Baseball Holds On To Beat Cal State Fullerton 5-3
March 2, 2002
Fullerton, Calif. (www.hurricanesports.com) – – University of Miami closer George Huguet picked up the save for the Hurricanes (9-5) as he went the final 1.1 innings in a 5-3 win over Cal State Fullerton (9-6) in front of 2,833 fans at the Kia Baseball Bash at Goodwin Field Saturday evening.
The 2,833 fans in attendance was the fifth-largest crowd ever at Goodwin Field. The UM win also snapped a four-game losing streak to the Titans dating back to the 1996 season. Last year, Cal State Fullerton swept all three games with UM at Mark Light Stadium and took the final game of a three-game series with UM in Coral Gables in 1996. The Titans still lead the all-time series with UM 10-6 since the 1983 season, including a 6-5 advantage in the regular season. The win over Cal State Fullerton at Goodwin Field was a first UM since taking the middle game of the three-game series in 1983.
Huguet entered the game with two outs in the eighth inning and forced Titan pinch hitter Chris Comfort to pop out. In the ninth, Huguet forced the first two batters out before allowing two base runners. Huguet earned his second save of the season when he forced Richie Burgos to ground out to the shortstop.
A night earlier, Huguet allowed Southern California to score four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and rally past the Hurricanes for an 11-10 win.
UM starter T.J. Prunty (2-0) earned the win after tying a career-high with 6.0 innings pitched, five hits, three runs (two earned), four walks and two strikeouts in 88 pitches. Shawn Valdes-Fauli relieved Prunty and went 1.2 scoreless innings before Huguet entered.
Cal State Fullerton starter Darric Merrell (2-2) scored the loss after allowing seven hits, five earned runs, two walks and six strikeouts in 6.0 innings pitched. Merrell threw 94 pitches. Closer Chad Cordero, who went 2.0 scoreless innings with four strikeouts, relieved Merrell.
After Cal State Fullerton took the lead 3-2 in the top of the sixth, the Hurricanes responded with three runs to take the eventual game-winning 5-3 lead. Danny Figueroa led off with a single to left field. Javy Rodriguez then reached on a fielder’s choice bunt, but Figueroa was forced out on the play. Rodriguez stole second. After Kevin Howard struck out, Danny Matienzo knocked in the tying run, Rodriguez, with a single to left field. Kevin Mannix then singled to left field. Matt Dryer walked to load the bases. Jim Burt drove in the go-ahead runs, Matienzo and Mannix, with a single to left field.
The Titans erased a 2-1 Miami lead in the top of the sixth and went ahead 3-2 on Kurt Suzuki’s two-run homer to left field. Suzuki’s first career home run also scored Burgos who led off the inning with a bunt single to third base.
Cal State Fullerton got on the scoreboard in the fourth on Suzuki’s RBI single to right field that brought in Kyle Boyer from second. Boyer earlier led off the inning reaching on a throwing error by Howard. Boyer had moved to second on Chris Stringfellow’s single up the middle. Prunty got out of the inning leaving with the bases loaded.
The Hurricanes opened the scoring, 2-0, in the second inning on Dryer’s two-run home run deep to left centerfield off Merrell. Dryer’s second home run of the season also scored Mannix, who led off the inning with a single to right center.
The Hurricanes conclude play at the Kia Baseball Bash Sunday afternoon against Houston at 1 p.m. (EST) at Goodwin Field.
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