Baseball Defeats San Diego State 8-6 At Hormel Foods Classic
March 2, 2001
Minneapolis, MN (www.hurricanesports.com) — – The University of Miami (13-3), ranked as high as fourth nationally by Baseball America, defeated San Diego State (8-6), 8-6, on the first day of the 2001 Hormel Foods Baseball Classic at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.
UM was led on the mound by starter Kiki Bengochea (3-0), who went 7.0 innings with eight hits, four runs (one earned) and one walk. He also tied a season-best with eight strikeouts. Reliever George Huguet came in for the final out of the ninth inning to earn his second save of the season.
UM was led offensively by home runs from Mike DiRosa and Kevin Brown and a two-RBI triple from Kevin Mannix.
San Diego State started the scoring in the bottom of the first, 2-0, scoring two runs off three hits on Bengochea. Anthony Gwynn led off the inning with a single up the middle. Taber Lee reached base on a fielding error by UM second baseman Matt Dryer and advanced to second, moving Gwynn to third. A passed ball by DiRosa allowed Gwynn to score the first run and Lee to move to third. Lee then came in on Carlo Cota’s single to right center. Bengochea retired the final three batters to end the inning.
The Hurricanes came back with three runs on two extra-base hits and one error for the 3-2 lead in the top of the third. DiRosa led off the inning with a 358-foot home run to right center to narrow the Aztec lead 2-1. After Charlton Jimerson struck out looking, Javy Rodriguez reached first on a fielding error from SDSU starter Marcos Mendoza (1-2), followed by a walk to Mike Rodriguez. While Brown struck out looking, both Rodriguez’ stole third and second, respectively. Mannix then tripled to left field to score the Rodriguez’. Danny Matienzo ended the inning with a fly out to center, with Mannix on third.
Miami extended its lead, 5-2, in the fourth on Javy Rodriguez’ double to right center that scored DiRosa and Jimerson. After Kevin Howard and Dryer each flew out to start the inning, DiRosa reached base on a walk. Jimerson then doubled to left field, moving DiRosa to third prior to Javy Rodriguez’ at bat. Mike Rodriguez grounded out to second to end the inning.
San Diego State narrowed the UM lead, 5-3, on Ben Leuthard’s ground-rule double over the left center wall that scored Rielly Embrey from second. Embrey led off the inning with a bunt single towards third base and later stole second.
Dryers put the Hurricanes ahead, 6-3, in the fifth with his RBI single to right field that scored Mannix from second. Mannix reached on a fielder’s choice grounder and took second on a walk to Matienzo.
Mendoza left game after 4.2 innings allowing six hits, six runs (four earned), five walks and five strikeouts. He was replaced with reliever John Skinner, who retired the final UM batter.
The Aztecs answered back with one run in the bottom of the fifth to narrow the UM lead to 6-4. Gwynn led off the inning with a bunt single and took second on an errant throw by Bengochea. Gwynn then took third on Lee’s ground out to second. Gwynn then came home on pinch-hitter Josh Hill’s single up the middle.
After two scoreless innings, Miami put another run on the scoreboard in the eighth for the 7-4 lead. Dryer walked and was replaced with Marcus Nettles. Nettles proceeded to steal second and move to third on a pass ball. Nettles then came in on Jimerson’s sacrifice fly to centerfield.
The Hurricanes extended their lead to 8-4 in the ninth on Brown’s 393-foot home run to left center off reliever Mike Moat.
San Diego State came back with two runs in the ninth to bring the score within two runs 8-6. After Pilar Amaya was tagged out at second trying stretch a single into a double, pinch-hitter Daryl Harang hit a ground-rule double to left center. Gwynn knocked in the first run, Harang, with a single to right center. Lee then singled to right center, moving Gwynn to third. Cota hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to score Gwynn for the second run of the inning.
Miami will next play host-school Minnesota in the second round of the Hormel Foods Baseball Classic on Saturday, March 3 at 2:15 p.m. The Hurricanes will conclude the three-game tournament with 21st-ranked Arkansas on Sunday, March 4 at 12:15 p.m. Both games can be heard over the student voice of the Hurricanes, WVUM 90.5 FM, as well as on the Internet at hurricanesports.com.
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.
