Baseball Suffers 16-8 Defeat To Georgia Tech
May 12, 2002
Atlanta, Ga. (www.hurricanesports.com) – – No. 9 Georgia Tech (41-11) scored seven runs in the seventh inning to turn a one-run game into a 16-8 victory over Miami (25-25) in front of 1,320 fans Saturday night at Russ Chandler Stadium.
GT reliever Jeff Watchko (8-1) scored the win in relief. UM reliever Brandon Camardese (0-3) scored the loss.
For the third time this weekend Miami started the scoring, 2-0, in the top of the first inning on three hits and two Tech errors. Danny Figueroa led off with a single to centerfield. Brad Safchik then hit into a fielder’s choice grounder to the pitcher, but consecutive errors by Tech allowed both runners to move into scoring position. The first run would come in, Figueroa, on Javy Rodriguez’ sacrifice fly RBI to right field. Kevin Howard followed with a RBI single to centerfield to score Safchik from second. Danny Matienzo would record a single before the Yellow Jackets got out of the inning.
Georgia Tech came back in the bottom of the first, 3-2, on Jason Perry’s three-run homer off the left field foul pole. Perry’s home run scored Eric Patterson, who doubled to lead off, and Jeremy Slayden, walked.
Matienzo assisted the Hurricanes to regaining the lead, 5-3, in the third on a three-run homer over the left field wall. His team-high 13th home run on the season scored Rodriguez, doubled down the left field line, and Howard, hit by pitch.
Later in the third, Goodman was removed for reliever Jeff Watchko after Greg Dini doubled to right center. Goodman went the first 2.2 innings with eight hits, five runs (three earned), no walks, one strikeout and one hit batter.
Georgia Tech tied the score, 5-5, in the bottom of the third with two runs on three hits. Victor Menocal led off with a double to right field. Slayden then hit a single to right, moving Menocal to third. Matt Murton followed with a double deep to right center to score Menocal and move Slayden to third. Perry brought in the tying run with a sacrifice fly RBI to left field.
In the third, Troy Roberson was replaced with Brandon Camardese after going 2.2 innings with five hits, five earned runs, two walks and one strikeout.
UM regained the lead, 6-5, in the fourth on Rodriguez’ sacrifice fly RBI to left field scoring Safchik from third. A batter earlier, Safchik doubled to left field and took third on the play off a throwing error by the third baseman.
The Yellow Jackets came back in the bottom of the fourth, 8-6, with three runs on two hits and one error. After loading the bases, Camardese walked Slayden to bring in Brandon Boggs. Boggs had led off with a single to right center. Mike Nickeas then reached on bunt single to the pitcher, which was errantly thrown past the first baseman to put runners on second and third. Camardese would hit Menocal to load the bases. Vince Bongiovanni came in to replaced Camardese and immediately threw a wild pitch to score Nickeas from third. Murton followed with a sacrifice fly RBI to centerfield scoring Menocal.
Miami scored once in the sixth, 8-7, and left the bases loaded after Matienzo struck out swinging and Burt flied out to right field. Paco Figueroa led off with a double down the left field line. Danny Figueroa followed with a bunt single to the pitcher. On the play, Watchko errantly threw past first base to allow Paco Figueroa to score. Safchik singled and Howard was intentionally walked to load the bases prior to Matienzo’s at bat.
Georgia Tech scored a run in the bottom of the sixth, 9-7, on Slayden’s RBI single up the middle off Andrew Cohn scoring Patterson from third. Patterson led off with a single to left field and stole second. He moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Menocal.
Miami got the run back in the seventh, 9-8, on Safchik’s two-out RBI single to second base that scored Paco Figueroa from second. With two outs, Paco Figueroa singled to left field, followed by another single to left field by Danny Figueroa.
Matthew Boggs led off the seventh with a solo home run to right field. Later in the inning, with George Huguet on the mound, Slayden hit a two-run double off the wall in left center. Murton followed with a single up the middle to score Slayden. Perry then hit a two-run homer to left field. Matthew Boggs, in his second plate appearance of the inning, singled in Parker from third.
The Yellow Jackets are ranked No. 9 this week in the Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches Poll, No. 10 by the NCBWA, No. 11 by Collegiate Baseball newspaper and No. 12 by Baseball America.
The Hurricanes return to action next weekend, May 17-19, as Jacksonville travels to Mark Light Stadium for a three-game series beginning Friday. Game times for the Jacksonville series 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. Fox Sports Net Florida will televise the Sunday afternoon game. Sports Radio 560 WQAM will carry the Friday and Saturday games, while WACC 830 AM (Spanish) will broadcast on Saturday.
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.
