Miami Baseball Opens Season With Alumni Game
Feb. 5, 2004
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The University of Miami baseball team will open its 2004 baseball season Saturday at 7 p.m. at Mark Light Field with the annual Alumni Game. Admission is free with current and former players on hand to sign autographs.
An estimated 50 former Hurricanes are scheduled to return to Mark Light Field on Saturday night, including former Florida Marlin Alex Fernandez (1989) and current Marlins’ pitcher Mike Neu (1999).
The student voice of the Hurricanes, WVUM 90.5 FM, will broadcast the game live as the public gets its first look at the 2004 Hurricanes.
Miami enters the season as the nation’s top ranked team according to Collegiate Baseball, an honor shared with defending national champion Rice. The Hurricanes are ranked No. 2 by the ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Poll and third by Baseball America.
UM returns 10 position players that started at least 29 games for the Hurricanes last season. Leading the way is last year’s Baseball America Freshman of the Year, Ryan Braun, who posted a .364 batting average, 17 home runs and 76 RBI in 2003. Eight of UM’s 10 returning starters batted at least .317 last season, while the team posted at .315 overall batting average.
On the mound, Miami returns its top four starting pitchers, including J.D. Cockroft, Vince Bongiovanni and Brandon Camardese, while 2002 ace Dan Touchet returns after missing last season with ‘Tommy John’ Surgery. The Hurricanes also return a complete bullpen from a season ago. Closer George Huguet returns for his fourth and final season with a stable of arms in the setup role in front of him.
Miami will open the regular season with the Florida Gators on Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. at Mark Light Field. Former Hurricane great Pat Burrell will also have his No. 11 jersey retired that night.
Call 1-800-GO-CANES for season and individual game ticket information or check out UM’s official athletic website www.hurricanesports.com for updated information on the baseball team.
