Baseball Heads West To Kia Baseball Bash
To follow each games’ action log on to Cal State Fullerton’s website at http://www.titansports.org/baseball/2002/livestats/xlive.htm
Feb. 27, 2002
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — – The University of Miami baseball team (8-4), ranked as high as sixth by Baseball America, travels to Fullerton, Calif., for the annual Kia Baseball Bash at Goodwin Field on the campus of Cal State Fullerton. At the Kia Baseball Bash, the Hurricanes will face Southern California (5-5) on Friday, Cal State Fullerton (9-4) on Saturday and Houston (6-4) on Sunday.
Miami also holds a No. 9 ranking in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) poll, No. 10 in the Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches Poll and No. 16 by Collegiate Baseball.
Friday’s game against USC will take place at 5:30 p.m. EST. The Saturday night game against host Cal State Fullerton will be at 7 p.m. EST. Miami will conclude the tournament with Houston on Sunday at 1 p.m. EST. All three games can be heard on the student voice of the Hurricanes, WVUM 90.5 FM with announcers Greg Barkau and Dave Pommenville calling the action.
On the mound for the Hurricanes Friday night will be junior RHP Troy Roberson (1-0, 2.84 ERA). Roberson will be followed by sophomore RHP T.J. Prunty (1-0, 5.65 ERA) Saturday evening and junior RHP Kiki Bengochea (1-2, 7.94 ERA) on Sunday.
Miami enters the Kia Baseball Bash riding a season-long six-game win streak, including consecutive three-game weekend sweeps over Minnesota then FIU, Kansas State and Lipscomb at the Homestead Challenge. Prior to the six-game streak, UM was batting .251 as a team, but finds it hitting .337 entering this weekend following consecutive breakout weekends.
Senior All-American Javy Rodriguez, who is batting .500 for the season, leads the Hurricanes offensively. Rodriguez led the nation in 2001 with 66 stolen bases and currently has 11 entering the weekend. Senior Matt Dryer is batting .429 on the year, followed by sophomore Jim Burt and a .425 batting average. Seven of UM’s nine starters are batting .310 or higher.
Burt and sophomore Haas Pratt are tied for the team lead with 13 RBI each, while Burt has a team-best eight doubles. Junior Danny Matienzo has a team-high seven home runs along with 12 RBI. Junior Kevin Mannix has three home runs and 12 RBI as well. Junior Kevin Howard places second on the team with five home runs and has 10 RBI.
Miami enters the weekend with a 13-14 record against the Kia Baseball Bash field. The Hurricanes lead the all-time series with Southern California, 8-4, dating back to 1974 College World Series. Additionally, UM leads USC 5-0 in games played during the regular season. Cal State Fullerton leads the all-time series with Miami, 10-5, dating back to the 1983 season, including a 6-4 advantage during the regular season. Miami and Houston will be meeting for the first time.
USC is ranked as high as No. 17 Baseball America and enters the Kia Baseball Bash having swept three games at UCLA last weekend. Cal State Fullerton is ranked as high as No. 8 in the Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches Poll and has won nine of its past 11 games. Houston jumped into the polls this past week, as high as No. 25 by Baseball America, after taking two of three games with LSU and defeating Baylor.
Remember that your 2001 National Champion Miami Hurricanes take on the Major League Florida Marlins at Mark Light Stadium on Wednesday, March 6th at 3:05 p.m. 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.
