Hurricanes' Offense Explodes in a 14-3 Win at Top-Ranked Florida State
April 26, 2003
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Miami’s offense finally found its swing against top-ranked Florida State, exploding for 14 runs on 15 hits for a 14-3 win in front of 6,056 fans at Dick Howser Stadium on Saturday night.
“We were swinging the bat really well before we ran into Florida State,” Head Coach Jim Morris said. “They have a great pitching staff, but we got things going tonight. Ryan Braun got us going with the home run in the first inning and Jim Burt swung the bat well all night.”
The second-largest crowd in FSU history saw the 14th-ranked Hurricanes improved to 29-10-1 with the win, while No. 1 Florida State falls to 37-7-1.
The Hurricanes’ 14 runs are the most against the Seminoles since a 14-13 Miami win on April 25th, 1993.
UM starter Brandon Camardese improved to 6-0 on the season, pitching 5.2 innings, while allowing three runs on seven hits, walking five and striking out three. FSU got five innings from starter Matt Lynch, who gave up nine hits and nine runs (four earned), while walking three and striking out two. Burt led the Hurricanes with three hits, including his eighth home run of the season and four RBIs.
Ryan Braun crushed the first pitch he saw from Lynch deep to left field for his team-high 10th home run and 45th RBI of the season. The home run was his first since March 30th against Georgia Tech, a span of 47 at bats.
Stephen Drew lined a single off Camardese’s glove to open the bottom half of the first for FSU. Tony McQuade continued to hurt the Hurricanes, drilling a double off the right-center field wall that moved Drew to third base. Drew tied the score at 1-1, scoring on a sacrifice fly ball of the bat of Tony Richie.
With one out in the third inning Danny Figueroa continued his hot hitting with a double down the left-field line. He then stole third base, his team-high 22nd of the season, before Adam Ricks drove him in with a lined single off the glove of Drew at shortstop. The RBI was Ricks’ 37th of the season.
Braun drew a walk and Jim Burt singled off the glove of second baseman Bryan Zech to load the bases. Erick San Pedro grounded to third base where FSU got the force out at second base, but Jerrod Brown dropped the throw at first. The error allowed Ricks and Braun to score and give UM a 4-1 lead.
FSU got a run back on the first pitch of the bottom of the third inning when Richie deposited a Camardese fastball over the left-field fence
Gaby Sanchez doubled to lead off the fourth inning, his team-high 16th double of the season. He moved to third on a ground ball to shortstop from Greg Dini. Sanchez scored on a double from Tom Shannon that FSU centerfielder Matt Sauls lost in the lights, giving UM a 5-2 lead.
After a walk to Ricks, the Hurricanes scored their sixth run of the night on a error by Drew at shortstop that allowed Shannon to stroll home. The error would really haunt the Seminoles after Burt blasted his ninth home run of the season, a three-run shot to left field that increased the Hurricanes lead to 9-2.
Miami plated four more runs in the sixth inning, highlighted by an RBI double from Braun and Barton’s fifth home run of the season, a three-run shot to left-center field. The home run was Barton’s first since March 19th against Stony Brook, a span of 70 at bats.
The Seminoles added their third run of the night on a RBI single from McQuade in the sixth inning, chasing Camardese from the game.
FSU and Miami will wrap up their six-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Dick Howser Stadium. Miami will send left-hander Alex Perez to the hill to face FSU’s left-hander Daniel Davidson.
