Baseball To Host No. 4 Georgia Tech In Three-Game Series

May 4, 2000

Coral Gables, FL – The University of Miami baseball team (30-15-1), ranked as high as No. 12 by Collegiate Baseball newspaper, host Georgia Tech (37-11, 16-5 ACC) in a three-game series, beginning Saturday, May 6 at Mark Light Stadium. The Yellow Jackets, the Atlantic Coast Conference’ first-place team, enter the series ranked as high as No. 4 Baseball America.

For ticket information call the UM Ticket Box Office at 1-800 GO CANES or 305-284-CANES in Dade County. Tickets can also be purchased prior to the game at the Hecht Athletic Center at 5821 San Amaro Drive on the UM campus or before the game at Mark Light Stadium.

The Hurricanes’ flagship radio station WQAM 560 AM and Spanish WACC 830 AM will carry Sunday’s game, while student radio WVUM 90.5 FM will have all three games over the weekend. Additionally, Fox Sports Net will televise all three games live. All three games can be heard over the Internet as well, at www.hurricanesports.com.

Miami and Georgia Tech have met a total of 41 times in the all-time series that began in 1958, with the Hurricanes leading 28-11-2. Additionally, UM holds a 17-3-2 mark against Georgia Tech at Mark Light Stadium. Most recently, Miami won back-to-back three-game series with the Yellow Jackets in 1997 and 1998 – each time winning two of three games.

UM Head Coach Jim Morris, with an overall record of 329-103-1 in seven seasons at Miami, is Georgia Tech `s all-time leader in coaching victories. Morris served for 12 seasons at the Atlanta-based school amassing a 504-244-1 overall record just prior to heading up the Miami coaching staff for the 1994 season. Since joining the Hurricanes, Morris, the 1999 National Coach of the Year, has guided the program to six straight trips to the College World Series in Omaha, NE, including the 1999 National Championship.

Miami enters the series having won its last three three-game series over then-No. 1 Florida State in Coral Gables, followed by N.C. State in Raleigh, NC, and then-No. 21 Long Beach State last weekend at Mark Light Stadium. In each of those series, UM took two of three games for the series victory. This season UM has won eight of nine three-game series overall and 15 straight at Mark Light Stadium dating back to the 1998 season. Additionally, UM has won 43 of its past 44 three-game series at home.

On the mound for Miami on Saturday will be ace RHP David Gil (8-1, 2.56 ERA). Gil, who leads all starting pitchers with his 2.56 ERA, has won five consecutive and leads the team with 89 strikeouts. The senior out of the Columbus School ranks ninth at UM in career strikeouts with 288.

Sophomore LHP Brian Walker (8-2, 2.93 ERA) and freshman RHP Kiki Bengochea (4-3, 3.48 ERA) will pitch for the Hurricanes on Sunday and Monday, respectively.

Offensively, freshman third baseman Kevin Howard is nearly doing it all. Howard, who is rated 16th nationally with a .427 batting average, is first among all freshmen with his lofty batting average. Additionally, Howard leads the team in on-base percentage (.480), hits (67), doubles (18) and total bases (98). Last weekend, Howard went 10-12 at the plate against Long Beach State, including two home runs, two doubles, six runs scored, eight RBI, 18 total bases and two walks.

Additionally, senior designated hitter Lale Esquivel belted two home runs against Long Beach State to bring his 2000 season total to 16. That figure over his 40 games played ties him for seventh nationally with .40 home runs per game. Esquivel, who has 36 career home runs at Miami, moved from 13th to 5th on the all-time career list after belting seven home runs in the last three weeks. He stands two behind former Hurricane All-American and current Baltimore Orioles’ catcher Charles Johnson (38, 1990-92).

Georgia Tech’s starting rotation for the series feature junior southpaw Cory Vance (9-2, 3.00 ERA) getting the call in Saturday night’s opener. The Yellow Jackets’ leader in victories, innings pitched (78) and strikeouts (93), Vance has picked up wins in seven of his last eight starts.

For Sunday and Monday’s contests, Georgia Tech will turn to a pair of sophomores in RHP Rhett Parrott (6-2, 3.40 ERA) and Steve Kelly (6-2, 4.52 ERA).

At the plate, the Yellow Jackets’ lineup continues to be anchored by third baseman Mark Teixeira, .438, 13 HR, 57 RBI, and leadoff hitter and second baseman Richard Lewis, .434, 4 HR, 45 RBI. Teixeira and Lewis rank first and second in the ACC, and both players are among the national leaders in batting as well.

Following Georgia Tech, Miami will travel to Jacksonville to take on the Dolphins in a three-game series beginning Friday, May 12.

SERIES DATA
WHO: Miami (30-15-1) vs. Georgia Tech (37-11, 16-5 ACC)
WHEN: Saturday @ 7 p.m., Sunday @ 7 p.m., Monday @ 7 p.m.
WHERE: Mark Light Stadium on the UM campus
TICKETS: Call 1-800 GO CANES or 305-284 CANES in Dade County
TELEVISION: Fox Sports Net (All three games)
RADIO: Flagship WQAM 560 AM (Sunday)
Spanish WACC 830 AM (Sunday)
Student WVUM 90.5 FM (All three games)
INTERNET: log on at www.hurricanesports.com
PROBABLE PITCHERS:
Saturday
Miami – David Gil/SR/RHP/8-1/2.56 ERA/Miami, FL
Georgia Tech – Cory Vance/JR/LHP/9-2/3.00 ERA/Vandalia, OH
Sunday
Miami – Brian Walker/SO/LHP/8-2/2.96 ERA/Miami, FL
Georgia Tech – Rhett Parrott/SO/RHP/6-2/3.40 ERA/Dalton, GA
Monday
Miami – Kiki Bengochea/FR/RHP/4-3/3.48 ERA/Miami, FL
Georgia Tech – Steve Kelly/SO/RHP/6-2/4.52 ERA/Fairfield, OH