Baseball Defeats Virginia 12-6 To Clinch Series
April 29, 2001
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — – The University of Miami baseball team (35-11), ranked as high as third in the Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches’ Poll, defeated Virginia (24-25), 12-6, in front of 1,103 fans at Mark Light Stadium Sunday afternoon.
UM starter Tom Farmer (9-2) earned the win for the Hurricanes pitching 5.0 innings with seven hits, two runs (one earned), no walks and four strikeouts. UVa starter Joe Koshansky (4-5) took the loss.
The Hurricane offense totaled 11 hits in the game, led by Mike Rodriguez and Charlton Jimerson with two each.
The victory over Virginia also clinched the series for Miami after winning the Saturday contest 5-1. The Cavaliers defeated Miami, 5-0, in the opener on Friday.
The Hurricanes opened the game with two runs in the first inning off three hits. Mike Rodriguez led off the frame with a single to left center. Javy Rodriguez then reached base with a bunt single toward third base. Kevin Howard moved both runners over with a sacrifice bunt. Danny Matienzo drove in the first run, Mike Rodriguez, on his ground out to the shortstop. Kevin Mannix followed with an RBI single to centerfield to score Javy Rodriguez.
Virginia answered with one run in the second when Robert Word reached on a fielding error by Javy Rodriguez, also allowing Dan Street to score from second. Street reached base with a two-out double off the wall in right center.
Miami extended its lead, 6-1, in the bottom of the second with four runs on three hits and two errors. Kris Clute led off with a walk. He then moved to third on Greg Lovelady’s single to right field. Clute scored on Jimerson’s sacrifice bunt to second base. Lovelady then scored on Mike Rodriguez’ sacrifice fly RBI to right field. Javy Rodriguez reached base on a fielding error by the shortstop, stole second and moved all the way home on a throwing error by the centerfielder. Howard then hit a two-out double to right field and scored on Matienzo’s single to right field.
UM added another run, 7-1, in the third when Clute scored from second on Mike Rodriguez’ single to centerfield. Clute reached base with a walk and stole second.
The Cavaliers added a run, 7-2, in the fourth on consecutive doubles by Mark Rueffert and Dan Street. Rueffert led off the inning with a shot to right field. Rueffert came around to score on Street’s shot deep to left field.
Miami continued its offense in the fourth inning scoring three runs for the 10-2 advantage. Howard led off with a walk. Matienzo was then hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Mannix attempted a sacrifice bunt to move the runners over and wound up reaching base with on a throwing error by the third baseman. On the play, Howard scored, Matienzo moved to third and Mannix continued to second. Matienzo came in to score on Haas Pratt’s single to right field. Mannix came in to score UM’s final run of the inning on Clute’s sacrifice fly RBI to right center.
UM scored another run, 11-2, in the fifth when Jimerson tagged up from third on a bases-loaded walk to Marcus Nettles. Jimerson led off the inning with a triple down the right field line. Javy Rodriguez and Howard each walked to load the bases.
Virginia narrowed the UM lead, 11-6, in the seventh on a Jon Benick grand slam on UM reliever Dan Touchet. The first two batters reached on walks from reliever Vince Vazquez. The bases were loaded when Rob Newton singled to the shortstop.
Miami went up 12-6 in the seventh when Jimerson scored from third on a passed ball. He reached base with a bunt single to the pitcher, moved to second on the pitcher’s errant throw and later to third on a fly out Brad Safchik.
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.
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.
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.
