Baseball Rebounds With 5-1 Win Over Virginia
April 28, 2001
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — – The University of Miami baseball team (34-11), ranked as high as third in the Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches’ Poll, defeated Virginia (24-24) in front of 2,234 fans at Mark Light Stadium Saturday night.
UM starter Brian Walker (9-1) pitched 7.0 innings with four hits, no runs, one walk and a season high eight strikeouts. Walker’s counterpart UVa starter Canon Hickman (3-5) went 7.1 innings with three hits, five runs (one earned), seven walks and five strikeouts.
Miami opened the scoring, 2-0, in the second inning on one hit and one UVa error. Danny Matienzo led off the inning with a walk. Mike Rodriguez then reached base with on a throwing error from Hickman. Both runners moved to second and third on the errant throw. Kevin Mannix drove in the first run with a ground out to the shortstop, while Mike Rodriguez took third. After Kevin Brown drew a walk, Kris Clute hit a sacrifice fly RBI to left field to score Mike Rodriguez.
The Hurricanes extended the score, 3-0, in the third on Matienzo’s ground out to second base that scored Javy Rodriguez from third. Javy Rodriguez led off the inning with a walk and moved all the way to third on a throwing error by the first baseman.
Javy Rodriguez brought the score to 4-0 in favor of the Hurricanes in the fifth with a solo home run, his fifth of the season, to left field.
UVa pinch-hitter broke up the shut out in the eighth, 4-1, with a solo home run off the left field scoreboard on reliever Luke DeBold. The earned run allowed by DeBold was the first by the junior reliever in 19 straight appearances, 26 innings pitched.
Charlton Jimerson pushed Miami’s lead to 5-1 in the eighth when he scored from third on a throwing error by the catcher. Mannix reached base on a fielding error from the third baseman and was replaced with Jimerson to pinch-run. Jimerson proceeded to steal second, then third when the throw went by the third baseman into the outfield.
The two teams conclude the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. with Tom Farmer (8-2, 3.99 ERA) on the mound for the Hurricanes.
UM’s Spanish Broadcast Network on WACC 830 AM Radio Paz with Jerry del Castillo and Pepe Campos calling the game. As usual, the game can also be heard over the Internet at hurricanesports.com, as well as on the student voice of the Hurricanes, WVUM 90.5 FM.
Miami will immediately return to action on Monday against No. 9 Stetson at 7 p.m. at Mark Light Stadium. The game was not originally on the schedule, but was later added to make up a date when the second game against Florida in Gainesville was cancelled.
For information on single game tickets for the remainder of the Hurricanes’ 2001 regular season and postseason call 1-800-GO-CANES. 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.
