Baseball Sweeps Eastern Michigan With 9-1 Win
Feb. 27, 2000
The University of Miami (11-5), ranked No. 10 in the Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches’ Poll, won its seventh straight game with a 9-1 victory over visiting Eastern Michigan (1-3) in the 2000 Homestead Challenge at the Homestead Sports Complex.
In the game, UM starter Kiki Bengochea (1-1) earned his first victory as a Hurricane with a career-high seven innings pitched and nine strikeouts. He also allowed two hits and one earned run with zero walks.
The Hurricanes once again out-hit the Eagles, 11-2, after topping EMU 12-2 in hits on Saturday.The Hurricanes put their first run on the scoreboard in the top of the second when junior Charlton Jimerson grounded out to the first baseman on a fielder’s choice, but not before freshman Danny Matienzo scored from third. Matienzo had reached base on a walk, moved to second on a single to right field by junior Kris Clute and advanced to third on a wild pitchby EMU starter Anthony Tomey (0-1).
In the first inning, freshman Kevin Howard extended his team-high hitting streak to nine games – 10 as a starter – with a single to right field.
In the third, Miami added its second run when senior Lale Esquivel hit a grounder to the pitcher, scoring Howard from third. Howard had reached base on walk, advanced to second on a single to centerfield by junior Manny Crespo and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by junior Kevin Brown.
Miami brought the lead to 3-0 in the third inning, when EMU reliever Anthony Wrubel walked in Clute from third. Clute had reached on a walk, moved to second on a walk to Jimerson and advanced to third on a ground out by Mike Rodriguez. Wrubel left the game in the fifth after accumulating six walks in 2.2 innings of work.
The Eagles answered with a run in the fifth, when right fielder Dan Hyott homered off Bengochea to left center.
Esquivel extended UM’s lead to 4-1 in the sixth with a RBI single to left field, scoring Howard from second. Howard had reached on a walk and moved to second when Brown was hit by a pitch from EMU reliever Jason Glover.
In the seventh, the Hurricanes put two more runs on the scoreboard for a 6-1 lead. Clute was the first UM runner to cross the plate following a Rodriguez RBI ground out to the second baseman. Clute had reached on an infield single to third base and proceeded to steal second and third. Jimerson scored UM’s second run of the inning off of Howard’s double down the right field line. Jimerson reached base on a walk, stole second and moved to third on Rodriguez’ ground out.
EMU closer Rob Lawwill loaded the bases in the ninth and then threw a wild to score freshman Kevin Mannix from third. Rodriguez then hit a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Javy Rodriguez from third. Pinch-hitter Mark Walker followed with his first triple of the season, which scored Howard from second and the 9-1 UM lead.
Closer Luke DeBold came in for the ninth inning and retired all three batters faced.
The Hurricanes return to action on Wednesday, March 1 against cross-town rival Florida International at 7 p.m. at Mark Light Stadium on the UM campus.
