Baseball Drops Close One To FSU 10-9
April 13, 2001
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — – Twenty-seven combined hits, including five home runs, occurred, but a throwing error was the difference as Florida State (33-7) survived game one of a three-game series against Miami (28-10), 10-9, in front of 4,940 fans at Mark Light Stadium Friday night.
After taking a 9-7 lead after six innings, FSU scored three in the sixtth to surge past a rallying UM. The Hurricanes were down 7-2 early, but scored seven unanswered until the Seminoles’ three-run sixth. The Seminoles used a two-run home run by Mike Futrell of reliever T.J. Prunty (0-1) to tie the score, 9-9. Later in the inning, Karl Jernigan hit a double down the left field line to put the go-ahead runner on base. A Prunty wild pitch allowed Jernigan to move to third, but an errant throw from UM catcher Greg Lovelady at third allowed him to score.
Offensively, UM out-hit FSU 16-11 with five batters getting multiple hits. Kevin Brown led the way going 3-for-4 with a run scored and three RBI. Kris Clute went 3-for-5 with one RBI. Marcus Nettles, Danny Matienzo and Kevin Howard also had multiple hits.
Florida State opened the scoring, 5-0, in the second inning when eight batters accounted for four hits, including two home runs off UM starter Kiki Bengochea. Tony Richie put the Seminoles on the scoreboard when he hit a three-run home run to left field, also scoring Jeff Probst and Chris Hart. Probst reached with a single to right center, while Hart hit a double down the left field line to put runners on second and third. After Bryan Zech reached on a hit-by-pitch and stole second, John-Ford Griffin put FSU up by five runs early with a two-run home run to centerfield.
The Hurricanes answered in the third, 5-2, with a two-run home run deep to centerfield by Brown, also scoring Howard on the play. Howard had reached base on fielder’s choice grounder.
FSU added two more runs in the third, 7-2, on two hits and one wild pitch. Jernigan walked to lead off the inning. Nick Rogers then his a singled to right field, moving Jernigan to third. Probst scored Jernigan with a double to the gap in right center. With Rogers now on third he tagged up on a wild pitch with Chris Hart at the plate.
Miami came up with three runs in the third to narrow the score to 7-5. Matienzo got things started with his single off the shortstop that scored Javy Rodriguez from second. Javy Rodriguez reached base on a walk and took second on a failed pick-off attempt. Howard then reached on a fielding error by the second baseman, followed by a walk to Brown to load the bases. Lovelady was hit by a pitch to bring in Matienzo from third. Clute followed with an RBI single to right field to score Howard.
Dan Smith came in to start the fourth inning, after Bengochea left following 3.0 innings of work, seven hits, seven runs (all earned), towo walks, three strikeouts, a wild pitch and a hit batter. Smith pitched a scoreless fourth, striking out Probst for the final out with bases loaded.
The Hurricanes stormed back in the fourth to take the lead, 8-7, with three runs on five hitsoff Varnes and reliever Daniel Hodges (3-0). After Nettles registered the first out of the inning, Javy Rodriguez reached with a bunt single to the pitcher. Mike Rodriguez moved Javy Rodriguez to third with a single to centerfield. Matienzo brought in the first run, Javy Rodriguez, with a sacrifice fly to right center. Howard moved Mike Rodriguez to second with a single to right field. Mike Rodriguez then came around to score on Brown’s single down the left field line. Varnes was replaced in favor of Hodges following Brown’s RBI single. Lovelady knocked in Howard with a single to right field for the eighth run.
Varnes turned in perhaps his worse outing of the year going a season-low 3.2 innings pitched. He broke a string of six straight starts with at least 7.0 innings of action. Varnes gave up season-highs in hits (10), runs scored (8), earned runs (5) and walks (3) with a season-low in strikeouts (2).
After Smith retired the side in the top of the fifth, UM extended its lead to 9-7 in the bottom of the inning off a solo home run to right center from Charlton Jimerson.
Smith had pitched 2.0 scoreless innings with no hits, one walk, two strikeouts and two hit batters.
The 4,940 fans marked a Mark Light Stadium high since 5,447 attended the second game of the 1999 NCAA Super Regionals against Wake Forest (6/5/99).
The two teams continue the series on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Mark Light Stadium. The Saturday game will be highlighted with the Orlando Magic’s Tracy McGrady throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. McGrady was a first round draft pick of the Toronto Raptors coming out of Mount Zion Christian Academy in 1997. This past summer he signed as a free agent with the Magic, who will be in town to face the Miami Heat.
Fox Sports Net Florida will continue its coverage of the series with a live broadcast on Saturday, as well as Sunday with WPLG Channel 10 sportscaster Frank Forte, WQAM’s Joe Zagacki and former UM standout Wicho Hernandez.
UM’s flagship station Sports Radio WQAM, with the voice of the Hurricanes Marc Vandermeer, will also carry the remaining two games on WAXY 790 AM. UM’s Spanish Broadcast Network on WACC 830 AM Radio Paz with Jerry del Castillo and Pepe Campos will pick-up the Saturday game. The remaining two contests can be heard over the Internet at hurricanesports.com, as well as on the student voice of the Hurricanes, WVUM 90.5 FM.
During the Saturday April 14th game, one lucky fan will have the chance to walk out $100,000 richer by participating in the OleoMed $100,000 Homerun Challenge. In addition, someone will win the Williamson Cadillac Escalade SUV being raffled off by the Band of the Hour. The first 5,000 fans through the gates will receive a free OleoMed seat cushion.
Then on Sunday April 15th, the game will kick off with President Foote throwing out the Ceremonial First Pitch. The first 500 fans through the gates will receive a FREE University of Miami/Fuddrucker’s Baseball Bat on Sunday.
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.
