one earned, four walks and five strikeouts over six innings of action. Three USF fielding errors led to Miami scoring the brunt of its five runs over the third, fourth and fifth innings.
Miami (6-5) broke up a scoreless game in the bottom of the third inning with three runs off of two UM hits and one costly South Florida error. UM designated hitter Javy Rodriguez reached first on a throwing error by USF shortstop Johnny Raburn to start the inning, then stole second. Second baseman Kris Clute walked following the steal. Right fielder Manny Crespo then laid down a safely placed bunt down the third base line to load the bases. The very next batter, third baseman Lale Esquivel, knocked in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly to left field. With two outs showing, freshman shortstop Kevin Howard hit his second double of the season to score to more UM runs for the 3-0 lead.
The Hurricanes scored one run in each of the fourth and fifth innings to extend their lead to 5-0 heading into the sixth. In the fourth, centerfielder Mike Rodriguez reached first on another well-placed bunt down the third base line. Javy Rodriguez attempted the same play in the very next at bat. USF first baseman Chris Cuccia mis-handled his throw to third to allow Mike Rodriguez to score from second.
Hurricane catcher Greg Lovelady belted his first home run of the season to left field to score UM’s lone run in the fifth.
South Florida bounced back in the sixth and seventh with three runs of its own, two off reliever Greg Howell in the seventh. Howell gave up a two-run home run to left center by USF’s Mark Barclay.
Lovelady assisted the Hurricanes again in the seventh inning with a base clearing three-RBI double that scored Kevin Brown, Charlton Jimerson and Esquivel.
Miami and South Florida will meet again, Saturday at 7 p.m. in the second of the three-game weekend series. The game will be carried by student radio WVUM 90.5 FM and in Spanish by WACC 830 AM.
