Baseball Goes Against FIU and Bethune-Cookman This Week
May 1, 2002
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University of Miami Hurricanes (22-21) vs.
Florida International Golden Panthers (00-00)
Thursday: 7:00 p.m. – WQAM, WACC, WVUM 90.5 FM
Game #44: May 2, 2002; Mark Light Stadium; Coral Gables, Fla.
Bethune-Cookman College Wildcats (00-00)
Friday: 7:00 p.m. – WVUM 90.5 FM
Saturday: 7:00 p.m. – WQAM, WACC, WVUM 90.5 FM
Sunday: 1:00 p.m. – Fox Sports Net Florida, WVUM 90.5 FM
Game #45-47: May 3-5, 2002; Mark Light Stadium; Coral Gables, Fla.
THE MIAMI/FIU SERIES — Miami leads the all-time series with FIU 82-19, dating back to the 1973 season. Teh series is the third-longest on-going rivalry on the UM baseball schedule behind Florida (1940) and Florida State (1951).
Miami has won 13 of the past 18 meetings with FIU, including six of the past eight. This season, Miami avenged a 7-1 loss at FIU on Feb. 6, with a 6-2 win over the Golden Panthers at the Homestead Challenge on Feb. 22. Miami, under Jim Morris, is 21-9 vs. FIU since 1994.
MIAMI VS. THE SUN BELT — Miami has forged an all-time record of 118-36 against teams currently in the Sun Belt Conference.
MIAMI/FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL SERIES MATH–
Overall Series Record: Miami leads 82-19
At UM: Miami leads 52-11
At FIU: Miami leads 27-8
At neutral: Miami leads 3-0
In NCAA play: Miami leads 3-0 (games played at UM)
Total runs scored: Miami leads 734 – 368
One run games: Miami leads 14-10
Two run games: Miam leads 9-3
Shutout victories vs. FIU: 9
Shutout victories by FIU: 1
Most runs UM: 22 (22-1 win in 1992)
Margin UM: 21 (22-1 win in 1992)
Most runs FIU: 17 (17-10 win in 2001)
Margin FIU: 7 (17-10 win in 2001)
Streak UM: 15 (4/30/82 – 2/27/86)
Streak FIU: 2 (2/10/99 & 5/4/99)
MIAMI/BETHUNE COOKMAN SERIES — Miami leads the all-time series with Bethune-Cookman College, 9-0, dating back to the 1983 season. All nine contests have taken place at Mark Light Stadium. The last meeting between the two schools occurred in the 1999 NCAA Coral Gables Regional opener, the lone postseason meeting between the pair.
MIAMI/BETHUNECOOKMAN SERIES MATH–
Overall Series Record: Miami leads 9-0
At UM: Miami leads 9-0
In NCAA play: Miami leads 1-0
Total runs scored: Miami leads 135-23 (15.0 – 2.6 per gm)
One run games: None
Two run games: None
Shutout victories vs. B-CC: 2
Shutout victories by B-CC: 0
Most runs UM: 22 (22-0 win in 1990)
Margin UM: 22 (22-0 win in 1990)
Most runs B-CC: 9 (15-9 loss in 1999)
Margin B-CC: 6 (15-9 loss in 1999, 9-3 loss in 1998)
Streak UM: 9 (2/15/83 – 5/28/99)
Streak B-CC: 0
MIAMI VS. THE MEAC — Miami has forged an all-time record of 30-7 against teams currently in the MEAC.
FIVE HURRICANES LISTED ON SMITH AWARD WATCH LIST — Five Hurricanes, including Kiki Bengochea, Jim Burt, Kevin Howard, George Huguet and Javy Rodriguez, are listed among the candidates for the 15th annual Rotary Smith Award.
MIAMI AND THE PSEUDO-RPI — Following games of April 28, Miami finds itself ranked 31st in Boyd’s World pseudo-RPI listing. The Hurricanes have five top-11 opponents in Houston (#4), Florida State (#5), Georgia Tech (#6), Florida (#10) and North Carolina (#11), while 15 are rated among the top 60.
JAVY RODRIGUEZ LISTED THROUGHOUT MIAMI CAREER RECORDS — Senior All-American Javy Rodriguez has etched his name on numerous Miami career record lists, including at bats, runs scored, hits, total bases, total sacrifices and stolen bases.
