Baseball Closes Out Road Schedule With Jacksonville
May 11, 2000
Coral Gables, FL – The University of Miami baseball team (32-16-1), ranked No. 13 by all three major college baseball polls, travels to Jacksonville (33-20, 16-11 TAAC) University for a three-game series with the Dolphins at Alexander Brest Field on the JU campus.
All three games can be heard on UM’s student voice WVUM 90.5 FM, while the Hurricanes’ flagship station WQAM 560 AM will carry the Saturday game. All three games can also be heard over the internet, log on to www.hurricanesports.com.
Miami is coming off a successful home series with No. 3 Georgia Tech in Coral Gables last weekend, where the Hurricanes won two of the three games with the Yellow Jackets. After falling in the series-opener to the Yellow Jackets, Miami responded with two straight victories in dramatic fashion. Sophomore centerfielder Mike Rodriguez had an RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to score Javy Rodriguez from third to seal a 3-2 win on Sunday. Then on Monday night freshman first baseman Danny Matienzo hit a two-run home run in the seventh to tie the game, 5-5, followed by a solo home run by freshman left fielder Kevin Mannix in the eighth to solidify the come-from-behind 7-5 victory.
Miami is led offensively by its freshman third baseman Kevin Howard, who leads the team with a .414 batting average, 70 hits, 19 doubles and 102 total bases. Shortstop Javy Rodriguez, who led all starters offensively against Georgia Tech, is batting .343, followed by Matienzo’s .342 batting average. Senior designated hitter Lale Esquivel leads the team with 16 home runs, which places him 10th nationally, and is tops in runs scored (44), slugging percentage (.743) and RBI (50).
Starting on the mound for the Hurricanes on Friday will be senior RHP David Gil (8-2, 2.80 ERA). Gil, who last took a loss against Georgia Tech on May 6, is still tied for the team lead with eight wins and tops in strikeouts (97). Sophomore LHP Brian Walker (8-2, 2.77 ERA) and freshman RHP Kiki Bengochea (4-3, 3.53 ERA) will take to the mound for the Hurricanes on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Jacksonville enters the series in a season-long seven-game winning streak. Most recently, the Dolphins upended North Florida, 10-4, to win the Mayor’s Cup for the city of Jacksonville. JU is 16-11 in Trans America Athletic Conference (TAAC) play, which places the Dolphins in fourth place behind certain 2000 NCAA regional participants Central Florida, Florida Atlantic and Stetson.
The Dolphins are led offensively by a trio of players. Sophomore catcher Chad Oliva leads the team with a .374 batting average, 71 hits, three triples, seven home runs, 66 RBI and 112 total bases. Oliva is closely followed in the statistics by outfielders John Vollstedt (.373 batting average) and sophomore Troy Veleber (.371 batting average).
On the mound for Jacksonville on Friday night will be junior RHP Josh Daws (5-2, 4.74 ERA). Daws last picked up the win at Jacksonville State, 17-7, on May 5. The Dolphins will then turn to freshman LHP Josh Nichols (4-4, 6.11 ERA) on Saturday. On Sunday, JU will most likely choose from either freshman RHP Casey Shumaker (6-4, 5.61 ERA) or junior RHP Marcus Bell (6-6, 5.04 ERA).
Series Information
WHAT: Miami (32-16-1) at Jacksonville (33-20, 16-11 TAAC)
WHERE: Alexander Brest Field on the JU campus
WHEN: Friday @ 7 p.m., Saturday @ 7 p.m., Sunday @ 1 p.m.
RADIO: Student – WVUM 90.5 FM (all three games)
Flagship – WQAM 560 AM (Saturday)
INTERNET: log on to www.hurricanesports.com
PROBABLE PITCHERS:
FRIDAY UM – David Gil/SR/RHP/8-2/2.80 ERA/6-4/220/Miami, FL
JU – Josh Daws/JR/RHP/5-2/4.74 ERA/6-0/180/W. Palm Bch., FL
SATURDAY UM – Brian Walker/SO/LHP/8-2/2.77 ERA/6-3/204/Miami, FL
JU – Josh Nichols/FR/LHP/4-4/6.11 ERA/6-2/195/Starke, FL
SUNDAY UM – Kiki Bengochea/FR/RHP/4-3/3.53 ERA/6-2/195/Miami, FL
JU – Casey Shumaker/FR/RHP/6-4/5.61 ERA/6-3/190/Jacksonville
Or JU – Marcus Bell/JR/RHP/6-6/5.04 ERA/6-2/184/Pace, FL
