Baseball Travels To Hormel Foods Classic
Feb. 28, 2001
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — – The University of Miami baseball team (12-3), ranked as high as fourth nationally by Baseball America, travels to Minneapolis, MN for the University of Minnesota’s Hormel Foods Baseball Classic, March 2-4, at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.
The Hurricanes will be facing such teams as host-school Minnesota, San Diego State and Arkansas. All three games will be broadcast on radio on the student voice of the Hurricanes, WVUM 90.5 FM as well as over the Internet at hurricanesports.com.
Miami begins the tournament with San Diego State on Friday at 1:15 p.m. EST, followed by Minnesota on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and Arkansas on Sunday at noon.
Following the final game on Sunday, a brief ceremony will be held to award the team championship trophy, announce the all-tournament team and award the Easton Silver Stick Award for the starting player with the highest batting average during the event. The championship will be awarded to the team with the best record after the completion of the round-robin format. If two teams tie for the best record, head-to-head competition will determine the champion. If three teams tie for the best record, the champion will be determined by subtracting runs allowed from runs scored during the event. The team with the greatest number using this formula will be declared the champion.
The Hurricanes have appeared at the University of Minnesota baseball tournament on two previous occasions, 1986 and 1990, under former head coach Ron Fraser. In both years, Miami advanced to the championship game, winning in 1990.
The 1986 Miami squad, the defending 1985 College World Series champions, started the “Wheaties Baseball Tournament of Champions” with a 10-5 victory over Michigan. The next day, UM shutout Team Panama, 8-0, followed by a 7-3 loss to host-school Minnesota. Miami and Michigan would meet again in the championship game with the Wolverines winning in 10 innings, 7-5. Team Panama defeated Minnesota, 11-1, in the third-place game. The Hurricanes’ Chris Howard (1B), Jose Trujillo (2B), Rusty DeBold (3B) and Greg Vaughn (OF) were named to the All-Tournament team.
The 1990 squad won all three games at the “Pillsbury Baseball Classic”, while pitcher Oscar Munoz was named the Oustanding Player. Miami started the tournament with a 2-1 victory over Wichita State. The next day, Miami defeated host-school Minnesota, 3-0, in 10 innings. In the championship game, the Hurricanes defeated Stanford, 4-3, also in 10 innings. Wichita State defeated Minnesota, 8-5, in the third-place game. Munoz, along with Maurice Crum (1B), Gino DiMare (OF) and Frank Mora (DH) were each named to the All-Tournament team.
The Hurricanes, who are also ranked seventh by ESPN/Baseball Weekly and eighth by Collegiate Baseball, are led offensively by shortstop Javy Rodriguez. Rodriguez leads the team with a .418 batting average, 23 hits, 15 RBI, 32 total bases and 14 stolen bases. He also places second with a .582 slugging percentage and .484 on-base percentage.
The Hurricanes enter the tournament on a three-game win streak and have won six of the past seven. Recently, Miami defeated local-rival Florida International, 10-2 and 2-0, last Friday and Saturday and closed the weekend with a 14-0 shutout of Albany.
Call 1-800-GO-CANES for season and individual game ticket information. To join the excitement, log on to hurricanesports.com and become a member of Hurricane Watch, the on-line loyalty program that allows you to purchase tickets on-line, transfer tickets to friends via email and earn Hurricane rewards for each game you attend at the Light.
Tournament Schedule
Friday, March 2
Miami vs. San Diego State – 1:15 p.m. EST
Arkansas at Minnesota – 7:30 p.m. EST
Saturday, March 3
Miami at Minnesota – 2:30 p.m. EST
San Diego State vs. Arkansas – 8 p.m. EST
Sunday, March 4
Arkansas vs. Miami – Noon EST
San Diego State at Minnesota – 4 p.m. EST
SERIES INFORMATION:WHAT: University of Miami (12-3) at the Hormel Foods Baseball ClassicWHO: Minnesota, Miami, San Diego State and ArkansasWHEN: Friday, March 2 vs. San Diego State at 1:15 p.m. EST Saturday, March 3 vs. Minnesota at 2:30 p.m. EST Sunday, March 4 vs. Arkansas at Noon ESTWHERE: Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, MNRADIO: WVUM 90.5 FMINTERNET: Audio broadcast through www.hurricanesports.com
