Baseball Extends Home Dominance Over Florida 10-4
Feb. 9, 2001
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — – The University of Miami baseball team (5-1), ranked as high as fourth nationally by Baseball America, defeated #13 Florida (1-2), 10-4, in the first of a two-game series in front of a season-high 4,523 fans at Mark Light Stadium. The win over Florida extends Miami’s win streak over the Gators in Coral Gables to 11 games since the 1996 season.
UM starter Brian Walker (2-0) earned the win for the Hurricanes, but it was another solid effort by the UM bullpen and stellar defense that allowed Miami to win for the fourth consecutive game. Following Walker’s departure after five innings pitched, five UM pitchers allowed just three hits and one earned run. The UM defense had no errors for just the second time this season, while UF stranded 11 on base.
The UM offense, which produced 13 hits, was led by five players with multiple hits. Kris Clute contribute a game-high and tied a career-best with four RBI. Javy Rodriguez had a team-best three hits, including a double.
Florida opened up scoring in the second inning when Ben Harrison hit a hard triple down the left field line off Walker to score Peter Nystrom from first on the play. Nystrom had earlier reached base with a walk.
The Hurricanes answered back in the bottom of the second, going up 3-1, when Clute hit a full count two out three-run home run deep to left field off UF starter Joey Simon (0-2) that also scored Kevin Brown and Mike DiRosa on the play. Brown led off the inning with a walk, followed by DiRosa getting hit at the plate. Clute’s home run, his first of the season, came on the 11th pitch against him from Simon, including five that were fouled off.
Florida narrowed the UM lead, 3-2, in the top of the third when Aaron Davidson took a Walker pitch over the right field wall.
Miami went up 5-2 in the bottom of the third when Mike Rodriguez singled in Javy Rodriguez with a shot up the middle off Simon. Javy Rodriguez earlier reached base with a single then stole second and third. With Mike Rodriguez on first, Kevin Mannix brought him home with a double falling deep on the left field line.
Florida once again narrowed the score, 5-3, in the top of the fifth when Jason Dill scored Pat Osborn with a single to left field. Osborn had reached base with an infield single to third base.
The Gators brought in another run in the sixth to come within one of the Hurricanes, 5-4, when relief pitcher T.J. Prunty balked in a run, Kevin Estrada, with bases loaded. With two outs, Estrada had reached on a walk and stole second base. He later took third when Prunty walked Matt Siegel to load the bases.
UM built some cushion in the bottom of the sixth, 9-4, with four runs on four hits off three UF pitchers. Mannix started the inning with a infield single and the next batter Brown walked. Clute added a single to center, scoring Mannix for the 6-4 lead. After a Marcus Nettles walk, Javy Rodriguez doubled to left field to score Clute and Brown for the 8-4 advantage. Two batters later, Danny Matienzo singled to centerfield to score Javy Rodriguez for the final run of the inning.
Miami added its final run in the bottom of the eighth when Matienzo doubled in pinch-runner Charlton Jimerson from third. After pinch-hitter Haas Pratt was hit-by-pitch to start the inning, Jimerson came in and immediately took second on Javy Rodriguez‘ single to right field. Kevin Howard’s ground out allowed Jimerson to move to third.
The two-game series with Florida concludes on Saturday with a 7 p.m. start at Mark Light Stadium. Miami will conclude the weekend with one game against 19th-ranked Oklahoma on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Light. Newly named Head Football Coach Larry Coker will throw out the ceremonial first pitch on Saturday, while former Hurricane and current Los Angeles Dodger F.P. Santangelo will throw the first pitch on Sunday.
Saturday and Sunday’s game will be televised by Fox Sports Net Florida, with the Saturday contest on tape delay at 11:30 p.m. WACC 830 AM Radio Paz (Spanish) and the student voice of the Hurricanes WVUM 90.5 FM will carry the Saturday and Sunday contests, while Sports Radio 560 WQAM will have just the Sunday game. The games can also be heard over the internet at www.hurricanesports.com.
Call 1-800-GO-CANES for season and individual game ticket information or check out UM’s official athletic website, www.hurricanesports.com, for updated information regarding the baseball team.
