Top-Ranked Miami And Florida Southern Tonight
May 10, 2001
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — – The University of Miami baseball team (38-12), ranked No. 1 in the Baseball Weekly/ESPN Top 25 College Coaches’ Poll, host Florida Southern College (35-15) for a three-game series, Friday through Sunday, at Mark Light Stadium. Game times are scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday night and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Fox Sports Net Florida will televise the Sunday game with Channel 10 sportscaster Frank Forte, WQAM’s Joe Zagacki and former UM player Luis “Wicho” Hernandez calling the action. UM’s flagship station Sports Radio 560 WQAM will carry all three games with “The Voice of the Hurricanes” Marc Vandermeer on the call. Additionally, UM’s Spanish Broadcast Network on WACC 830 AM Radio Paz with Jerry del Castillo and Pepe Campos will pick-up the Friday game. All three games can be heard over the Internet at hurricanesports.com, as well as on the student voice of the Hurricanes, WVUM 90.5 FM.
The Hurricanes enter the Florida Southern series having defeated Jacksonville in a three-game series last weekend. By winning two of three games against the Dolphins, the Hurricanes were able to move into the top spot in the Coaches’ poll for the first time this season. Overall, Miami has won 13 of its last 16 games and is currently on a two-game win streak.
Miami is also ranked No. 3 by Baseball America, No. 4 by Collegiate Baseball and No. 6 by the NCBWA.
Miami and Florida Southern have met 75 times since the 1947 season with the Hurricanes holding the 53-22 advantage. The two schools have not played since Jim Morris’ first season at Miami in 1994, when UM swept two meetings at Mark Light Stadium, 7-6 (11 inn.) and 5-1, respectively. Additionally, UM has a 10-game overall win streak vs. the Moccasins, including an eight-game streak in Coral Gables.
Since 1994, UM is 26-1 against members from the Division II Sunshine State Conference. The lone loss in this span was 4-2 to Rollins College on April 5, 1994. The Hurricanes are currently holding a 25-game win streak against Division II foes since 1994. Since 1972, one run has decided nine of the 15 meetings with Florida Southern and four have went into extra innings.
Florida Southern picked up a pair of victories over North Florida in Jacksonville this week to move to 35-15 overall and 13-8 in Sunshine State Conference play. Prior to their victories over the Osprey during mid-week, the Moccasins fell in three games to the University of Tampa and two of three to Lynn. Collegiate Baseball has ranked Florida Southern No. 22 in latest Division II poll.
The Moccasins are led offensively by a trio of upper-classmen. Junior Jason Spiro leads all starters with a .429 batting average, ahead of fellow junior Michael Tucker (.408) and senior-transfer Azarias Corbeil (.406). Last season, Corbeil was an All-American at Florida International University. Additionally, Corbeil leads the club with 14 home runs ahead of 11 by junior Justin Hancock.
On the mound for Florida Southern, is tentatively scheduled to be senior LHP Brent Franklin on Friday, senior RHP Nick Lee on Saturday and sophomore RHP John Barnett.
Junior shortstop Javy Rodriguez continues to lead the Hurricanes in 2001 with his .393 batting average, as well as team-best numbers in hits (72), RBI (46), runs scored, 43, slugging percentage (.557), triples (3), total bases (102) and stolen bases (47). The Gulliver Prep graduate also leads the nation with his 47 stolen bases.
For the season, UM is led by Javy Rodriguez’ .393 batting average, followed by Kevin Howard (.337) and Marcus Nettles (.336). Howard currently leads the team with 14 doubles, while holding the second-most hits (66) and total bases (91). Nettles has the second-most walks (29) and stolen bases (35) and leads the team with a .473 on-base percentage.
Freshman closer George Huguet is tied for third in the NCAA rankings with his 11 saves in 2001. Huguet ranks among the all-time best in school history tied for seventh in career saves with Mike Browning (1981) and Mike Gibbons (1986-87).
On the mound for the Hurricanes Friday night will be right-hander Kiki Bengochea (6-4, 3.65 ERA). The sophomore from Miami leads the team in innings pitched (88.2) and strikeouts (78). The former third-round pick of the Kansas City Royals was recently invited back to the USA Baseball Trials. Last summer, Bengochea earned a 3-0 record and 0.00 ERA for Team USA.
Following Bengochea, will be left-hander Brian Walker (9-1, 3.14 ERA) on Saturday. The junior and former Pittsburgh Pirates draft pick is second on the team with nine wins and also has a school-record 13 pick-offs. Walker owns the school-record for single-game pick-off (3, twice), single-season (13) and career (24). Last weekend, Walker had to leave his start against Jacksonville after developing a cramp in his left trapezius muscle.
Senior Tom Farmer (10-2, 3.51 ERA) rounds out the starting rotation on Sunday. Farmer leads the team in wins (10) and was the lone starting pitcher to claim a victory last weekend.
After the Florida Southern series, UM will return to action the following weekend with its regular season finale against New York Tech in a three-game series, beginning next Friday. All three games, as well as broadcast over the Internet at hurricanesports.com. can be heard on the student voice of the Hurricanes, WVUM 90.5 FM. WACC 830 AM will also pick-up all three games in Spanish.
Call 1-800-GO-CANES for ticket information regarding the upcoming final regular season games. 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.
