Miami Baseball Hosts SEC Squad for Second Straight Weekend

Feb. 19, 2004

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CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The third-ranked Miami baseball team welcomes Tennessee to Mark Light Field this weekend for a three-game series beginning Friday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m.

Marlins pitcher Dontrelle Willis is schedule to throw out the first pitch on Friday. The Hurricanes will also host the second annual South Florida Mascot Olympics on Friday.

The series will continue Saturday at 7 p.m. with the finale scheduled for a 1 p.m. start on Sunday. Tennessee, which is coached by Rod Delmonico, enters the weekend with a 3-0 mark after sweeping Morehead State by a combined score of 54-1.

Miami won two of three games in its season-opening series with Florida. The Hurricanes clinched the series on Sunday with a 19-5 pounding of the Gators. UF took the opener behind Justin Hoyman, 3-0. Miami won on Saturday, 4-1, behind a strong outing from RHP Vince Bongiovanni.

Friday’s game against the Volunteers will be broadcast by Miami’s Spanish broadcasting partner WMNA (1210 AM) and the student voice of the Hurricanes, WVUM (90.5 FM). Saturday’s game will be carried by WVUM, while Sunday’s contest will be broadcast on WQAM (560 AM), WNMA and WVUM.

The Hurricanes will send J.D. Cockroft (0-1, 2.25 ERA) to the mound on Friday night to face UT’s ace Luke Hochevar. The left-handed Cockroft lasted four innings in the opener against the Gators, allowing one run on four hits. Hochevar pitched seven no-hit innings in the Vols opener, striking out 10.

Right-handed pitcher Vince Bongiovanni (1-0, 1.59 ERA) will go to the hill on Saturday for UM. He pitched 5.2 to earn the win versus Florida on Feb. 14, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning. Left-hander Derek Tharpe (1-0, 0.00 ERA) will get the start for Tennessee. He pitched five innings and allowed five hits in UT’s 14-0 on Saturday against Morehead State.

Lefty Brandon Camardese (0-0, 9.00 ERA) will get the call on Sunday for UM after a rough outing in the opener. The Vols will counter with right-hander Sean Watson (0-0, 0.00 ERA). Watson threw three innings in relief last Sunday, allowing two hits.

Miami leads the all-time series 11-5 after sweeping the Volunteers in three games in Knoxville last season. UM is 6-2 against Tennessee at Mark Light Field.

For more information on the Hurricanes’ baseball team, log onto www.hurricanesports.com. For ticket information you can go to the website or call the ticket office at 1-800-GO CANES.