Baseball Upends Jacksonville 4-2
May 12, 2000
Jacksonville, FL – Senior David Gil (9-2) pitched a complete game and led the University of Miami (33-16-1) to a 4-2 win over Jacksonville (33-21) on the road at Alexander Brest Field on the JU campus.
In his first career complete game, Gil allowed five hits, two earned runs, two walks and eight strikeouts. Gil allowed just one extra base hit, a solo home run by JU designated hitter Scott Biernacki, and four singles. His JU counterpart, Josh Daws (5-3), gave up 11 hits, four runs, three earned runs, six walks and six strikeouts.
The win extends UM’s streak to three games, after taking the final two against No. 3 Georgia Tech last weekend, while breaking the Dolphins season-long streak at seven games. The win over Jacksonville is UM’s fourth straight over the Dolphins dating back to the 1998 season.
At the plate, Miami was led by its freshman third baseman Kevin Howard, who went 3-3 with a runs scored and two walks. Shortstop Javy Rodriguez went 3-5, while right fielder Manny Crespo went 2-3 with a walk to round out double-digit UM hitters.
Miami jumped out with one run in the first inning on Javy Rodriguez‘ RBI single up the middle that scored centerfielder and lead off batter Mike Rodriguez from third. Mike Rodriguez earlier led off the game with an infield single towards the second baseman and beat out the throw. He then moved to third on Howard’s single to right field.
The Dolphins tied the game, 1-1, with their first hit of the game in the bottom of the second on Biernacki’s solo home run deep to centerfield off Gil.
Left fielder Kevin Mannix put the Hurricanes ahead, 3-1, in the third inning with his two-out single to left center that scored Howard and Javy Rodriguez. Both Howard and Javy Rodriguez reached base on singles to right field.
Jacksonville chipped away at UM’s lead in the fourth with one run coming on second baseman Jarvis Fraser’s RBI single to left field that scored Biernacki from third. Biernacki led off the inning with a walk, advanced to second a hit batter and to third on sacrifice bunt by shortstop Dale Johnson.
UM added a run in the seventh inning, 4-2, on a wild pitch from Daws that scored designated hitter Danny Matienzo from third. Matienzo had earlier reached base on a throwing error by the third baseman, stole second and took third on a throwing error by the catcher.
Miami and Jacksonville continue its three-game series on Saturday, May 12 at 7 p.m. at Alexander Brest Field on the JU campus. The game can be heard over the radio on UM’s flagship station WQAM 560 AM and on the student voice WVUM 90.5 FM. Additionally, the game can be heard via the internet, log on to www.hurricanesports.com.
