Baseball Takes Series With Northeastern In 5-2 Win
March 24, 2001
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — – The University of Miami baseball team (24-6), ranked as high as sixth by Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball, defeated Northeastern (2-6), 5-2, in front of 2,184 fans at Mark Light Stadium.
With the victory, coupled with Friday’s 5-3 win, the Hurricanes take the series with the Huskies. UM starter Kiki Bengochea (5-1) earned the win on the mound after going 7.2 innings with six hits, two runs (one earned), two walks and seven strikeouts. Bengochea’s Northeastern counterpart, Matt Cavallero (1-1), took the loss after going the complete game with eights hits, five earned runs, five walks and two strikeouts.
Alex Prendes and George Huguet combined to keep the Huskies off the base path the final 1.1 innings. Huguet earned his fifth save in the game.
Offensively, UM out hit Northeastern 8-6 with a multiple-hit effort from Mike Rodriguez (2-for-4). Seven players tallied hits for the Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes opened the scoring, 2-0, in the first inning. Marcus Nettles led of the frame with a walk, moved to second on Jim Burt’s ground out to the shortstop and to third on a wild pitch. He then came in on Kevin Howard’s double to left field. Howard took third on another wild pitch. Danny Matienzo scored Howard with a double to left center.
Northeastern tied the game, 2-2, in the third on Mike Lomuscio’s single to right field that scored Hernan Guerrero and Jody Corcoran. Guerrero led off the inning with infield single to third base and moved to second on Corcoran’s single doen the right field line. Both runners moved over on a passed ball by Matienzo.
Miami went ahead, 3-2, in the bottom half of the third when Burt scored from third on Haas Pratt’s sacrifice fly to left field. Burt led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on a walk to Howard. He moved to third on a deep fly out to right field from Matienzo.
UM went up, 4-2, in the sixth when Kris Clute singled in Kevin Mannix from second. Mannix reached on a fielder’s choice single and took second on Matt Dryer’s single to left field.
The Hurricanes went up 6-2 in the eighth on Clute’s sacrifice fly RBI to centerfield that scored Rodriguez from third. Rodriguez reached base on a double down the right field line and moved to third on a double-steal.
Miami and Northeastern will conclude the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. with game broadcasted on the student voice of the Hurricanes, WVUM 90.5 FM and 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.
