Baseball Falls To FIU 9-7
May 2, 2002
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — – Florida International (33-14) scored six runs in the first inning and held on for the 9-7 win over Miami (22-22) in front of 1,523 fans Thursday night at Mark Light Stadium.
With UM starter T.J. Prunty (5-4) on the mound, FIU opened the game with its first seven batters reaching base and charging out to a 6-0 lead. Prunty allowed the six earned runs on two hits, three walks and two hit batters before Brandon Camardese pitched UM out of the inning.
FIU starter Derek DeCarlo (9-0) scored the win to remain undefeated on the season, while Arthur Santos earned the save with the 1.0 inning pitched.
The Hurricanes were able to take back two runs in the bottom of the first, 6-2, as Brad Safchik tripled in Danny Figueroa from first. Danny Figueroa led off the inning with a single to left field. Safchik later scored on a Kevin Howard single to right field.
UM put two more on the scoreboard in the second inning, 6-4, on a Greg Dini solo home run to left center to start the inning and later a Safchik sacrifice fly that brought in Paco Figueroa from third. Paco Figueroa reached on a single, took second on a DeCarlo balk and stole third.
The Hurricanes furthered the comeback, 6-5, in the third as Jim Burt scored on Dini’s double to right field. Burt reached a batter earlier with a double to left field.
FIU’s Brad Eldred put FIU ahead, 7-5, in the seventh with a solo home run off Shawn Valdes-Fauli.
With George Huguet on the mound for the Hurricanes in the ninth, the Golden Panthers were able to score two more, 9-5, on three hits and a walk. Luke DeBold came in for Huguet and retired the final two batters. Eldred led off the inning with a walk and moved over on a Hector Nunez sacrifice bunt. He would move to third on Adam Summerrell’s single to second base. Tommy Duenas knocked in the first run with a single up the middle. FIU’s second run also came in with a single up the middle from Skip Adams.
Miami’s rally in the ninth fell short as the Hurricanes mustered two runs to pull within, 9-7, of FIU. Danny Figueroa led off reaching on an error and to second on a Derek Taylor balk. Safchik doubled in Figueroa with a shot deep to left center. Javy Rodriguez then single to right field followed by a Howard walk to load the bases. Matt Dryer drove in the second run with a sacrifice fly to right field.
The Hurricanes return to action at Mark Light Stadium tomorrow night against Bethune-Cookman College for the first of a three-game series at 7 p.m. Game times are 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
All three games can be heard over the Internet at www.hurricanesports.com or on the student voice of the Hurricanes, WVUM 90.5 FM. Saturday evening’s game with B-CC will also be broadcasted on the flagship stations of the Miami Hurricanes, Sports Radio 560 WQAM and WACC 830 AM Radio Paz (Spanish). The Sunday afternoon game will be televised by Fox Sports Net Florida.
On the mound for the Hurricanes Friday night vs. B-CC will be sophomore RHP Dan Touchet (3-2, 4.99 ERA), junior RHP Kiki Bengochea (3-5, 6.71 ERA) on Saturday and junior RHP Troy Roberson (1-1, 4.76 ERA) on Sunday.
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.
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.
