Baseball Sweeps Savannah State In 16-5 Win
April 8, 2001
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — – The University of Miami baseball team (28-9), ranked as high as eighth by Baseball America, defeated Savannah State (30-9), 16-5, in front of 1,228 fans at Mark Light Stadium to complete the series sweep of the Tigers.
UM starter Tom Farmer (7-2) went 5.0 innings with seven hits, five runs (two earned), one walk and three strikeouts before reliever Luke DeBold came in for the sixth. Along with DeBold, Vince Vazquez, Andrew Cohn and George Huguet combined to keep the Tigers scoreless over the final 4.0 innings.
Savannah State starter George Ramos (8-2) went 5.0 innings with 11 hits, 12 runs (10 earned), five walks and two strikeouts when Rolf Metral relieved him in the sixth. Metral allowed four runs (three earned) over 2.0 innings and Chris Cesario finished off a scoreless eighth.
Offensively, UM totaled a season-high runs (16) and RBI (16). The 16 hits recorded fell one short of the Hurricanes’ season-best (17) against East Carolina. Eleven UM batters registered hits, with four players in the multiple-hit column. Javy Rodriguez led the way with a 3-for-5 effort with three runs scored, four RBI and three stolen bases. Mike Rodriguez went 2-for-3 with a run scored and three RBI. Danny Matienzo and Mike DiRosa each tallied two hits.
Miami jumped out fast in the first inning, 3-0, with three runs on four hits off Ramos while batting around in the order. Marcus Nettles led off with a single to left field and stole second. Javy Rodriguez then reached on a bunt single and stole second, also allowing Nettles to reach third. Mike Rodriguez followed with a line drive single up the middle to score both base runners. Mike Rodriguez then stole second. Danny Matienzo drove Mike Rodriguez in with a single down the left field line. The Hurricanes left the bases loaded when Kris Clute made the final out.
UM extended its lead, 5-0, in the second with two runs on one hit and two errors. Javy Rodriguez drew a walk, stole second and moved all the way to third when the first baseman committed a fielding error on a pick-off attempt. Mike Rodriguez drove Javy Rodriguez in with a sacrifice fly RBI to left field. Matienzo reached on a throwing error by the shortstop and took second on a passed ball. Howard drove Matienzo in with a RBI single to right field then stole second.
The Tigers answered with five runs in third, 5-5, off four hits and two errors with Farmer on the mound. With one out, Wesley Garcia singled to right field. Robert Settle singled with an infield hit to third base to put runners on first and second. T.J. Lonnon was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. Floyd Mack drove in two runs with his single to right field, also allowing Lonnon to take second. Marcus Griffin struck out swinging for the second out. Denis Brewer reached on a fielding error by the shortstop to re-load the bases. A passed ball then allowed Mack to tag up from third and a throwing error by the catcher allowed Lonnon to come in for the third and fourth runs. Lamar Leverrett drove in the fifth run, Brewer, with a single to left field.
Javy Rodriguez put the Hurricanes ahead, 6-5, in the bottom of the third with his bunt single that allowed DiRosa to score from third. DiRosa led off the frame getting hit by a Ramos pitch and moved all the way to third on a pair of fielder’s choice ground outs from Clute and Nettles.
Miami extended its lead to 10-5 in the fifth on four runs off Ramos. The first run came in when Clute drove in Haas Pratt from second with a double down the right field line. Pratt led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from DiRosa. Nettles drew a walk to put runners at first and second. Javy Rodriguez then scored both runners and himself with his fourth home run of the season deep to left field.
The Hurricanes tacked on two more runs in the sixth, 12-5, when DiRosa launched a Ramos pitch over the left field, also scoring Kevin Brown. Brown led off the inning with a double off the wall in left center.
Miami went up 16-5 in the seventh with Metral on the mound. Matienzo led off with a single to left field. Howard hit into a fielder’s choice, with Matienzo out at second, and moved to second on a throwing error by the second baseman. Howard then scored on Kevin Mannix’ RBI single to centerfield. Brown drew a walk. DiRosa hit a single to centerfield to load the bases. Matt Dryer brought in the second run, Mannix, with a sacrifice fly to left field. Charlton Jimerson knocked in the next two runs, Brown and DiRosa, with two-RBI single to left field.
Miami returns to action next weekend, Friday through Sunday, with state-rival Florida State in a three-game series at Mark Light Stadium. Game times are scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday. All three games will be televised on Fox Sports Net Florida. Friday’s game will appear on tape-delay at 10:30 p.m. UM’s flagship station Sports Radio 560 WQAM will also carry all three games, with the broadcast also on hurricanesports.com. UM’s Spanish Broadcast Network on WACC 830 AM Radio Paz will pick-up the Saturday game. All three games can also be heard on the student voice of the Hurricanes, 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.
