Jim Burt Sends Miami To The Super Regionals in 8-7 Win Over Florida
June 2, 2002
Gainesville, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – – Sophomore Jim Burt wrote Miami (33-27) a ticket to the Super Regionals in Columbia, SC with his bottom of the ninth, two-strike, two-out, two RBI double to left center that elevated the Hurricanes past host and No. 1-seeded Florida (46-19), 8-7, in front of 2,533 fans Sunday afternoon at Alfred A. McKethan Stadium.
South Carolina defeated North Carolina, 3-1, to win its regional and right to host Miami next weekend in Columbia.
Named to the NCAA Gainesville Regional were Danny Matienzo (C), Javy Rodriguez (2B), Jim Burt (OF), Brad Safchik (DH), Kevin Howard (UT) and Kiki Bengochea (P).
Burt’s heroics was nothing new on the day as he sent game No. 1 into extra innings with his three-run homer that tied up things at 10-10, before UF’s Mark Kiger hit a walk-off home run in the 10th inning of the Gators 11-10 win.
Miami starter Dan Touchet pitched his second game of the regionals going 6.2 innings with six hits, five earned runs, one walk, four strikeouts, one wild pitch and one hit batter in 113 pitches thrown. J.D. Cockroft followed with 1.2 innings, two runs (one earned), two walks and one wild pitch. George Huguet (7-4) earned the win with 0.2 innings pitched in the ninth with one walk allowed.
UF’s Jimmy Ramshaw (6-4) scored the loss in relief with 0.1 innings, two hits and one earned run. Reliever Ben Hedgecock went 6.1 innings with eight hits, four earned runs and six strikeouts in long relief. Starter Jamie Goldfarb went 2.0 innings with three hits, three runs, three walks, four strikeouts and one wild pitch in 51 pitches thrown.
In the bottom of the ninth, Paco Figueroa led off with an infield single to the shortstop. Brad Safchik then flies out to right field. Figueroa then took second on a Hedgecock wild pitch. Javy Rodriguez followed with a single to left field moving Figueroa to third. Joey Hooft came in to pinch run for Rodriguez. Enter Ramshaw for Hedgecock. Danny Matienzo brought in the first run with a sacrifice fly to left field. Kevin Howard then singled to centerfield, moving Hooft to second just before Burt’s at bat.
The Gators grabbed the lead, 7-5, in the ninth as Jason Tucker and Matt Goss scored off a fielding error by Rodriguez on a Matt Maley grounder.
Matienzo tied the game, 5-5, for the Hurricanes in the seventh with a RBI single to left field scoring Safchik from third. Safchik led off with a ground rule double over the wall in right field and took third on Rodriguez’ sacrifice bunt.
UF regained the lead, 5-4, on Mark Kiger’s fielder’s choice grounder that scored Brian Rose from third. With one out, Rose doubled to right center and moved to third on Jeff Corsaletti’s infield single.
Miami tied the game, 4-4, in the fifth on Howard’s RBI single to right center scoring Safchik from second. Safchik led off with a single to left field, moved to second on Rodriguez’ sacrifice bunt and then to third on a Hedgecock wild pitch.
UM narrowed the Gator lead by scoring once in the third, 4-3, as Safchik came in from third on a Hedgcock balk. Safchik led off the inning with a walk from Goldfarb, moved to second on Rodriguez’ walk and then to third on a Goldfarb wild pitch.
Florida regained the lead, 4-2, in the third on Pat Osborn’s three-run home run to left center that also scored Jake Riordan, HBP, and Mario Garza, single.
The Hurricanes grabbed the lead, 2-1, in the bottom of the second on solo home runs by Kevin Mannix and Matt Dryer.
Ryan Shealy put UF ahead, 1-0, in the top of the second with a solo home run off Touchet to left field.
Miami’s 2002 NCAA tournament appearance can be heard over the Internet at www.hurricanesports.com, or on the student voice of the Hurricanes, WVUM 90.5 FM. Additionally, the flagship stations of the Miami Hurricanes, Sports Radio 560 WQAM and UM’s Spanish Broadcast Network will also be covering the action.
