Drew's Two Home Runs Doom Hurricanes, 6-5
April 9, 2004
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Stephan Drew’s seventh inning three-run home run propelled 13th-ranked Florida State to a 6-5 win over the fifth-ranked Miami in front of 6,013 fans at Dick Howser Stadium
“You saw two pretty good shortstops here tonight (in Ryan Braun and Stephen Drew),” Miami head coach Jim Morris said. “When you get a lead late you have to keep it, and we weren’t able to do that. They did a good job of coming back on us.”
Both Braun and Drew hit two home runs each for their respective club.
The Hurricanes fall to 24-7 on the season while Florida State improves to 30-9.
Brian Schultz earned the win out of the FSU bullpen with one-third of an inning. He improves to 4-0 on the season.
FSU’s Drew hit his second home run of the night, a three-run shot to right field, to give the Seminoles a 6-5 lead in the seventh inning. Danny Gil replaced J.D. Cockroft and retired the next two Florida State hitters to get Miami out of the inning.
Cockroft fell to 1-3 on the season with the loss. He pitched 3.1 innings and allowed four runs on four hits while walking one and striking out two.
Braun tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the sixth inning with his second home run of the night. The shot to left field marked Bruan’s first two home run game of the season and his seventh home run of the season. His last two home run game came in the Super Regional against North Carolina State on June 7.
The Hurricanes retook the lead in the seventh inning with a solo home run to right-field by Brian Barton. The home run was Barton’s second of the season and gave UM a 4-3 lead.
The home run, UM’s third of the night, closed the book on FSU starter Eddie Cannon who pitched six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits. After a double by Erick San Pedro moved Adam Ricks to third base, Joey Hooft singled home the Hurricanes’ fifth run of the game.
Braun blasted his sixth home run of the season with a 3-2 count and two outs in the top half of the first inning.
Drew and Florida State countered with the long ball in the third inning, taking a 2-1 lead. The home run was Drew’s fifth of the season, clearing the right-field fence.
FSU chased UM starter Dan Touchet in the fourth inning after two walks and a double, leaving the bases loaded. Cockroft came on to pitch and started by striking out pinch-hitter Brant Peacher. He then induced a fly ball to left field by Matt Sauls and Jon Jay threw a strike to catcher Erick San Pedro to nail Aaron Cheesman at home for the third out of the inning.
The Seminoles increased their lead to 3-1 with a solo home run off the bat of Bryan Zech to leadoff the bottom half of the fifth inning.
Florida State and Miami continue their three-game series on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Dick Howser Stadium in Tallahassee.
