Rutgers Takes Advantage Of Miami Miscues In 9-6 Victory
March 11, 2001
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — – The University of Miami baseball team (17-5) committed a season-high six errors in allowing seven unearned runs to cross the plate in a 9-6 loss to Rutgers (9-3) in front of 2,054 fans Sunday afternoon at Mark Light Stadium.
The loss give Rutgers the three-game series, two games to one, and ends Miami’s streak of 19 straight three-game series won at home. The last loss in a three-game series at Mark Light came against Florida State during the 1998 season.
Rutgers put togehter the majority of its runs in the two separate innings, a five-run third and a three-run fifth. The third inning contained three Miami errors that allowed all five runs to score unearned. The fifth inning contained one error that allowed one of the three runs to score unearned. The one run scored in the eighth inning was also unearned after an error committed earlier in the inning. Kevin Howard totaled three of the errors, followed by two from Kevin Brown and one on UM starter Tom Farmer (4-1).
Rutgers starter Jimmy Wilson (2-1) went 8.0 innings, allowing six hits, four runs (two earned), seven walks, four strikeouts and one balk.
The Hurricanes opened scoring, 1-0, in the first when Marcus Nettles tagged up from third on a sacrifice fly RBI by Javy Rodriguez deep to centerfield off Wilson. Nettles led off the inning with a walk, stole second and moved to third on Mike Rodriguez’ ground out to first base.
Miami extended its lead, 3-0, in the second with two runs off two hits and one error. After Howard popped up to start the inning, Kevin Mannix reached base and took second on a throwing error by the shortstop. Mannix then scored on Haas Pratt’s single to left field. Pratt took second on a balk and moved to third on Kris Clute’s ground out. Pratt then scored on Nettles infield single to the shortstop.
Rutgers came back strong in the third, 5-3, putting up five unearned runs on two hits and three UM errors. Brian Ciemniecki led off the inning by reaching base and taking second on an error by Farmer. Matt Wolski then tripled past the shortstop, scoring Ciemniecki on the play. Val Majewski drew a walk. Billy McCarthy reached base on a fielding error by the third baseman, allowing Wolski to score. Mike Popowski sac bunted both runners to second and third. Ryan Lillis then singled to the shortstop, scoring Majewski. Alberto Vasquez reached on a fielder’s choice also bringing in McCarthy on the play. Lillis then came in when Leon Shade reached base on a fielder’s choice.
Javy Rodriguez homered to lead off the third to bring the score within one run, 5-4, in favor of Rutgers.
Rutgers extended its lead, 8-4, in the fifth with three runs on two hits and one UM error. Lillis led off the inning with an infield single to the shorstop. Vasquez was then hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second. Shade then loaded the bases on a fielding error by the first baseman. Sweeney hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Lillis. Vasquez and Shade each moved over a base on a Famer wild pitch. Ciemniecki knocked in two more runs on his triple to to left center. Farmer, who earned his first loss of the season, was replaced in the inning with Andrew Cohn. Farmer lasted 4.2 innings with seven hits, eight runs (two earned), two walks, two strikeouts, two wild pitches and one hit batter.
The Scarlet Knights scored one more run in the eighth, 9-4, when Wolski came around from second on a single to centerfield by Popowski.
Brown drew Miami within 9-6 in the bottom of the ninth with a two-run home run deep over the lights in left field, also scoring Nettles on the play. Nettles reached on an error.
Miami will next travel to Tampa for a two-game mid-week series with South Florida on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 13-14, at Red McEwen Field on the USF campus. Tuesday start time is 7 p.m., followed by 5 p.m. on Wednesday. Tuesday night’s game will also be televised by Fox Sports Net Florida. Both games will be broadcast over the radio on the student voice of the Hurricanes, WVUM 90.5 FM, as well as over the Internet at hurricanesports.com.
The Hurricanes will return to Mark Light Stadium next weekend, March 16-18, with a three-game series vs. #17 East Carolina.
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.
