Baseball Hammers Eastern Michigan 10-1
Feb. 26, 2000
Homestead, FL – The University of Miami (10-5), ranked No. 10 in the latest Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches’ Poll, officially opened up the 2000 Homestead Challenge with a 10-1 win over visiting Eastern Michigan (0-2) at the Homestead Sports Complex.
UM starter Brian Walker (2-1) pitched a career-high seven scoreless innings giving up just two hits and two walks with five strikeouts. He had a career-high total of 109 pitches against the Eagles. EMU starter Ryan Janis (0-1) took the loss in his first appearance of the season allowing eight hits and seven runs – all earned – in four innings of work. The Hurricanes out-slugged the Eagles 12-2 in the game.
Junior Manny Crespo ignited the Hurricane offense in the first inning with a three-run home run to right field. The home run was Crespo’s third on the season. Sophomore Mike Rodriguez led off the game with a walk, followed by freshman Kevin Howard’s single to left field. Howard’s single extended his team-high hitting streak to eight games – nine games as a starter.
In the third, Howard singled to left field to score Rodriguez from third for a 4-0 UM lead. Following a single to right field to get on, Rodriguez advanced to third on a throwing error by Janis. In the inning, junior Kevin Brown extended his hitting streak to five games with a single left field.
Miami put three more runs on in the fourth inning to bring its lead over the Eagles to 7-0. Freshman Danny Matienzo led off the inning with a walk, followed by a single to left field from junior Kris Clute. With runners on second and third, Rodriguez sent a short fly ball to centerfield that scored Matienzo from third. Following a stolen base by Rodriguez that put runners on second and third again, EMU’s Janis threw a wild pitch past his catcher Warren Jacks that allowed Clute to score.
After EMU replaced Janis on the mound after four innings, reliever Ron Kotecki walked UM’s first three batters to load the bases. EMU replaced Kotecki with Jeremy Nordquist, who walked Matienzo to score pinch-runner Javy Rodriguez from third for the Hurricanes’ eighth run. The next batter, Clute, reached on a fielder’s choice, but not before Lale Esquivel scored from third. The run scored extended Esquivel’s streak to seven straight games with a run scored.
Miami brought the lead to 10-0 in the seventh when Jimerson singled in pinch-hitter Mark Walker from second.
EMU answered with one run in the eighth. Frank Garcia reached on error by UM third baseman Chad Strong and later scored on an infield sacrifice hit by Tony Palazzolo.
Closer Luke DeBold came in for the final inning and retired all three batters faced.
The game was proceeded by festivities to celebrate the Hurricanes’ 1999 National Championship. Head Coach Jim Morris threw out the first pitch, while Homestead Assistant City Manager Ken Castle proclaimed February 26 “University of Miami Baseball Day” in the City of Homestead.
Miami will once again meet up with Eastern Michigan on Sunday, February 27, at 4 p.m. in the Homestead Challenge. Student Radio WVUM 90.5 FM will carry the broadcast live.
