Baseball Hosts UCLA This Weekend
March 22, 2002
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — – The University of Miami Hurricanes (12-11) host UCLA (13-13) in a three-game series beginning this Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Mark Light Stadium. All three games, including Sunday and Monday night, are scheduled for 7 p.m. starts. The first 2,500 fans in attendance for the Saturday series opener against the Bruins will receive a limited edition Jim Morris National Championship Bobblehead Doll, presented by OleoMed.
Each game can be heard on the student voice of the Hurricanes, WVUM 90.5 FM, and over the Internet in the audio section of www.hurricanesports.com. Sunday night’s game will be televised by Fox Sports Net Florida, as well as on the Hurricanes’ flagship Sports Radio 560 WQAM and in Spanish on WACC 830 AM Radio Paz.
Coming off a 10-3 win over Wisconsin-Milwaukee this past Wednesday, the Hurricanes will start the series with junior RHP Troy Roberson (1-1, 3.71 ERA) on the mound. The Royal Palm Beach local is coming off his first loss of the season after giving up just one earned run in a 4-3 defeat to Rutgers last Friday, while tossing six strikeouts. Sophomore RHP T.J. Prunty (3-0, 3.94 ERA) will get the start on Sunday, followed by sophomore RHP Dan Touchet (1-1, 6.43 ERA) on Monday night.
Prunty scored the win over Rutgers last Saturday after holding the Scarlet Knights to two runs over the first six innings of 8-3 UM win. Touchet recorded a loss in his second career start last weekend after Rutgers rallied past Miami in the fifth inning, putting its first five batters on base in a 9-5 UM defeat.
The Miami offense has been led this season by All-American shortstop Javy Rodriguez. The senior is leading the team with a .404 batting average and also has team-high numbers with 15 stolen bases, 25 runs scored and 40 hits.
Juniors Kevin Howard and Danny Matienzo enter the series riding career-long hitting streaks at 18 and 17 games, respectively. Howard places fourth with his .356 batting average and is second with eight stolen bases. Matienzo is in third with a .375 batting average, but leads the team with nine home runs, 29 RBI, 64 total bases, a .727 slugging percentage and a .462 on-base percentage. Senior Matt Dryer is second on the team with a .383 batting average and is among the top five in nearly every offensive category.
The Bruins enter the series having not played since a 6-4 loss to UC Irvine at Jackie Robinson Stadium on March 13. The 10-day layoff was due to final exams at UCLA, which is on the quarter-semester system. Prior to the loss, UCLA picked up crucial wins against Pepperdine and Cal State Northridge. Chris Jensen (.450) and Josh Arhart (.443) lead the team in batting, while Adam Berry has a club-best 13 home runs. Berry was recently the Pac-10 Player of the Week.
On the mound for UCLA Saturday night will be freshman LHP Wes Whisler (1-1, 4.50 ERA). Whisler is followed in the rotation by sophomore RHP Chris Cordeiro (1-2, 4.13 ERA) on Sunday night and sophomore RHP Casey Janssen (4-0, 1.93 ERA) on Monday night.
Miami owns a 5-0 record vs. UCLA dating back to a three-game series at Mark Light Stadium during the 1984 season. The three games at Mark Light in 1984 were all decided by one run (6-5, 7-6 and 7-6). The Hurricanes have played the Bruins in the championship game of the Austin, TX NCAA Regional in 1996 (8-4) and during the 1997 College World Series in Omaha, Neb. (7-3). All-time, Miami holds a 38-20 record against the Pac-10 Conference, including a recent defeat, 11-10, to Southern California at the Kia Baseball Bash earlier this season.
Milam’s Markets, with several Miami-Dade County locations, is offering a “Family Day” ticket promotion for the Sunday night game against UCLA. Fans can receive a ticket to the game if they redeem their register receipt with Uncle Ben’s Long Grain Rice (5 lb. Bag) on it at the customer service desk at the participating stores in Miami Beach, Aventura, Miami (Bird Rd.) or in Coconut Grove (off US #1). Milam’s Market will also put on the Food Fling promotion during the Sunday game as well, where three randomly selected contestants will throw a baseball through a target to win a $700 shopping spree at Milam’s.
Throwing out the ceremonial first pitch on Saturday will be Hurricane football players Ken Dorsey and Todd Sievers. The football team is in the middle of spring practice and preparing for Fox Sports Net ‘CANESFEST on April 6 at the Orange Bowl. Assistant Head Football Coach Art Kehoe will also be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch during the UCLA weekend.
Join the National Champions football team at the Orange Bowl on Saturday, April 6 for Fox Sports Net ‘CANESFEST and get an early view of the Hurricanes in action during their annual spring game. Purchase season tickets that day and you can select your seats for the upcoming season, which features home games against Florida State and Virginia Tech. In addition to the game, student-athletes and coaches will be available for autographs and you can tour the Hurricane locker room. Enter The Miami Herald contest at hurricanesports.com to catch a pass from Dorsey, kick a field goal against Sievers or return a punt from Freddie Capshaw. Admission is free and gates open at 8:00 a.m.
For more information on University of Miami athletics log on to its 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.