KEVIN HOWARD’S DOUBLE AT FSU LIFTS HIM TO THIRD PLACE — Kevin Howard remained in third-place following his one double during the North Carolina series with 57 career doubles. He tied Don Rowland (55, 1982-85) on April 6 at Florida State and past him April 21 vs. Long Beach State. Jose Trujillo (1986-89) holds the school-record with 65 doubles, while Miami Fiore (1985-88) had 63. Howard has 15 doubles in 2002 and had 20 in 2001 and 22 in 2000.
GEORGE HUGUET IN FIFTH-PLACE FOR CAREER SAVES — Sophomore George Huguet earned a save vs. FAU to give him 21 for his career, which places fifth all-time at Miami. Rick Raether (84-86) holds the school-record with 37 career saves. Jay Tessmer (94-95) is in fourth-place with 23 saves.
TWO HURRICANES CRACK BASEBALL AMERICA DRAFT 2002 TOP 50 — Kevin Howard (#46) and Javy Rodriguez (#50) were recently listed among Baseball America’s top 50 college prospects for the 2002 MLB Draft.
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.
HURRICANES HARD TO NO-HIT — Entering the FIU game Miami has not been no-hit in 2,286 games. The last time the Hurricanes were no-hit was by Ken Huebner of Florida Southern on April 18, 1964 in Lakeland.
SEVERAL HURRICANES GARNER PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA HONORS — A total of five Hurricanes received preseason All-American honors, including Javy Rodriguez, Kiki Bengochea, George Huguet, Luke DeBold and Danny Matienzo.
BASEBALL AMERICA’S COLLEGE PREVIEW RECOGNIZES MIAMI — Baseball America’s Allen Simpson rated junior RHP Kiki Bengochea No. 6 among the top 100 college prospects for the 2002 draft. Also making Simpson’s list were Kevin Howard (#23), T.J. Prunty (#56) and Javy Rodriguez (#72).
Baseball America listed the top 50 players by class, which consisted of seven Hurricanes in each of the four classes. Danny Figueroa (#32), Ryan Dixon (#34) and Rich Giannotti (#43) were among the freshmen listed. T.J. Prunty (#30) was the lone UM sophomore listed and was rated the No. 2 draft eligible sophomore. Kiki Bengochea (#6) and Kevin Howard (#22) were among the juniors and Javy Rodriguez (#6) was listed among seniors.
Miami was selected the top independent school heading into 2002, while Bengochea, Howard, Rodriguez, Prunty and Troy Roberson were the top five independent prospects. Figueroa, Dixon and Brandon Camardese were the top three independent newcomers.
2002 HURRICANES DEFEAT ALUMNI TEAM 20-3 — Forty-five former Hurricanes spanning seven decades returned to Mark Light Stadium on Jan. 26 to take part in the annual alumni game against the 2002 squad. The current players were able to use solid pitching and defense plus effective power to cruise to the 20-3 victory over the former Hurricanes that included, Orlando Palmeiro (1990), J.D. Arteaga (1994-97), Danny Buxbaum (1994-95), Tom Farmer (1998-01), David Gil (1997-00), Joe Grahe (1987-89), Charlton Jimerson (1998-01), Ross Jones (1979-80), Mike Rodriguez (1999-01), Alex Santos (1997-99) and Jose Trujillo (1986-89).
HURRICANE ROSTER HAS MAJOR LEAGUE TALENT — The 2002 Hurricanes have a total of 19 players who have been selected in the Major League Draft. Freshman pitcher Kiki Bengochea is the highest drafted player on the UM roster (3rd Rd./Kansas City Royals). Additionally, 19 of UM’s 31 players or 61.3 percent have been drafted by the pros.
HAROLD REYNOLDS HIGHLIGHTS PRESEASON “FIRST PITCH” BANQUET — ESPN Baseball Tonight analyst and College World Series broadcaster Harold Reynolds served as the keynote speaker at the annual “First Pitch” Banquet at the Omni Colonnade Hotel in Coral Gables. The switch-hitting second baseman played a total 14 seasons in the Major Leagues with Seattle, Anaheim and Baltimore. He was selected three times (1988-1990) as the American League Gold Glove winner while he playing for Seattle.
