Baseball Shuts Outs N.C. State 12-0 In Series Opener
April 21, 2000
Durham, NC – The University of Miami baseball team (27-13-1), ranked as high as 11th by Collegiate Baseball newspaper, opened up its three-game series with North Carolina State (24-20) with a 12-0 shutout over the Wolfpack at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, home of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays AAA team.
UM starter David Gil (7-1) led the charge, pitching 7.0 innings with no runs, four hits, one walk and five strikeouts. The Hurricanes out-slugged N.C. State 15-6, while the Wolfpack also added four errors.
Several Hurricanes starred offensively, as four players had multiple hits and nine had a hit total. UM was led by freshman third baseman Kevin Howard, who went 4-6 from the plate with two runs scored and two RBI. Centerfielder Mike Rodriguez was 2-2 from the plate with four runs scored, one RBI and two walks. Rodriguez also hit the games’ lone home run in the sixth inning. Shortstop Javy Rodriguez added three RBI, while first baseman Danny Matienzo and right fielder Manny Crespo each had two RBI. Additionally, Matienzo extended his team-high hitting streak to 11 games.
The Hurricanes jumped out of the gate quickly scoring three runs in the top of the first inning on four hits and one error off N.C. State starter Ryan Combs (4-4). Mike Rodriguez led off the inning with a single, but advanced all the way to third on a throwing error by Wolfpack catcher Tyler Tiesling. The next batter, Howard, scored Mike Rodriguez with a single to left field. After stealing second, Howard was pushed to third on a ground out by designated hitter Lale Esquivel. Crespo then knocked Howard in with a single up the middle. Javy Rodriguez brought in Crespo for the final run of the inning with an infield single towards second base. The inning ended with Javy Rodriguez trying to steal home.
Miami doubled its lead, 6-0, in the third with three more runs on two hits and one error. Mike Rodriguez led off the inning with a walk off Combs. Howard then singled to right field, moving Rodriguez to second. Both runners then moved over a base on a throwing error by Combs on a botched pick-off. Matienzo then knocked in Mike Rodriguez with a ground out to the second baseman. After walks to Esquivel and Crespo to load the bases, Combs threw a wild pitch to allow the runners to advance one base with Howard scoring. Javy Rodriguez then knocked in Esquivel with an infield single up the middle for the 6-0 margin.
In the fourth, UM added two more runs on two hits and one error to extend the score to 8-0. Mike Rodriguez scored the first run of the inning with a home run deep into the right field stands. Esquivel brought in the second run of the inning, Matienzo, with a single to right field. Matienzo had reached base earlier on error by the third baseman and took second on the play.
Miami scored twice more in the sixth on two hits and one error to bring the lead to 10-0. Catcher Mike DiRosa led off the inning reaching first on an error by the shortstop. After Mike Rodriguez drew a walk, Howard drove in DiRosa from second with a double off the centerfield wall. After strikeouts to Matienzo and new designated hitter Kevin Brown, Crespo brought in the second run of the inning with a single to left field, scoring Mike Rodriguez from third. Brown’s appearance marked his return after missing the last 19 games with a severely bruised left shin.
Brown would later score the Hurricanes 11th run of the ball game in the eighth inning after scoring from third on Javy Rodriguez‘ sacrifice fly. Brown drew a walk and reached third on pinch hitter Mark Walker’s double to right field.
Miami closed out its scoring with one more run in the ninth as pinch hitter Marcus Nettles scored from third on a Matienzo’s single to right field. Nettles reached base earlier on a walk and advanced to second on a Howard single.
The win pushes UM’s record over N.C. State to 7-3, including a 4-1 mark under Head Coach Jim Morris.
Miami and North Carolina State will continue its three-game series, Saturday and Sunday, at the Wolfpack’s Doak Field in Raleigh. Each game can be heard on student radio WVUM 90.5 FM.
