Baseball Hammers New York Tech 17-3
May 21, 2000
Coral Gables, FL (www.hurricanesports.com) – The University of Miami (37-17-1), ranked as high as No. 12 by Collegiate Baseball newspaper, recorded the three-game sweep of visiting New York Tech (17-28-1) with a 17-3 win at Mark Light Stadium.
UM starter Greg Howell (3-2) earned the win with a pre-game determined four innings with five hits, three runs, two earned, no walks and a career-high six strikeouts. New York Tech starter Doug Stasio (2-4) took the loss pitching just 2.1 innings with five hits, nine runs, all earned, six walks, three hit batters and two strikeouts.
Offensively, shortstop Javy Rodriguez went 3-5 with two runs scored, one double and a new career-best five RBI. Left fielder Kevin Brown also made his presence felt with a season-high six RBI and two home runs. Outfielder Mark Walker totaled four runs scored, a new career-high as well.
With two outs in the first, Rodriguez reached base with a single to right field then proceeded to steal second and third. After a walk to first baseman Lale Esquivel, designated hitter Danny Matienzo scored Rodriguez with a single to left field for a 1-0 lead.
New York Tech answered in the top of the second with two runs off UM starter Greg Howell. A usual reliever, Howell put the first two batters on base, designated hitter Tom Merkle and right fielder Mike Rick with hit-by-pitches before giving up a two-RBI triple to centerfielder Bryan Goelz.
In the bottom of the second, UM tied the game, 2-2, on second baseman Kris Clute’s double down the left field line that brought in Walker in from first. Walker had reached base earlier on a walk off Stasio.
The Bears went ahead, 3-2, in the third when third baseman Ian Beller came around from second on a throwing error by Rodriguez with two outs. Beller reached base on a single to right field and stole second. Merkle then hit a grounder to Rodriguez, who threw the ball in the UM dugout, allowing Beller to score on the play.
The Hurricanes regained the lead, 9-3, in the bottom of the third with seven runs on two hits. In the inning, Brown started the scoring with a three-run home run deep to left field that also scored Matienzo and right fielder Manny Crespo. Matienzo led off the inning with a hit-by-pitch, followed by a walk to Crespo just prior to Brown’s fifth home run of the season. Later in the third, Rodriguez drove in three more runs with a double down the left field line with bases loaded. After Brown’s home run, Stasio loaded the bases with consecutive hit-by-pitches to Walker and catcher Greg Lovelady, followed by a walk to Clute. Rodriguez then moved to third on an Esquivel ground out. New reliever Ed Gillespie re-loaded the bases with walks to Matienzo and Crespo. Brown brought in the last run of the inning, Rodriguez from third, on Gillespie’s third consecutive walk to extend the lead to 9-3.
Miami continued to add runs in the fourth scoring four more on four hits for a 13-3 lead. Walker led off the inning with a single to centerfield. Clute moved Walker to third on an infield single to the shortstop. Howard knocked in Walker with another infield single to the shortstop. Clute and Howard each moved up a base following a wild pitch from Gillespie. Rodriguez drove in the second run, Clute, with a sacrifice fly to right field. Esquivel then drew a walk to put base runners at the corners. New reliever Ismael Almonte then came in for Gillespie and threw a wild pitch to score Howard. Matienzo drew a walk, moving Esquivel to second. Crespo then knocked in Esquivel with a single to right field.
Gillespie’s line following the inning was 1.0 inning pitched, three hits, four runs, all earned, four walks and one wild pitch. Soon after, Almonte left the game after 1.1 innings pitched with five hits, two earned runs, two walks, two strikeouts and one wild pitch.
In the fifth, Miami extended the lead to 15-3 with two runs off four hits. Walker led off the inning with an infield single to the shortstop. Pinch-hitter Marcus Nettles then hit a single to left field. Soon after, Rodriguez knocked in Walker with an RBI-single to left field. Matienzo knocked in the final run of the inning, Nettles, with a double down the left field line.
UM reliever Chris Sheffield came in for Howell to start the fifth and went 3.0 scoreless innings with a career-high of six strikeouts. Sheffield retired all nine batters faced.
Brown hit his second home run of the game, a two-run shot deep to centerfield, in the eighth. Brown’s sixth home run of the season also scored outfielder Charlton Jimerson, who reached base on a walk.
Miami will return to action next weekend, May 26-28, hosting an NCAA Regional at Mark Light Stadium. ESPN will announce the 2000 NCAA pairings in a live telecast on Monday, May 22 at 3 p.m. The UM locker room will be one of the sites that ESPN will broadcast live from. Tickets for the 2000 NCAA Sub-Regional at Mark Light Stadium can be purchased at the UM Ticket Box Office or through Ticketmaster. Call 1-800 GO CANES or 305-284-CANES in Dade County for ticket information. Stay tuned to UM’s official website, www.hurricanesports.com for further regional information.