CHARLES JOHNSON HAS HIS JERSEY NUMBER 23 RETIRED AT SUNDAY FLORIDA GATOR GAME — Charles Johnson came back to Mark Light Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 10 where he threw out the ceremonial first pitch and had his jersey number 23 retired on the outfield wall. Johnson is the ninth player/coach to have his baseball jersey number retired. Other Hurricanes to have their baseball jerseys retired are Orlando Gonzalez (#20), Stan Jakubowski (#29), Randy Guerra (#25), Neal Heaton (#26), Skip Bertman (#15), Mike Fiore (#12), Doug Shields (#5) and legendary head coach Ron Fraser (#1).
CHARLES JOHNSON INDUCTED INTO THE ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME — At the annual Hall of Fame Banquet held on March 14 at the Downtown Miami Hyatt Regency, former Hurricane catcher Charles Johnson (1990-92) will be among eight 2002 inductees into the University of Miami Athletics Hall of Fame. Johnson joins Horace Copeland (track and football), Carlos Huerta (football), George Mira, Jr. (football), Art Kehoe (football), Isabella Hutchinson (women’s athletics), Frances Savage (women’s basketball) and Al Besselink (men’s golf).
50-40-30 PLATEAU — Miami has won at least 50 games in five of the past six seasons under Head Coach Jim Morris. UM has won at least 40 games for eight straight years, 13 of the last 14 years and 27 of the last 29 years. Miami has won 30 or more games for 31 consecutive years. The last time UM failed to win 30 games was 1970 when the Hurricanes finished 28-15-1. Morris’ lowest single-season total at Miami was 41 in 2000.
MIAMI WINS SERIES WITH NO. 13 LONG BEACH STATE — The Hurricanes won the first two games of a three-game series, April 19-21, with No. 13 Long Beach State at Mark Light Stadium. Miami picked up 9-6 and 10-6 wins on Friday and Saturday night, respectively, while the 49ers won on Sunday, 10-1, to avoid the sweep.Series Highlights —
Kevin Howard’s walk-off homer gives UM a 9-6 win in game one — Kevin Howard hit a walk-off three-run home run in the ninth to elevate Miami past Long Beach State, 9-6, on Friday. The 49ers had fought back twice in the game to tie the Hurricanes, 4-4, in the fifth and, 6-6, in the eighth. Howard was the leader in the game batting 4-for-5 at the plate with two runs scored and three RBI. Haas Pratt also homered for the Hurricanes in the second inning. Closer George Huguet won in relief shutting down the 49ers over the final 2.0 innings.
UM offense strikes early in game two win 10-6 — Javy Rodriguez and Danny Figueroa each had three hits, while Danny Matienzo put in four RBI in leading Miami past Long Beach State, 10-6, Saturday night. Rodriguez homered in the game while going 3-for-4 with three runs scored, two RBI, one walk and a stolen base. Danny Figueroa had three runs scored, while brother, Paco, had two. Matienzo had just one hit, a two RBI single inthe eighth, but earned RBI with a first-inning sacrifice fly and a fielder’s choice RBI in the sixth. Kiki Bengochea earned the win with a pre-game determined 4.0 innings pitched. He was followed by usual starter T.J. Prunty, who went 3.1 innings.
MIAMI PULLS OFF 6-5 RALLY WIN OVER NO. 17 FLORIDA ATLANTIC — Miami put together a five-run seventh vs. No. 17 FAU, including Javy Rodriguez’ steal at home plate for the go-ahead run, in a 6-5 rally win over the Blue Wave Wednesday night at Mark Light Stadium.
FAU built a 5-1 lead through six innings behind starter Chris Pillsbury, but it evaporated in the seventh as the Blue Wave needed to use three pitchers to hold off Miami. Reliever Chris Della Rocco, who would eventually take the loss, gave up two hits, five runs (two earned) and two walks in 0.2 innings of relief in the seventh.
UM starter T.J. Prunty earned the win after he tied a career-long with 7.0 innings pitched and posted a career-high seven strikeouts. Closer George Huguet scored his seventh save of the season as he went the final 2.0 innings with no hits and a career-high four strikeouts.
UM scored the five runs in the seventh off two RBI singles, a FAU throwing error, a passed ball and a steal at home plate.
