Hurricanes Fall to Rutgers in 12 innings, 8-7
March 16, 2003
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (hurricanesports.com) – The University of Miami baseball team fell to Rutgers, 8-7, in 12 innings Sunday afternoon at Mark Light Field in front of 1,395 fans.
“We didn’t play well enough as a team,” Head Coach Jim Morris said. “We made some mistakes during the game that could have won the game for us. But they (Rutgers) got it done when it counted.”
The loss dropped the Hurricanes to 15-4 on the season and broke an eight-game winning steak in the process. The win improved Rutgers to 2-8 on the season.
Vince Bongiovanni went 6.0 innings, giving up two runs and four hits in his second straight no decision. The Scarlets Knights’ starter Shaun Parker pitched six innings, allowing two runs on one hit. George Huguet took the loss for UM, after pitching a career-high four innings.
With two outs in the 12th-inning, an error on UM third baseman Ryan Braun gave Rutgers a second chance, and Steve Normane capitalized with a home run over the left-field wall. The home run put the Scarlet Knights on top 8-6. Miami got one run back in the bottom half of the inning with a Ryan Braun home run to center field. The blast was his team-high sixth of the season.
Miami tied the game up with two runs on three hits in the ninth inning, highlighted by a RBI single by Braun.
Rutgers batted around in the seventh inning and scored six runs on five hits and two walks to take a 6-2 lead. Miami used four pitchers in the inning, as the Hurricanes gave the most runs (6) in an inning all season.
The Hurricanes got on the scoreboard first in the fifth inning with a sacrifice fly ball of the bat of left-fielder Tom Shannon. Designated hitter Gaby Sanchez led off the inning with UM’s first hit of the afternoon, a single between third base and shortstop. Shannon’s RBI was his 10th of the season.
The Canes added their second run of the day with another sacrifice fly in the sixth inning from Jim Burt. Danny Figueroa scored his 26th run of the season on Burt fly ball to center field.
Figueroa had led off the inning by getting hit with a pitch. Adam Ricks then drew and walk and Ryan Braun laid down a sacrificed bunt that moved the runners over.
UM got two runs back in the bottom of the eighth inning on two hits. With one out, Danny Figueroa singled to left field and Ricks followed with a base on balls. Ryan Braun then doubled past the third baseman, collecting his first hit (0-for-8) since a game-winning home run on Tuesday, March 11, to beat South Florida, scoring Figueroa. Jim Burt then singled to score Ricks and pull Miami to within two runs at 6-4.
The Hurricanes will return to action at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 18, at Mark Light Field against St. Peter’s (N.J.). For more information on UM athletics, visit Miami’s official athletic web site at hurricanesports.com.
