USC Rallies Past Miami 11-10
Fullerton, Calif. (www.hurricanesports.com) –
March 1, 2002
Southern California (6-5) rallied in the bottom of the eighth inning to score four runs and defeat the Miami Hurricanes (8-5), 11-10, in front of 1,201 fans at the Kia Baseball Bash on the campus of Cal State Fullerton Friday afternoon.
Southern California rallied from a 10-7 deficit in the eighth inning to score four runs on four hits off UM closer George Huguet (2-1). Travis McAndrews led off with a single up the middle. Brian Barre followed with a two-run home run to right field to bring the score within 10-9. After Kris Cox grounded out, Alberto Concepcion reached on a double to right field. Bill Peavey then flew out to left field allowing Concepcion to move to third. Huguet hit Anthony Lunetta to put runners on first and third. Michael Moon drove in the go ahead runs with his triple down the right field line scoring Concepcion and Lunetta.
Bret Butler (1-0) earned the win in relief for the Trojans.
Southern California opened up the scoring, 2-0, in the top of the second when UM starter Troy Roberson walked in two consecutive runs with bases loaded. Lunetta led off with a single to left field. Moon successfully moved Lunetta over with a shallow bunt single to the pitcher. Both runners advanced a base on Matt Bonovich’s sacrifice bunt to third base. A walk to Joey Metropolous loaded the bases. Roberson then issued walks to McAndrews and Barre to bring in the first pair of runs.
The Hurricanes came back in the top of the third, 2-2, scoring a pair of runs off USC starter Matt Chico. With one out, Danny Matienzo drew a walk. Kevin Mannix then reached on a fielding error by the third baseman, moving Matienzo to second. Matt Dryer followed with the first RBI as he drove in Matienzo from second with a single up the middle, also moving Mannix over to third. Jim Burt then brought Mannix in with a sacrifice fly to right field.
Chico departed after 3.1 innings allowing six hits, three runs (two earned), five walks, two strikeouts and one wild pitch in 90 pitches. He left the game after issuing his third walk of the game and second to Matienzo. To lead off the inning, Miami took the lead, 3-2, on Javy Rodriguez’ solo home run to left center off Chico.
The Trojans regained the lead, 4-3, in the fourth with three straight extra base hits on Roberson. Barre led off with a home run to centerfield to tie the score. Cox followed with a double past a diving Mannix in right field. Cox then scored on the following at bat with a double over Dryer at third base.
Roberson was replaced with reliever Andrew Cohn after the second double. He pitched 3.2 innings with seven hits, four earned runs, three walks and one strikeout in 65 pitches.
USC added a run, 5-3, in the fifth on Bonovich’s sacrifice bunt that brought Lunetta in from third. Lunetta reached after getting hit by a Cohn pitch, moved to second on a balk and stole third. Cohn was then replaced with Vince Vazquez, who allowed the sacrifice bunt to Bonovich.
Miami bounced back ahead of USC, 6-5, scoring three runs on four hits on USC reliever Jon Williams. Danny Figueroa led off with a single up the middle and took second on a balk. Rodriguez then tripled to score Figueroa. Kevin Howard followed with an RBI double to right center to score Rodriguez. Matienzo then came up with an RBI single to right field to score Howard.
USC reliever Chad Clark started the seventh in place of Williams, who went 2.2 innings with four hits, three earned runs, no walks, two strikeouts and one balk.
Miami score four runs on two hits and two balks in the seventh to go ahead, 10-5. Pratt led off with a single but was later forced out on a fielder’s choice grounder from Erick San Pedro. Figueroa followed with a walk, then both runners moved over on a Rodriguez fly out to right field. San Pedro scored the first run coming in from third a Clark balk, while Figueroa moved to third. Howard then walked. With Campos on the mound, Matienzo drew his career-high third walk of the game. Mannix knocked in two runs, Figueroa and Howard, with a single deep to right field. The fourth run came in when Campos balked Matienzo in from third.
USC came back, 10-7, with two runs on three hits in the seventh off UM reliever Shawn Valdes-Fauli. Concepcion and Peavey each had singles to right field. Both runners later moved over on a fly out to right field by Moon. Bonovich then brought both in with a double down the right field line.
The Hurricanes continue play at the Kia Baseball Bash Saturday evening against host Cal State Fullerton at 10 p.m. (EST) at Goodwin Field. Miami will conclude tournament play against Houston on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. (EST).
For more information on University of Miami athletics log on to the newly designed hurricanesports.com, the official site for all Hurricane news, tickets and apparel. For Hurricane ticket information call 1-800-GO CANES.
