Baseball Outlasts Minnesota 21-17
Feb. 16, 2002
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — – The Miami Hurricanes (4-4) erased an early 11-2 deficit and five lead changes to defeat visiting Minnesota (0-2), 21-17, in front of 1,372 fans Saturday afternoon at Mark Light Stadium. The two teams conclude the series on Sunday at Noon.
Both teams set a new UM school-record by scoring 38 combined runs, erasing the 37 set between Miami and Jacksonville in 1997 and UM and Ft. Lauderdale College in 1983. Miami was also able to score in every inning of Minnesota’s pitching, while the Golden Gophers tallied runs in each of the first six innings and in the eighth.
The game had a 30-minute rain-delay in the top of the first inning and overall lasted a season-long 4:45. Last season’s longest game was 4:21 vs. Tennessee in the College World Series.
For the second consecutive game, UM’s battery stood out over a sluggish pitching performance. Miami hit five home runs and seven doubles in the game. Danny Matienzo hit two home runs for the second straight day, while Jim Burt hit two home runs, including his first grand slam, and two doubles. Kevin Mannix had three doubles in the game. Minnesota had four home runs and two doubles off UM pitching.
Burt led the Hurricanes offense on the day with a career-high 4-for-5 performance at the plate with four runs scored, six RBI and one walk. The two home runs was a first for Burt as well. Matienzo went 2-for-3 with three runs scored, three RBI and two walks. Mannix went 4-for-5 with three runs scored, two RBI and one walk. Senior All-American Javy Rodriguez was also 4-for-5 with one run scored and three RBI.
For the second straight game each starter had a hit, while five had multiple-hit efforts. Minnesota had six batters have multiple hits, led by Jason Kennedy’s 4-for-5 with three runs scored and seven RBI. He also had two home runs for the Golden Gophers. Luke Appert went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, four RBI with a home run.
Freshman Shawn Valdes-Fauli (1-0) earned his first career victory as a Hurricane as he was part of seven UM pitchers that saw action. Minnesota freshman Matt Loberg (0-1) took the loss in his first career outing. George Huguet earned his first save of the season, pitching the final 1.1 innings.
Minnesota opened up an 11-2 lead in the top of the third scoring seven runs on three UM pitchers. With Kiki Bengochea on the mound, Gary Dick led off with a walk. Appert scored Dick with a double to left center. Ben Pattee grounded out, allowing Appert to take third. Scott Howard walked to put runners on first and third. Reliever Dan Touchet entered the game and got the second out with Chris Guetzlaff striking out. After Howard stole second, Jeremy Beaulieu walked to load the bases. Reliever Brandon Camardese entered the game and gave up a two-run single to Sam Steidl. Scott Welch then walked to re-load the bases. Kennedy closed the scoring for the inning with a grand slam to right field.
Bengochea departed the game after 2.1 innings pitched with six hits, seven earned runs, three walks, one strikeout, two balks and one hit batter. Touchet went 0.1 innings with one earned run, one walk and one strikeout. Camardese went a total 0.2 innings with four hits, four earned runs, one walk and one strikeout.
In the bottom of the third UM scored three runs to narrow the Minnesota lead to 11-5. Kevin Howard had his second home run in as many days with a solo shot to right center. After Mannix reached on a walk, Matienzo hit his third home run of the season, a two-run shot to right field. Appert led off the fourth inning for Minnesota with a first-pitch home run to right field, 12-5.
The Hurricanes batted around in the order and stormed back in the fourth inning with eight runs to take a 13-12 lead. Burt led off with a double to right center. After Erick San Pedro struck out, Rodriguez singled in Burt with a shot to right field. After Rodriguez was picked off for the second out, reliever Chad Drexler issued walks to Danny Figueroa and Howard. Mannix drove in the next run, Figueroa, with a single to left field. Matienzo then walked to load the bases. Two more runners came in when Haas Pratt reached on a fielding error by the shortstop. Drexler hit Matt Dryer to re-load the bases. Burt came back up and hit his second home run of the day and his first grand slam to give UM the lead.
The lead would shift three more times, until the Miami broke a 16-16 tie with four runs in the bottom of the seventh.
For more information on UM athletics and the Hurricane baseball team, log on to www.hurricanesports.com. For ticket information call 1-800 GO CANES.
