Baseball Clinches Series Win In 7-3 Victory Over No. 1 Florida State
April 15, 2000
Coral Gables, FL – The Miami Hurricanes (26-12-1) clinched the series victory over top-raked Florida State (36-7) with their second consecutive 7-3 victory over the Seminoles at Mark Light Stadium. UM has now won five straight over FSU in Coral Gables.
UM, which will be vying for the three-game sweep on Sunday, have now seven of the last nine three game series with the Seminoles and avenge last weekend’s series loss in Tallahassee.
Hurricane starter Brian Walker (6-2) earned the win after pitching 6.0 innings with five hits, three runs, two earned, two walks, two strikeouts and two hit batters. FSU’s Mike Zieglar (7-2) took just his second loss of the season after going 5.1 innings with seven hits, seven runs – all earned, two walks, six strikeouts and two wild pitches.
UM reliever Luke DeBold held the Seminoles in check in the seventh and eighth innings, just prior to closer Tom Farmer finishing off the ninth.
The Hurricanes started early putting up three runs in the bottom of the first inning on three hits. First baseman Danny Matienzo knocked in the first run, centerfielder Mike Rodriguez from second, with a single to left field. Rodriguez led off the game with a single to centerfield and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from third baseman Kevin Howard. Following Matienzo’s at bat, designated hitter Lale Esquivel belted his second home run in as many days deep to centerfield to also score Matienzo.
Miami padded its lead with three more runs in the fourth inning, 6-0, off the bat of shortstop Javy Rodriguez. With Matienzo on third and second baseman Kris Clute on first, Rodriguez belted his second home run of the season deep over the left field scoreboard. Matienzo led off the inning with a walk, while Clute reached base on a fielder’s choice.
FSU’s John-Ford Griffin put the Seminoles on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth inning with a two-run home run over the right field wall off Walker. FSU shortstop Brett Groves was on first base after reaching on a walk. Later in the inning FSU tallied one more run to bring the margin to 6-3, when UM’s Clute committed a throwing error on the second half of a double play attempt to allow Seminole third baseman Marshall McDougall to score unearned. McDougall had reached base earlier on a single to left field.
The Hurricanes scored once more in the sixth, extending the lead to 7-3, when Mike Rodriguez reached base on an error by FSU’s Groves, allowing Clute to score from third on the play. Clute had reached base earlier with a single.
Miami and Florida State will play the final game of its three-game series on Sunday, April 16 at 1 p.m. at Mark Light Stadium. The game can be listened to at student radio WVUM 90.5 FM. Freshman RHP Kiki Bengochea (4-1) will take to the mound for the Hurricanes on Sunday, while FSU sophomore Blair Varnes gets the nod for the Seminoles.
