Baseball Hosts South Florida In Three-Game Series
March 8, 2002
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — – The University of Miami baseball team (9-6), ranked as high as ninth by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, hosts the University of South Florida (6-7) for a three-game series beginning, Friday, March 8 at 7 p.m. The series continues on Saturday at 7 p.m. and concludes on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The student voice of the Hurricanes, WVUM 90.5 FM, will broadcast all three games, while Sunday’s contest will be televised by Fox Sports Net Florida.
Miami also holds a No. 11 ranking in the Baseball America and Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches Poll and No. 19 by Collegiate Baseball.
On the mound for the Hurricanes Friday night will be sophomore RHP T.J. Prunty (2-0, 4.87 ERA). Usual Friday starter Troy Roberson will be given a rest this weekend. Junior RHP Kiki Bengochea (1-3, 6.55 ERA) will take to the mound on Saturday, while sophomore RHP Dan Touchet (0-0, 4.50 ERA) makes his starting debut on Sunday.
In their last action, the Hurricanes played the Major League Florida Marlins to a 3-3 tie in a rain-shortened three-inning game on Wednesday. Florida went 5-0 after three innings, but the Hurricanes responded in the bottom of the third with five earned runs. Following the third, both Florida Marlins manager Jeff Torborg and Hurricane Head Coach Jim Morris decided that the game should be called due to the inclement weather. The game featured several Big Leaguers in Cliff Floyd, Preston Wilson, Kevin Millar and Mike Lowell. Also in attendance were team owner Jeffrey Loria, who threw out the first pitch, team president David Samson, General Manager Larry Beinfest, players Charles Johnson, Ryan Dempster and Brian Edmondson.
Senior All-American Javy Rodriguez, who is batting .444 for the season, leads the Hurricanes offensively. Rodriguez led the nation in 2001 with 66 stolen bases and currently has 12 entering the weekend. Senior Matt Dryer is batting .407 on the year, followed by sophomore Jim Burt and a .392 batting average. Seven of UM’s nine starters are batting .302 or higher.
Burt also leads the team with a .475 on-base percentage, 16 RBI and nine doubles. Junior Danny Matienzo has a team-high .789 slugging percentage, 17 runs scored, seven home runs, 45 total bases and 10 walks.
Miami and South Florida meet for game Nos. 101-103 in the all-time series with the Hurricanes holding a 73-27 advantage. Additionally, Head Coach Jim Morris has an overall record of 18-4 against the Bulls, while at Miami (1994-present) and at Georgia Tech (1982-93). While at Miami, Morris’ UM clubs have gone 14-3 against the Bulls.
Of the 12 baseball playing schools in Conference USA, Miami has faced six of them forging a 90-38 (.703) record. The Hurricanes have faced South Florida (100), Tulane (17), East Carolina (5), Cincinnati (3), Memphis (2) and Houston (1). Miami has never played Charlotte, Louisville, St. Louis, Southern Mississippi, Texas Christian and UAB. South Florida is an annual opponent of Miami’s since the 1974 season.
The Bulls enter the series with a 6-7 record and recently took two of three games with Massachusetts at Red McEwan Field in Tampa last weekend. Other wins for USF were a two-game sweep at Jacksonville and over Texas-Arlington in Rice University’s Coca Cola Classic. USF will pitch senior RHP John Gorham (1-3, 3.20 ERA) on Friday, Sr. RHP Jason Bartz (1-2, 2.40 ERA) on Saturday and Sophomore RHP Jon Uhl (2-1, 3.38 ERA) on Sunday.
For more information on University of Miami athletics log on to the newly designed website www.hurricanesports.com, the official site for all Hurricane news, tickets and apparel. For Hurricane ticket information call 1-800-GO CANES.
