Jacksonville Avoids Sweep With Narrow 8-7 Win Over Hurricanes
May 14, 2000
Jacksonville, FL – Miami nearly rallied for the win with five runs in the ninth, but fell, 8-7, to Jacksonville (34-22) at at Alexander Brest Field on the JU campus. The JU win allowed the Dolphins to avoid the three-game sweep after UM took the first two games of the three-game series by scores of 4-2 and 14-6.
UM starter Kiki Bengochea (4-4) went 5.2 innings for the loss with four runs, three earned, on four hits, four walks and five strikeouts. JU starter Marcus Bell (7-6) earned the win as he went six innings with six hits, two earned runs, four walks and four strikeouts. Each pitcher also had one hit batter.
In the ninth, Miami started its five-run rally attempt with designated hitter Danny Matienzo’s single to left field with one out. Left fielder Kevin Mannix and right fielder Manny Crespo each drew walks to load the bases. Second baseman Kris Clute brought in the first run, Matienzo, as he also drew a walk. Pinch-hitter Marcus Nettles knocked in the next run, Mannix, with a single to centerfield. Centerfielder Mike Rodriguez drove in the next run, Crespo, with a ground out to the first baseman. Third baseman Kevin Howard closed out the scoring with a two-run single to right center that scored Clute and Nettles.
JU took a close game and blew it open in the bottom of the seventh inning with four runs on four hits. Centerfielder John Vollstedt started the inning with an infield single towards third base off UM reliever Luke DeBold. Left fielder Josh Johnson then drew a walk off DeBold. After catcher Chad Oliva struck out, UM replaced DeBold with Alex Prendes who intentionally walked third baseman Josh Hurrell to load the bases. With new reliever Tom Farmer on the mound, pinch-hitter Chad Hauseman started the scoring with a RBI single to left field that scored Vollstedt. First baseman Scott Biernacki then knocked in two more runs with a two-run single that scored Josh Johnson and Hurrell. Second baseman Grant Conyers knocked in the final run of the inning, Hauseman, with a bloop single to centerfield.
Jacksonville began the scoring in the second inning putting up three runs on two hits and one UM error. Hurrell led off the inning with a walk. First baseman Jami Rodgers then knocked Hurrell in with a double off the centerfield wall. Conyers reached base with a bloop single to centerfield, moving Rodgers to third. Right fielder Brook Hoover then drew a walk to load the bases. Shortstop Dale Johnson reached base on a fielding error by UM first baseman Lale Esquivel, allowing Rodgers to score from third. Conyers scored the final run of the inning when he came in from third after Bengochea hit Vollstedt with a pitch.
The Hurricanes came back in the fifth with two runs to narrow the JU lead to 3-2 on Crespo’s two-run home run deep to left center. Crespo’s eighth home run of the season also scored Mannix, who reached base on a single down the left field line and advanced all the way to third on a fielding error.
JU put another run on the board in the sixth inning, 4-2, on Conyers sacrifice fly to centerfield that allowed Hurrell to score from third. Hurrell had led off the inning with a single to centerfield and advanced to third on Biernacki’s double down the left field line.
Miami returns to action next weekend, May 19-21, against New York Tech in the final three-game series of the 2000 regular season at Mark Light Stadium. For ticket information, call 1-800 GO CANES or 305-284-CANES in Dade County.
