Baseball Slugs Bethune-Cookman 12-4
May 3, 2002
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – – The Miami Hurricanes (23-22) took game one of the weekend series with Bethune-Cookman (34-19), 12-4, in front of 1,051 fans Friday night at Mark Light Stadium.
Miami out-hit the Wildcats 11-7, including five extra-base hits. The Hurricanes had four-run bursts in the first, third and fourth innings to race out to a 12-0 lead. Each UM starter recorded hits in the game, including two-hit efforts from Kevin Howard and Richard Giannotti, who was making his first collegiate start.
UM starter Dan Touchet (4-2) scored the win as he allowed two runs on three hits in 6.0 innings pitched, while striking a career-high nine. Touchet had a perfect game through the first four innings pitched. His nine strikeouts were also a team season-high. His Bethune-Cookman counterpart, Cesar Montes de Oca (9-2) went 2.1 innings with eight hits, eight runs (seven earned), three walks, one strikeout, one wild pitch and one hit batter.
Ryan Dixon earned his first save for Miami by pitching the final 3.0 innings for the Hurricanes.
Miami opened the scoring, 4-0, in the first inning with four runs on four hits. Danny Figueroa led off by getting hit by a Montes de Oca pitch. He then scored on Brad Safchik’s RBI double down the right field line. After Javy Rodriguez singled to right field putting runners on the corners, Howard came up with a three-run home run to left field.
The Hurricanes extended their lead 8-0 in the third with four more runs on three hits and two B-CC errors. Howard led off with a double to left field and took third on a Montes de Oca wild pitch. Matt Dryer then walked to put runners on first and third. Giannotti followed with a RBI double deep to left center to score Howard. Dryer would also score on the play due to a fielding error by the centerfielder. Two batters later, Greg Dini knocked Giannotti in with a double down the left field line. The Wildcats would replace Montes de Oca with Travis Taylor. After Dini moved to third on a Paco Figueroa ground out, he would come around to score off a fielding error on a Danny Figueroa grounder.
Miami extended its lead 12-0 in the fourth inning with four more runs on two hits and one error. Rodriguez reached on a throwing error by the shortstop to lead off the inning and stole second. He would then take third on a Howard ground out. Dryer walked. Giannotti then singled to third base to score Rodriguez with Dryer moving to second. Jim Burt walked to load the bases. Johnson threw a wild pitch to score Dryer. Giannotti would score on Dini’s ground out. Burt next scored on Paco Figueroa’s single to left field.
The Wildcats got on the scoreboard, 12-1, in the fifth on Oscar Folks RBI single to centerfield that scored Carlos Lara from third. Lara led off with a walk and moved to third on a Jose Vazquez single.
B-CC would go on to score one run in four of the final 5.0 innings to pull within 12-4.
The Hurricanes and Wildcats continue the series on Saturday at 7 p.m., with the finale Sunday at 1 p.m. Both 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.
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.
