Jim Morris Championship Bobblehead This Saturday
March 20, 2002
The Jim Morris Championship Bobblehead
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University of Miami Hurricanes (12-11)
#32 Baseball Weekly/ESPN
vs.
UCLA Bruins (13-13)
Saturday: WVUM 90.5 FM
Sunday: Fox Sports Net Florida, WQAM 560 AM, WACC 830 AM (Spanish), WVUM 90.5 FM
Monday: WVUM 90.5 FM
Game #24-26: March 23-25, 2002
Mark Light Stadium, Coral Gables, Fla.
BOBBLEHEAD PROMOTION SET FOR SATURDAY NIGHT UCLA GAME — The first 2,500 fans in attendance for Saturday night’s UCLA game at Mark Light Stadium will receive a limited edition Jim Morris Championship Bobblehead Doll, sponsored by OleoMed.
MIAMI VS. UCLA — The Hurricanes play UCLA in a three-game series, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, at Mark Light Stadium with each game starting at 7 p.m.
All three games will be available on the student voice of the Hurricanes, WVUM 90.5 FM, and on the Internet at www.hurricanesports.com. Additionally, the Sunday night game will be televised on Fox Sports Net Florida and also available on Sports Radio 560 WQAM and in Spanish on the WACC 830 AM Radio Paz.
Miami owns an all-time record of 5-0 against the Bruins since the 1984 season. Most recently, UM topped UCLA, 7-3, in the opening game of the 1997 College World Series. Previously, UM earned a trip to the 1996 CWS with a 8-4 win over UCLA in the title game of the Austin, TX NCAA Regional. The series began in 1984 when Miami won all three games with UCLA at Mark Light Stadium, with each victory by a one-run margin (6-5, 7-6 and 7-6).
ABOUT THE BRUINS — UCLA (13-13) enters the series having had 10 days off for final exams. The Bruins split a pair of mid-week games prior to exams, defeating Pepperdine (10-6) and losing to UC Irvine (6-4). Among UCLA’s 2002 victories are series wins over Gonzaga, Florida Atlantic and Tulane.
MIAMI VS. THE PAC-10 — Of the nine baseball-playing schools in the Pac-10 Conference, Miami has met seven of them and has forged a 38-20 record. The Hurricanes have faced Arizona State (17 games), Southern California (13), California (8), Stanford (7), Arizona (6), UCLA (5) and Washington State (2). Miami has never played Washington or Oregon State in baseball. Most recently, UM dropped an 11-10 decision to Southern California in the opening game of the 2002 Kia Baseball Bash.
WHEN CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS VISITS THE LIGHT– Since 1981, six California schools have played 25 games against the Hurricanes at Mark Light Stadium. In those 25 games, UM has forged a 19-6 record.
MIAMI WINS MID-WEEK OUTING VS. WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE — The Hurricanes won their first-ever meeting with Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 10-3, this past Wednesday. So far this season, Miami has gone 3-2 in five “first meeting” games, along with wins over Lipscomb and Kansas State and losses to Houston and Ball State. All-time, Miami is 156-36 in first meetings.
Miami won the game using a solid all-around effort from the pitching, hitting and defense. A UM starting pitcher, Kiki Bengochea, tied the season-high with 6.0 innings. Three middle relievers held UWM scoreless. The defense committed just one error off a failed pick off by Bengochea. The hitting produced 13 hits, its most in nearly a month.
WITH THE WIN OVER UWM, MIAMI GOES 4-1 IN THE 2002 HOMESTEAD CHALLENGE– For the 2002 season Miami went 4-1 in Homestead Challenge games. Miami has recorded wins over FIU (6-2), Kansas State (11-4), Lipscomb (10-2) and Wisconsin-Milwaukee (10-3) with a loss to Ball State (12-4). The FIU and Kansas State games were played at the Homestead Sports Complex, while Lipscomb, Ball State and UW-M were at Mark Light Stadium.
Miami and the Homestead Challenge — The 2002 season marked the fifth straight year Miami participated in the Homestead Challenge posting a 14-2 all-time record dating back to 1998. The Hurricanes have also had three players on Homestead Challenge All-Tournament teams, including Kiki Bengochea in 2001, Kevin Howard in 2000 and Daryl Roque in 1999.
