Jimerson's Four RBI Propel Miami Past Florida Southern 12-4
May 11, 2001
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — – The Miami Hurricanes (39-12), ranked No. 1 in the Baseball Weekly/ESPN Top 25 College Coaches’ Poll, opened up its three-game series against Florida Southern with a 12-4 win in front of 2,016 fans Friday night at Mark Light Stadium.
Miami scored 12 runs on eight hits against the Moccasins (35-16), including a seven-run third inning, that helped it open up the game early to allow the starters to leave mid-way. Charlton Jimerson led the Hurricane offense going 2-for-4 at the plate, including a three-RBI double and a career-best four RBI. The recent graduate in Computer Science also tallied his career-best 15th stolen base on the season and two runs scored.
Four Hurricanes, including Jimerson, walked across the Graduation stage earlier in the day. Joining Jimerson were Greg Lovelady (Finance), Kevin Brown (Real Estate) and bullpen catcher Ethan Silverman (Finance).
Lovelady also highighted his Graduation Day with a two-run home run in the sixth inning, his second on the season.
Kiki Bengochea (7-4) earned the win on the mound with 7.0 strong innings, giving up six hits, one run (earned), one walk with three strikeouts. In relief of Bengochea was freshman Danny Touchet, who allowed the three additional runs over the final 2.0 innings. FSC starter Gabriel Rio (0-1), the first of five Moccasin pitchers, took the loss in his first start of the season with UM’s first five runs (all earned) over 2.1 innings.
The Moccasins opened up the scoring in the second inning, 1-0, when Jared Powers brought in Dan Chamberlain from second base with an RBI double to left field. Chamberlain led off the inning with a single to right field and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Mark Furbush.
The Hurricanes answered in the bottom of the second inning, 1-1, when Kevin Howard scored from third on Kris Clute’s sacrifice fly RBI to centerfield. Howard led off with a single up the middle, took second on a walk to Danny Matienzo and moved to third on a wild pitch.
Miami blew the game open in the third inning, 8-1, as it batted around in the order tallying three hits and five walks off three Moccasin pichers. Jimerson led off with a single down the left field line and stole second. After Marcus Nettles popped out, a wild pitch on ball four allowed Mike Rodriguez to reach first on the walk and Jimerson sped to third. Javy Rodriguez drove both base runners in with his double to the gap in right center. Javy Rodriguez then stole second, his NCAA-high 48th steal. Consecutive walks to Howard and Matienzo load the bases. Following a Haas Pratt strikeout, a pair of Florida Southern pitchers walked in two runs on consecutive base on balls to Clute and Mike DiRosa. Jimerson closed the productive inning with a base-clearing three RBI double to the gap in right center, before getting tagged out at third.
UM went ahead, 9-1, in the fifth when Jimerson brought Matienzo in from third with a sacrifice bunt. Matienzo led off the inning with a hit-by-pitch, took second on a single from Clute and moved to third on a walk to DiRosa.
With Brad Safchik on first after a single to right field, Lovelady put the Hurricanes ahead 11-1 in the sixth with a home run deep over the scoreboard in left field.
Jimerson scored from third on a passed ball in the seventh to hand UM a 12-1 lead. Jimerson got on base with a one-out walk. He moved to second on a single to left field by Matt Dryer. Both runners had moved over a base on Safchik’s ground out to follow.
Florida Southern added a run in the eighth, 12-2, with Touchet on the mound. Azarias Corbeil’s sacrifice fly RBI deep to centerfield allowed Brian Manjuck to come all the way around from second. Manjuck had led off with a walk and took second on a wild pitch.
The Moccasins scored two more runs in the ninth, including a solo home run from Powers, to bring the score within 12-4.
Earlier in the third inning, Mike Rodriguez’ stolen base was his 33rd on the season, as well as his 30th consecutive on the season. The 30 straight stolen bases without a caught-stealing is the most in a single season at UM and ties the school-record set by Joel Green over the 1969 and 1970 seasons.
The two teams will continue the three-game series on Saturday at 7 p.m. The series will conclude Sunday at 1 p.m. Fox Sports Net Florida will televise the Sunday game with Channel 10 sportscaster Frank Forte and WQAM’s Joe Zagacki calling the action. UM’s flagship station Sports Radio 560 WQAM will continue its coverage of UM baseball on Saturday and Sunday with “The Voice of the Hurricanes” Marc Vandermeer, along with Zagacki, on the call. The remaining two games can also be via the Internet at hurricanesports.com, as well as on the student voice of the Hurricanes, WVUM 90.5 FM.
After the Florida Southern series, UM returns to action with the season’s final three-game series against the New York Tech Bears beginning next Friday. All three games can be heard on the radio at WVUM 90.5 FM (student) and WACC 830 AM (Spanish), as well as on the internet at hurricanesports.com. The broadcast team on Jerry del Castillo and Pepe Campos will handle the Hurricanes’ Spanish voice.
Remember to call 1-800-GO-CANES for ticket information regarding the final regular season series against New York Tech and upcoming NCAA Regional action. 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.
