Baseball Falls To Cal State Fullerton 8-2
March 30, 2001
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — – The University of Miami baseball team (25-7) were dealt aN 8-2 loss to #24 Cal State Fullerton (17-10) in front of 3,020 fans at Mark Light Stadium.
UM starter Brian Walker (7-1) was handed his first loss of the season and ended a 14-game winning streak after going 4.0 innings with seven hits, six runs (all earned), one walk and five strikeouts. Cal State Fullerton starter Jon Smith (6-0) went 8.0 innings with seven hits, one earned run, two walks and 11 strikeouts.
With the threat of a shutout looming in the bottom of the eighth, pinch-hitter Jim Burt hit a double off the right center wall to score Kevin Howard from second. Howard reached base with a single to left field and moved to second a single by Greg Lovelady to right field. UM added another run in the ninth on relief pitcher Wes Littleton.>Cal State Fullerton opened up the scoring in the first, 1-0, when lead-off batter Jason Bacani scored from third on Jason Corapci’s sacrifice fly to centerfield. Bacani reached base with a double to left center to start the game and took third on a wild pitch.
The Titans added two more runs in the second to go up 3-0 on the Hurricanes. Chris Stringfellow led off the inning with a hit-by-pitch and scored on Mike Rouse’ double to centerfield. Shawn Norris scored Rouse with a double to right center.
Cal State Fullerton went up 5-0 in the third on Louie Lamoure’s two-run home run to left field, also scoring Aaron Rifkin on the play. Rifkin led off the inning with a single past first base.
Bacani extended the Titans lead to 6-0 in the fourth with a solo home run to centerfield.
Cal State Fulllerton went up 7-0 in the sixth when Bacani scored from third on a throwing by Danny Matienzo.
Rifkin made the score 8-0 in the seventh with a solo home run to centerfield.
The two teams will continue the series on Saturday at 7 p.m. The game can be heard over the Internet at hurricanesports.com. UM’s flagship station Sports Radio 560 WQAM, featuring the “Voice of the Hurricanes” Marc Vandermeer and Joe Zagacki, will carry both the Saturday and Sunday games, while UM’s Spanish Broadcast Network on WACC 830 AM Radio Paz with Jerry del Castillo and Pepe Campos will pick-up the Sunday game. Fox Sports Net Florida will televise the Saturday and Sunday contests live with WPLG Channel 10 sportscaster Frank Forte, Zagacki and Luis “Wicho” Hernandez on the call. Both games will also be heard on the student voice of the Hurricanes, WVUM 90.5 FM.
Call 1-800-GO-CANES for season and individual game ticket information. 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.
