Hurricanes Down Rutgers, 15-5
March 14, 2003
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (hurricanesports.com) – Miami rode an eight-run fifth inning to a 15-5 win over Rutgers Friday night at Mark Light Field in front of 2,469 fans.
Miami improved to 15-3 on the season and won its eighth straight game, while Rutgers fell to 1-8 on the year. Brian Barton led the way with three hits, while Paco Figueroa, Gaby Sanchez and Erick San Pedro had two hits apiece.
Miami sent 13 batters to the plate and put an eight spot on the scoreboard in the fifth inning on two hits and five Rutgers’ walks. Gaby Sanchez’s two-RBI double and Adam Ricks two-RBI single highlighted the inning. The Scarlet Knights used three pitchers in the inning and also hit two Hurricanes’ batters.
When the smoke cleared, Miami had taken an 11-2 lead. The fifth inning tied UM’s season-high for runs in an inning with eight (vs. The Citadel, March 2).
Brad Newman came in to relieve UM starter J.D. Cockroft in the seventh inning. Cockroft went six innings, allowing two runs on five hits, while striking out a career-high six batters.
The Scarlet Knights got three runs back in the top of the seventh inning with a solo home run off the bat of Johnny Defendis, an RBI single from Mike Bionde and an RBI double from Cory Rodriguez.
Paco Figueroa cracked a two-run home run, his second of the season, to put UM up 13-5 in the seventh inning. The Hurricanes tacked on their 14th run of the night, as Danny Figueroa scored from second on a wild pitch and an error on the catcher.
Alex Blanco made his second career appearance on the mound, taking over for Newman in the eighth inning. He went one inning, giving up only a hit while striking out two batters and walking one in his second appearance.
Mark Barket blasted his first home run of the season in the bottom of the eighth inning, extending the UM lead to 15-5.
Rutgers took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning on a RBI single by Steve Normane.
With two outs in the bottom of the second inning, San Pedro continued his hot streak with a two RBI double in the left-center field gap. The double, his third of the season, scored Brian Barton who singled with two outs and Tom Shannon who followed with a walk.
The Scarlet Knights came right back and tied the score at 2-2 in the third inning, as a leadoff single by Graig Badger came around to score on a ground out by Jeff Fraizer.
UM jumped back on top, 3-2, in the fourth inning on a flare single to right field, scoring Barton who had lined a single into left-center field with two outs.
Miami and Rutgers will return to the diamond on Saturday, March 15, for game two of the series at Mark Light Field. The first pitched is set for 7 p.m.
