Baseball Wins Fifth In A Row, 11-4 Over Kansas State
Feb. 23, 2002
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — – The Miami Hurricanes (7-4), ranked as high as seventh by Baseball America, remained undefeated in Homestead Challenge play with an 11-4 victory over Kansas State (4-2) at the Homestead Sports Complex.
The win was Head Coach Jim Morris’ 400th at Miami and the Hurricanes fifth in a row. With the win over Kansas State, UM is now 2-0 at the Homestead Challenge including a 6-2 win over FIU Friday night.
UM starter T.J. Prunty (1-0) earned his first winning decision of the season going a career-high 6.0 innings with nine hits, three earned runs, no walks, two strikeouts and three hit by pitches. Kansas State starter Jason Melcher (1-1) took the loss.
Kansas State opened scoring, 1-0, in the top of the first on Pat Maloney’s RBI double deep to left field that scored Tim Foley from first. Foley singled to centerfield in the previous at bat.
The Hurricanes tied the score, 1-1, in the bottom of the first when Kevin Howard scored from home on an errant throw by the Kansas State catcher to second. On the play, Danny Matienzo, who drew a walk, stole second.
Miami opened up its lead, 8-1, in the fourth inning scoring seven runs on seven hits and one error as the Hurricanes batted around in the order. Kevin Mannix and Matt Dryer each hit singles up the middle. Jim Burt loaded the bases with a successful bunt to the third baseman. Haas Pratt followed with a bases clearing double deep to left field. With one out, Brad Safchik came up with a single to right field to score Pratt. Javy Rodriguez put runners on first and second with another successful bunt to the second baseman. Howard then scored Safchik with a double to right field, moving Rodriguez to third. Two more runs came in on Matienzo’s grounder that was mishandled by the shortstop.
The Wildcats narrowed the Hurricanes lead, 8-3, on Nick Sorensan’s two-RBI double deep to left field that scored Ty Soto and Ryan Baldwin. Soto led off the inning getting hit by a Prunty pitch. Baldwin got on base with a single to centerfield.
Miami added to its lead, 11-3, scoring three runs on four hits off Melcher and reliever Chad Duckers. Safchik led off with a single to centerfield. He was moved to second on Paco Figueroa’s sacrifice bunt. Howard then came up with a single to right field to score Safchik, but was tagged out stretching the hit to second base. Matienzo then singled to left field. Enter Duckers, who gave up a first-pitch home run to Mannix, his third of the season deep to left center.
Melcher was relieved after 5.2 innings pitched allowing 14 hits, 10 runs (seven earned), one walk, three strikeouts and one hit by pitch. The 14 hits on Melcher were the most by Miami this season on an opponent’s starter.
With Vince Vazquez on the mound to start the seventh, Kansas State scored once, 11-4, on Baldwin’s fly out to centerfield that brought Foley home from third. Foley earlier reached on a single to right field, moved to second on a walk to Soto and to third on a wild pitch.
Former Hurricane All-American quarterback George Mira threw out the game’s ceremonial first pitch. Mira is a member of the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame and played professionally with the San Francisco 49ers.
Miami returns to action tomorrow at Mark Light Stadium against Lipscomb at 1 p.m. as part of the Homestead Challenge. The game will be carried by UM’s flagship station Sports Radio 560 WQAM as well as the student voice of the Hurricanes WVUM 90.5 FM.
