Vols Surge Past Hurricanes, 14-11
Feb. 21, 2004
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Junior Erick San Pedro turned in a two home run – four RBI – night, but it was not enough as the Miami (3-2) baseball team dropped a 14-11 loss to visiting Tennessee (4-1) Saturday night at Mark Light Field.
Alex Blanco took the loss falling to 0-1 on the season, while Tennessee’s Craig Cobb earned his first career win to improve to 1-0.
UM’s Paco Figueroa led off the game with a triple deep into the right-center field gap and came around to score on a sacrifice fly to right field. Jim Burt reached on a throwing error by the Vols third baseman Michael Rivera and then stole second base. Gaby Sanchez followed with an RBI single up the middle to stake UM to an early 2-0 lead.
Tennessee tied the score in the second inning with a leadoff home run off the bat first baseman Chris Kemp. After UM starter Vince Bongiovanni (1-0) issued three walks, the Hurricanes had Michael Rivera picked off at third base but UM third baseman Gaby Sanchez was call for interference. The interference call awarded Rivera home plate to tie the score at 2-2.
The Hurricanes would open up the game in the second inning with the help home runs by Erick San Pedro and Ryan Braun. It was San Pedro’s second home run of the season and scored Adam Ricks who had singled to lead off the inning.
Braun would also connect in the second with a two-run home run deep into left field. The shot was his first of the season after hitting 17 in his freshman campaign last season. Miami then added one run in the third inning as Richard Giannotti scored on a wild pitch by UT hurler Patrick Hicklen.
Tennessee would close the gap in the top half of the fourth inning on an RBI single by Brian Cleveland. Cleveland would then come around to score on a wild pitch from Bongiovanni.
Danny Gil came on to pitch for Bongiovanni in the fifth inning. He would give up one unearned run on an error by third baseman Gaby Sanchez, as the Vols closed the Hurricane lead to 7-5.
San Pedro connected for his second home run of the night – third of the season – with a three-run shot to center field in the fifth inning to give the Hurricanes a 10-5 lead.
UT would answer with a six-run sixth inning on four hits – two doubles – to take a 11-10 lead. The UM pitching staff issued two walks and hit one batter in the inning.
Miami would tie the score at 11-11 in the bottom half of the inning with a RBI single from Sanchez.
Tennessee would take the lead in the eighth inning when Rivera doubled to left-center off of UM’s Alex Blanco, bringing in Cleveland. The Vols’ Josh Ashley then doubled down the first base line, scoring Alex Suarez and Rivera.
The Hurricanes’ Andrew Lane would come in to replace Blanco to close out the inning with UT up 14-11.
The Hurricanes and Volunteers will play the rubber match Sunday, Feb. 22, at 1 p.m. at Mark Light field.
