Baseball Prepares For Florida International

Feb. 20, 2001

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University of Miami Hurricanes (9-2)
#4 Baseball America, #6 ESPN/Baseball Weekly, #8 Collegiate Baseball

vs.

Florida International University Golden Panthers (8-3)

Wednesday – WVUM 90.5 FM

February 21, 2001
Mark Light Stadium – Coral Gables, FL

MIAMI/FIU SERIES — Miami leads the overall series with FIU, 79-17, dating back to the 1973 season and are riding a three-game win streak in the series dating back to the 2000 season. The Miami/FIU series is the third-longest on-going rivalry on the UM schedule behind Florida (1940) and Florida State (1951).

After defeating the Golden Panthers, 4-3, at University Park on February 7, UM now has won 10 of the past 13 meetings with FIU. Head Coach Jim Morris is 18-7 vs. FIU since coming to UM in 1994, including a 12-3 record at Mark Light Stadium. Away from Mark Light, Morris’ UM teams have gone 6-4 against FIU.

HURRICANES DEFEAT CROSS-TOWN RIVAL FIU 4-3 — Of the 96 meetings with FIU, UM is 14-10 in one run games, including its most recent 4-3 decision in front of a sell-out crowd at University Park on February 7th. Kiki Bengochea went 5.1 innings before he surrendered his lone hit of the game, a three-run home run that moved FIU within one run, 4-3. From that point, the bullpen, consisting of T.J. Prunty, Alex Prendes and Luke DeBold, took the final 3.2 innings in stride with just three hits and seven strikeouts. DeBold earned the save, while Bengochea received the win.

MIAMI SWEEPS ELON IN THREE-GAME SERIES — The three-game sweep of Elon College was UM’s first of the season. The last UM three-game sweep came in the final regular season series of 2000 against New York Tech. The three-game series victory over Elon was UM’s 18th consecutive at Mark Light Stadium, as well as the 46th of the past 47 three-game series played at home. The last three-game series lost by UM at home was FSU in 1998. Earlier this season, UM took a three-game series with FAU two games to one – with the middle game at Boca Raton.

Game #1 (Coral Gables), Miami 4, Elon 2 — UM fought off Elon with solid pitching from Brian Walker and the bullpen, plus a two-run home run from Kevin Brown. Walker went 6.1 innings with two earned runs, plus seven strikeouts. He also set a new school-record in the game with three pick-offs, surpassing J.D. Arteaga’s mark of two set vs. Jacksonville on May 10, 1997. Arteaga, coincidentally, threw out the first pitch on Friday. Following Walker’s departure, the bullpen held Elon scoreless the final 2.2 innings. With UM up 2-1, Brown launched his second home run of the season, a two-run shot, to left field in the sixth inning for the 4-1 advantage. Game #2 (Coral Gables), Miami 10, Elon 9 (12 inn.) — Kevin Mannix had an RBI single in the 12th to score Charlton Jimerson for the extra-inning, 10-9, win. Mannix went 4-6 behind the plate, while Javy Rodriguez had a career-numbers in 5-6 with a triple, a grand slam, six RBI and two stolen bases. Danny Touchet finished off the final 2.0 innings for his first win, while Kiki Bengochea went the first 7.0 innings with two hits, one unearned run, one walk and five strikeouts. Bengochea left the game with UM up 5-1. Elon put together a six-run eighth off the bullpen to take the lead. Miami answered with Rodriguez’ grand slam to re-take the lead. Elon came back in the top of the ninth with a two-run home run off reliever Jeff Reboin to force extra-innings. Game #3 (Coral Gables), Miami 7, Elon 4 — Kevin Mannix and Kevin Brown each homered in the fifth, Tom Farmer and George Huguet combined to shut down Elon in a 7-4 win. Mannix broke a 4-4 tie with a solo shot to left field. Later that same inning Brown launched a two-run shot to right field. After 7.0 innings pitched by Farmer, Huguet closed the final 2.0 innings for his first save. Farmer allwed six hit, four runs (two earned), one walk and five strikeouts. Huguet allowed no base runners with three strikeouts. Offensively, Brown went 3-4, while Mannix, Kevin Howard and Javy Rodriguez each chipped in two hits apiece.

