Baseball Completes Sweep Of New York Tech 11-5
May 26, 2002
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – – Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – – The Miami Hurricanes (30-26) finished the three-game sweep of New York Tech (27-25), 11-5, in the regular season finale in front of 1,524 fans Sunday afternoon at Mark Light Stadium.
Each team traded runs early until New York Tech knocked in three in the fourth inning for the 5-2 lead. Despite Paco Figueroa’s two-RBI single in the bottom half of the fourth to trim the lead, 5-4, the Bears held the advantage until the Hurricanes portion of the seventh.
Miami exploded in the seventh tying a season-high seven runs on five hits, including four doubles, to surge ahead 11-5. Kevin Howard started the rally with a single to right field and scored on Danny Matienzo’s RBI double to right center to tie the game. After Jim Burt fouled out, Matt Dryer put UM ahead with a double to right center scoring Matienzo. Kevin Mannix followed with a double of his own down the left field line scoring Dryer. Following a pitching change, the Hurricanes loaded the bases on back-to-back walks to Danny and Paco Figueroa. After another pitching change, Brad Safchik drew an RBI walk scoring Mannix from third. After a third pitching change, Javy Rodriguez knocked in a bases-clearing double for the 11-5 lead.
Hurricane reliever Luke DeBold (1-0) recorded the win going a season-high 2.1 innings giving up only one hit. NYIT reliever Kevin Perrucci (3-4) scored the loss going 2.2 innings, giving up six hits, four earned runs, one walk, while striking out one batter.
Miami opened the scoring, 1-0, in the first inning as Paco Figueroa scored from third, unearned, on Howard’s sacrifice fly RBI to left field. Paco Figueroa led off the inning with a single to left field and moved all the way to third on a fielding error by the pitcher on Safchik’s at bat.
New York Tech tied the score, 1-1, in the second on Bryan Goelz two-out RBI single to left center that brought in Vince Galea from second. With two outs, Galea singled to left center and took second on a single from Mike Kearney.
The Bears gained the lead, 2-1, in the top of the third on Wayne Seder’s sacrifice fly RBI to centerfield that scored Tom Merkle from third. Merkle was hit by a T.J. Prunty pitch, stole second and took third on Jelani Arnold’s single to left field.
Miami tied the score, 2-2, in the bottom of the third when Safchik scored from third on the shortstop’s fielding error off a Rodriguez grounder. Safchik led off with a single, stole second and moved to third when the catcher’s throw went into the outfield.
New York Tech regained the lead, 5-2, in the fourth scoring three runs on two hits and a error with Prunty on the mound. Anthony St. George led off the inning reaching on an error by the shortstop, stole second and scored on Kearney’s single to left center. Kearney scored the second run of the inning on a triple down the right field line by Goelz. Goelz scored the third run on a sacrifice fly by Mike Gaffney.
The Hurricanes cut the lead, 5-4, in the bottom of the fourth on a Paco Figueroa two-run single to left field scoring Burt and Dryer. Burt led off with a walk and advanced to second on Dryer’s single to center. Both runners moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt by Danny Figueroa.
The Hurricanes, who have made a NCAA-record 29 consecutive appearances in the postseason, await tomorrow’s NCAA Baseball Selection Show at 12:30 p.m. EST on ESPN2 to find out on its 2002 outcome.
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.
