Baseball Defeats Savannah State 13-4 In Game One
April 6, 2001
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — – The University of Miami baseball team (26-9), ranked as high as eighth by Baseball America, defeated Savannah State (30-7), 13-4, in front of 1,678 fans at Mark Light Stadium. The victory ended the Tigers 19-game win streak as well as ends a three-game slide by the Hurricanes.
UM starter Kiki Bengochea (6-2) earned the victory on the mound for the Hurricanes going 6.0 innings pitched with six hits, three runs (one earned), no walks and nine strikeouts. Danny Touchet finished off the final 3.0 innings for the save, his first.
Offensively, UM out-hit the Tigers 13-7, led by multiple-hit efforts from Javy Rodriguez, Danny Matienzo and Mike Rodriguez. Jim Burt, Haas Pratt and Javy Rodriguez each had home runs.
The Hurricanes opened the scoring in the first inning, 2-0, with two runs on three hits off Savannah State starter Jessie Collins (3-2). Javy Rodriguez had a solo homerun to left field to start the scoring. Kevin Howard then reached on an infield single and later scored on Matienzo’s RBI double down the left field line.
The Hurricanes extended their lead, 5-0, in the third inning with three runs on two hits off Collins. Marcus Nettles led off the inning with a walk, then stole second and took third on a throwing error. Javy Rodriguez doubled into center field to score Nettles. After stealing third, Javy Rodriguez scored on Howard’s RBI groundout. Matienzo followed with a triple to centerfield and scored on an sacrifice fly RBI by Mike Rodriguez.
After loading the bases in the third inning, Burt, who led off the inning, scored a run on a wild pitch, giving Miami a 6-0 lead.
The Tigers had two runs on three hits and one error in the fifth inning to cut the deficit to four runs, 6-2. Lamar Leverett led off the inning with a single to right field and stole second. After Roderick Ricks struck out, Mike Lee singled to left field moving Leverett to third. Wesley Garcia reached on a throwing error by Bengochea, allowing the first run to score, Leverett. Robert Settle grounded out. T.J. Lonnon knocked in the second run, Lee, with a single up the middle.
Burt put Miami ahead 9-2 in the fifth with a three-run home run to left field, also scoring Mike Rodriguez and Pratt. Mike Rodriguez led off the inning with an infield single and stole second and third base. Pratt walked.
The Tigers cut the lead, 9-3, in the sixth with a solo homerun to left field by Dennis Brewer off Bengochea.
Miami added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth, 11-3, when Pratt hit a two-run home run off the scoreboard in left field, also scoring Mike Rodriguez. Mike Rodriguez reached with a single off the pitcher and stole second.
The Hurricanes built a 10-run lead with two runs in the seventh, 13-3. Mike DiRosa led off with a walk. After Kris Clute popped out, Charlton Jimerson singled to right center. Javy Rodriguez followed with an infield single to load the bases. Kevin Brown walked to bring in the first run, DiRosa. Kevin Mannix then sacrifice lined out to centerfield to bring in the second run.
Brewer knocked his second home run of the game, in the eighth, off reliever Danny Touchet to bring the score to 13-4.
The two teams will continue the series on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Light. The game can be heard over the Internet at hurricanesports.com, as well as on the student voice of the Hurricanes, WVUM 90.5 FM. Additionally, the game will be carried on UM’s Spanish Broadcast Network on WACC 830 AM Radio Paz.
Miami and Savannah State will conclude the three-game series at 1 p.m. with the broadcast on hurricanesports.com and WVUM 90.5 FM.
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.