MIAMI IN EXTRA INNING HOME GAMES — With its 10-9 win over Elon in game No. 2’s 12 innings, Miami has now won two straight extra-inning home games. In their last 18 extra-inning home games, UM is 17-0-1. Miami had won 15 straight extra inning games at home, prior to the 6-6 tie to Michigan on March 19, 2000. The last home loss in extra innings was 9-8 (10 innings) vs. Stetson on March 29, 1989.

BASEBALL AMERICA RATES TOP 100 COLLEGE PROSPECTS — Baseball America has rated three UM players among its top 100 college prospects: #34 Kiki Bengochea, #48 Kevin Howard and #76 Brian Walker. In addition, Luke DeBold, Danny Matienzo, Marcus Nettles and Mike Rodriguez also appear on Rivals.com’s prospects list for the state of Florida.

RIVALS.COM RATES TOP 100 COLLEGE PROSPECTS — Rivals.com has rated three UM players among its top 100 college prospects in the next MLB draft in its latest Early Draft Preview edition: #39 Mike Rodriguez, #86 Brian Walker and #93 Marcus Nettles. In addition, Rodriguez and Nettles are listed as two of the fastest outfielders in the country.

UM EXTENDS HOME DOMINANCE OVER FLORIDA TO 12 STRAIGHT SINCE 1996 WITH THRILLING TWO-GAME SERIES — With wins in both games against Florida at Mark Light Stadium, Miami pulled off the season-sweep of the 13th-ranked Gators for the first time since winning all four games in 1991, including the 14-5 win in Gainesville on February 3.

The two wins at home also extends UM’s win streak over Florida in Coral Gables to 12 straight games since the 1996 season. The earlier win in Gainesville snapped a 10-game losing streak for UM at McKethan Stadium.

Additionally, the three-game sweep of UF marks the the eighth straight overall series won by the Hurricanes dating back to 2000. A total of 9,694 fans came for the two-game series at the Light, marking a two-game high in the series since 11,342 came in 1989.

Miami brings its all-time series total to 105-80-1 vs. Florida since the 1940 season. The UF series is the longest on-going series on the Hurricanes’ schedule. Only Miami and Florida State have met more times (214), since the 1951 season. Since the 1994 season, Head Coach Jim Morris has gone 19-14 against the Gators, including a 16-2 mark in Coral Gables. Against the Southeastern Conference while at Miami, Morris is 35-25 since 1994.

Game #2 (Coral Gables), Miami 8, Florida 7 — Mike DiRosa had sat out nearly the entire game resting a bruised shoulder suffered in the Friday win over UF, and in his lone at bat in the bottom of the ninth he came up with a walk-off single to score Charlton Jimerson for the winning margin. It was his second career walk-off hit. UM fell behind, 4-0, early, but rallied behind a Mike Rodriguez two-run home run, a Danny Matienzo home run and a Kris Clute two-RBI single. UM tied a season-best with 14 hits in the game.

Game #1 (Coral Gables), Miami 10, Florida 4 — UM received an all-around effort in the victory with 10 runs and 13 hits from its offense, no errors and 11 Gators left on base from its defense and just one earned run off a balk from the bullpen. After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the second, Kris Clute hit a three-run home run deep to left field to put UM ahead for good in the bottom of the second. Clute tied his career-best in the game with four RBI.

Game #1 (Gainesville), Miami 14, Florida 5 — UM defeated Florida on the Gators’ opening day at McKethan Stadium-Perry Field on February 3 to end a string of 20 straight wins by the home team in the series. Miami last defeated UF in Gainesville, 10-2, on February 2, 1995. The nine-run margin of victory was the largest for UM in Gainesville since the 1985 season. Miami was paced in the game by a solid effort from the bullpen and timely hitting by the offense. The bullpen allowed just three hits and one run over the final 5.1 innings. The UM offense produced a season-best 14 hits and 14 runs. Six UM batters had multiple hits, including Kevin Mannix and Mike DiRosa, who each had three RBI.

HURRICANES START 2001 WITH SERIES WIN OVER FAU — Miami took its first series of the 2001 season by winning two of three games with Florida Atlantic. With the 2-1 mark against the Owls, Miami moves to 35-6 against FAU since the 1982 season, including wins in 17 of the last 19 meetings.