For more information on the NCAA Regionals, visit ncaa.org
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.
Game No. 1
MARK KIGER HOMERS IN THE 10TH FOR AN 11-10 FLORIDA WIN
Gainesville, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – Miami closer George Huguet gave up a solo home run to Mark Kiger to lead off the bottom of the 10th inning sealing the Gators (46-18) 11-10 win over the Hurricanes (32-27) to avoid elimination in front of 2,594 fans Sunday afternoon at Alfred A. McKethan Stadium.
The Florida win forced a deciding second game with Miami for the right to advance to Super Regional competition. After loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth on Huguet (6-4), the Gators hit into a double play to send the game into extra innings.
UF’s Keith Ramsey (10-3) earned the win in relief.
Florida seemed set for a second game as they had a 10-6 lead with Miami with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but the Hurricanes rallied with four runs to tie the game.
The Hurricane two-out rally was led by Jim Burt’s three-run home run to left center off reliever Kevin Coleman. Javy Rodriguez led off the rally with a single to left field. Danny Matienzo followed with another single to left field moving Rodriguez to third. Joey Hooft came in to pinch run for Matienzo. Kevin Howard knocked in the first run, Rodriguez, with a single to right field with Hooft moving to second just prior to Burt’s at bat.
UF starter Mike Pete went 4.0 innings with seven hits, five runs (four earned), one walk, one strikeout and one wild pitch in 70 pitches thrown. Coleman went the following 4.2 innings with 10 hits, five earned runs, one walk and four strikeouts.
UM started the game with Troy Roberson, who went 1.2 innings with four hits, six earned runs, one walk, three strikeouts and two hit batters in 44 pitches thrown. T.J. Prunty followed with the next 4.1 innings allowing six hits, three runs (two earned), no walks and one strikeout in 58 pitches thrown. Vince Vazquez went 2.0 innings with three hits and one earned run.
Matienzo got the Hurricanes going for the third straight day as he hit a two-run home run off Pete in the first inning, also scoring Brad Safchik, for the early 2-0 lead. Safchik had reached on a single through the right side and stole second.
The Gators sent 11 batters to the plate in the second inning and wound hitting UM for six runs on five hits, two hit by pitches and a walk. Roberson was removed in the frame for T.J. Prunty. Aaron Sobieraj’s two-run home run off Roberson to left field that also scored Ben Harrison tied the game at 2-2. After Jonathan Tucker bunt singled and Brian Rose was walked, Kiger hit a RBI single to right field for the 3-2 lead. Later in the inning, Pat Osborn doubled with bases loaded to knock in two more runs. Ryan Shealy put UF ahead four runs with a RBI single to right field off Prunty.
Miami got a run back in the third, 6-3, as Matienzo singled in Safchik from third base. Safchik had reached on a fielding error by the second baseman, stole second and moved to third on Rodriguez’ ground out.
The Hurricanes got even close in the fourth, 6-5, as Safchik singled in Kevin Mannix and Danny Figueroa. With one out, Mannix singled to left center. He would then take second on Danny Figueroa’s bunt single. Mannix moved over to third on Paco Figueroa’s fly out to right field, while twin brother advanced by stealing second.
Florida answered with one run in the bottom of the fourth, 7-5, as Mario Garza scored from second on a fielding error by Howard on a Shealy grounder. With two outs, Garza singled to right field and moved to second on a single up the middle from Osborn.
UF climbed ahead, 8-5, in the fifth on Sobieraj’s second home run of the day, a solo shot off Prunty to left field.
Osborn put the Gators ahead, 9-5, in the sixth with a solo shot off Prunty to left center.
With two outs in the eighth, Mannix doubled in Dryer from first with a shot down the left field line to make the score 9-6. Dryer reached on a walk.
Osborn gave UF a 10-6 lead in the eighth with a sacrifice fly RBI to right field scoring Kiger from third. Kiger led off with a double to left center and moved to third on Garza’s double to right field.