Most notable is that the top six paid-attendance Homestead Challenge games at the Homestead Sports Complex are Miami games. The most recent Miami/FIU game drew a new-record 3,904 in paid attendance. For the first time last season, Miami hosted Homestead Challenge games at Mark Light Stadium.
VINCE VAZQUEZ, JIM BURT NAMED 2002 TEAM CAPTAINS — In a vote consisting of the baseball coaches, players and staff, junior pitcher Vince Vazquez and sophomore outfielder Jim Burt were named the 2002 team captains. It is the second straight year Vazquez was voted to be a team captain, along with Greg Lovelady, in 2001.
KEVIN HOWARD, DANNY MATIENZO ENTER UCLA SERIES ON CAREER-LONG HIT STREAKS — Kevin Howard and Danny Matienzo each enter the UCLA series riding career-long hitting streaks of 18 and 17 games, respectively. Howard’s streak started Feb. 8 vs. Florida, while Matienzo’s began with Minnesota on Feb. 15. Howard has failed to record a hit in just two games this season, followed by Matienzo (three games).
NOT RANKED FOR THE FIRST TIME UNDER MORRIS — The polling for March 18 excluded the Hurricanes for the first time under Jim Morris (1994-2002). It is the first time since May 24, 1993 that the Baseball America poll did not include Miami. The Hurricanes are also not ranked in the Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches Top 25 or in the Collegiate Baseball newspaper poll.
JAVY RODRIGUEZ CLIMBING STOLEN BASE CHART — With two stolen bases in the Rutgers series, Javy Rodriguez now has 113 career steals, which keeps him in fourth place at Miami – six behind No. 3 Calvin James (119). So far this season, Rodriguez has a team-best 15 stolen bases. The all-time record is 139 by Bobby Hill (1997-99).
Against FIU on Feb. 22, Rodriguez led off the scoring by stealing home. It was the third successful steal at home for Rodriguez in his career. He singled, stole second, third and then home. Coincidentally, the last time he stole home was against FIU last season.
JAVY RODRIGUEZ RANKS THIRD ON CAREER HITS LIST — With one hit against UWM, Javy Rodriguez upped his career hit total to 262. The figure keeps him in third place all-time at Miami, nine behind No. 2 Doug Shields (271, 1981-84). Mike Fiore is the school’s all-time hits leader with 341 from 1985-88).
JAVY RODRIGUEZ JUMPS INTO 10TH IN CAREER RUNS SCORED, NEARING ON OTHER LISTS — Javy Rodriguez’ run scored vs. UWM placed him among the school’s all-time top 10 with 169 career runs scored, tying with Ryan Grimmett (1994-97). Rodriguez has eight career triples, three away from tying three players for 10th. In total bases, Rodriguez has 343 – six away from tying Manny Crespo (1998-00) and Jose Trujillo (1986-89).
KEVIN HOWARD MOVES INTO NINTH WITH 48 DOUBLES — Kevin Howard’s double in game No. 1 vs. Rutgers upped his career total to 48 doubles. The figure ties him with Jason Michaels (1997-98) for ninth place. Howard has six doubles in 2002, 20 in 2001 and 22 in 2000. Howard also has 204 career hits – 20 away from tying Calvin James for 10th place.
DANNY MATIENZO NEARING CAREER LISTS — Danny Matienzo has 151 career RBI, three away from tying Jason Michaels for 10th place. Additionally, Matienzo has 31 career home runs, one away from tying Darren Mandel (1983-84) and Danny Buxbaum (1994-95) for 10th place.
UM DROPS HOME SERIES TO RUTGERS — Rutgers won two of three games at Miami to take the series. It was the first back-to-back three-game series loss for the Hurricanes at home since the 1988 season when UM was defeated by Michigan State and Florida State. It was the first time UM has lost consecutive home series to an opponent since FSU in the 1994-95 season. All-time, Miami leads the series with Rutgers 32-9 since the 1967 season. UM is 13-6 vs. Rutgers under Jim Morris.
The Hurricanes hold a 80-18 record against schools currently in the BIG EAST baseball conference, including a 24-8 mark during the Jim Morris era. Miami plays baseball as a Division I independent, but is a member of the BIG EAST in all other varsity sports.