Game #1, Miami 9, FAU 3 — Miami broke a 2-2 tie in the fourth with three runs to take a hold of the game. UM then put the game out of reach in the eighth with four more runs. UM had five extra base hits, led by catcher Mike DiRosa’s home run. Starter Brian Walker earned the win, along with a strong relief effort from Chris Sheffield. Game #2, FAU 11, Miami 10 — The Owls turned a 10-9 deficit in the ninth into an 11-10 victory in Boca Raton after UM closer Luke DeBold allowed three hits, one walk and two earned runs for the loss. Six lead changes occured in the contest, including a late three-run rally by the Hurricanes to tie the game 9-9 in the eighth. Game #3, Miami 4, FAU 2 — The Hurricanes never trailed, as starter Tom Farmer earned the victory. Farmer had six strikeouts, along with the save by DeBold and a solid relief effort from Alex Prendes. Kevin Howard had a two-run homer in the third to give UM the winning margin.

MIAMI IN SEASON OPENERS — Miami holds a 36-21 overall record in season opening games. The Hurricanes defeated FAU, 9-3, in the 2001 season-opener at Mark Light Stadium on February 25. The last loss in a season-opener for the Hurricanes was January 16, 1997, a 3-2 loss at Hawai’i. UM has not lost a season-opener at home since a 9-7 defeat to Florida on February 3, 1984 (14 games).

RODRIGUEZ, HOWARD EARN BASEBALL AMERICA PRESEASON THIRD-TEAM HONORS — Junior centerfielder Mike Rodriguez and sophomore third baseman Kevin Howard were each named to the Baseball America 2001 Preseaosn Third-Team All-America list, as selected by the Major League Scouting Directors. Rodriguez was last a freshman all-american two seasons ago, while Howard was arguably the highest decorated freshman player in the nation last season. Howard was the Baseball America National Freshman of the Year as well as first-team freshman All-American.

WALKER EARN NCBWA PRESEASON THIRD-TEAM HONORS — Junior ace Brian Walker was named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writer’s Association preseason third-team. Walker led the pitching staff in 2000 with a 12-2 record at the No. 2 position in the rotation.

WALKER, HOWARD EARN COLLEGIATE BASEBALL PRESEASON THIRD-TEAM HONORS — Junior ace Brian Walker and sophomore third baseman Kevin Howard were each named to Collegiate Baseball’s TPX Louisville Slugger Preseason All-American third-team. Howard was the Co-Freshman of the Year by Collegiate Baseball in 2000.

BASEBALL AMERICA RANKS MIAMI FOURTH IN PRESEASON POLL — The Hurricanes were ranked fourth in Baseball America’s annual preseason top 25 poll. UM was selected behind Georgia Tech, Southern California and Louisiana State. Of Miami’s 56 regular season games, UM play 17 or 30.4% of its schedule against team’s ranked in Baseball America’s preseason top 25 poll (#7 FSU, 6, #13 Florida, 4, #15 Cal State Fullerton, 3, #23 East Carolina, 3, #24 Minnesota, 1).

BASEBALL WEEKLY/ESPN RANKS MIAMI EIGHTH IN PRESEASON POLL — The Hurricanes were ranked eighth in Baseball Weekly/ESPN annual preseason top 25 poll. UM was selected behind Georgia Tech, Louisiana State, Southern California, Florida State, Clemson, Arizona State and Nebraska. Of Miami’s 56 regular season games, UM play 12 or 21.4% of its schedule against team’s ranked in the Baseball Weekly/ESPN preseason top 25 poll (#4 FSU, 6, #12 Cal State Fullerton, 3, #14 Florida, 4).

COLLEGIATE BASEBALL RANKS MIAMI NINTH IN PRESEASON POLL — The Hurricanes were ranked ninth in the Collegiate Baseball newspaper annual preseason top 40 poll. UM was selected behind Georgia Tech, Southern California, Louisiana State, Nebraska, Clemson, Arizona State, Rice and Florida State. Of Miami’s 56 regular season games, UM play 22 or 39.3% of its schedule against team’s ranked in the Collegiate Baseball preseason top 40 poll (#8 FSU, 6, #12 Cal State Fullerton, 3, #13 Florida, 4, #30 East Carolina, 3, #31 FIU, 4, #35 Oklahoma State, 1, #39 Minnesota, 1).