Baseball Defeats UCLA 8-2 For Series Win
March 24, 2002
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – – The Miami Hurricanes (14-11) clinched the series victory over visiting UCLA (13-15) with an 8-2 win Sunday night in front of 1,664 fans at Mark Light Stadium. Miami also won the first game of the series 8-7 on Saturday night.
Miami starter T.J. Prunty (4-0) remained undefeated on the year with a career-long 7.0 innings pitched, four hits, no runs, two walks, five strikeouts and two hit batters in 94 pitches. The 7.0 innings pitched were a season-long by UM starter in 2002, while the four hits and no runs were a season-low by a starter.
UCLA starter Chris Cordeiro (1-3) scored the loss as he went 5.0 innings with 10 hits, seven runs (five earned), two walks, three strikeouts, one wild pitch and one intentional walk in 100 pitches.
In the game, Howard, Matienzo and Safchik each continued career-long hit streaks with 20, 19 and eight, respectively. Rodriguez and Mannix also continued hitting streaks to 10 and nine games. The 20-game streak by Howard ties for the fourth longest at Miami, while Matienzo’s 19-game streak is tied for the fifth longest.
Miami opened the scoring, 3-0, in the second inning as the Hurricanes sent seven batters to the plate. With one out, Matt Dryer drew a walk. He then scored on Jim Burt’s RBI double down the left field line. After Kevin Mannix recorded the second out of the inning, Joey Hooft hit a double off the wall in left center to score Burt. Hooft came around to score off a throwing error by the shortstop on a Danny Figueroa grounder.
The Hurricanes extended their lead, 4-0, in the third on Kevin Howard’s ground out to second base that scored Javy Rodriguez from third. Rodriguez led off the inning with a single up the middle, stole second and moved to third on Danny Matienzo’s ground out.
Miami went ahead, 5-0, in the fourth on Brad Safchik’s RBI single up the middle that scored Figueroa from third. Figueroa reached on a single and moved to third off an errant throw on a failed pick off attempt by Cordeiro.
In the top of the fifth, UCLA loaded the bases on Prunty with no outs. Prunty struck out Josh Arhart for the first out, then forced Adam Berry into an inning ending double play.
UM pushed its lead to 7-0 in the fifth as seven batters came to the plate on Cordeiro. Matienzo led off with a single to centerfield. Howard followed with a double off the wall in centerfield to put runners on second and third. After Dryer popped out, UCLA intentionally walked Burt to load the bases. Mannix then drove in the first run, Matienzo, with an infield single to third base. Howard would score on Hooft sacrifice fly out to left field.
In the seventh, Howard led off with a solo home run to right center off reliever Mike Castillo to make the score 8-0. It was Miami’s first home run in five games, since the first game of the Rutgers series.
UCLA voided the shutout in the eighth inning, 8-2, with UM reliever Vince Vazquez on the mound. After retiring the first two batters, Vazquez gave up consecutive singles to Berry and Wes Whisler. On a wild pitch, both runners moved over a base, then Berry came in after a throwing error by catcher Erick San Pedro. Brandon Averill drove in the second run, Whisler, with a single to right field.
The Hurricanes conclude their series with UCLA Monday night at 7 p.m. The game can be heard on the Internet at www.hurricanesports.com or on the student voice of the Hurricanes, WVUM 90.5 FM.
Miami will also play a Tuesday night game against Northwestern at 7 p.m. at Mark Light Stadium, before hosting Elon University in a three-game series next weekend.
Log on to www.hurricanesports.com for updated news on the University of Miami athletics program, tickets and apparel. For ticket information call the Hurricane box office at 1-800 GO CANES.
