Fall Ball Is Here! Baseball Practice Begins
Oct. 31, 2001
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — – The 2001 National Champion Miami Hurricanes start the preparation for defense of their 2001 crown when fall practice opens on Thursday, November 1st at 2:30 p.m. at Mark Light Stadium on the UM campus. Practice, which will consist of 12 daily sessions, will run through Thursday, November 15th. These sessions are open to the public.
“I’m looking forward to practice,” added Morris. “We have a lot of returning veterans along with a nice class of freshmen players. Our freshman class was recently ranked in the top five, so I am excited to see how they will fare against some of our experienced players.”
The Hurricanes return several members from last season, including national steals leader and All-American Javy Rodriguez (SS), All-CWS Danny Matienzo (C), 2001 USA National Team member Kevin Howard (3B), USA National Team member Kiki Bengochea (RHP), 2001 Freshman All-American George Huguet (RHP) and 2002 All-American candidate Luke DeBold (RHP).
Miami returns 19 players from the 2001 squad that ended the season on a national-best 17-game win streak, including all nine games in the postseason, while finishing 53-12 overall. Among the 19 players returning are nine position players and 10 pitchers. The squad will welcome at least 11 freshmen once the spring practice commences.
Last season under Morris, Collegiate Baseball and the ABCA’s 2001 National Coach of the Year, the Hurricanes won their fourth all-time National Championship and second in the last three seasons. A school-best 11 players were drafted in the MLB First-Year Players Draft, while two more signed free agent contracts. Rodriguez led the nation and smashed the school record with 66 stolen bases. Huguet, the closer, notched 14 saves to tie Robbie Morrison’s 1996 school freshman record. DeBold, the primary set-up pitcher, recorded 67 strikeouts to just seven walks all season. Matienzo, the top returning power hitter, was named to the postseason All-Tournament teams at the Coral Gables Regional as well as in the College World Series.
The 2002 schedule may be the toughest in the nation featuring numerous programs that dominated during the 2001 year. The season opens with a CWS re-match against Tennessee in a three-game series at Mark Light Stadium, followed by games against Florida International, Florida, Minnesota, Southern California, Cal State Fullerton, Houston, South Florida, Rutgers, UCLA, Florida State, Long Beach State, North Carolina, Georgia Tech and Jacksonville. Road trips in 2002 will be to FIU, the Homestead Challenge, Cal State Fullerton’s Kia Bash, FSU, UNC and Georgia Tech.
Call 1-800-GO-CANES for season and individual game ticket information. To join the excitement, log on to hurricanesports.com and follow the action.
