Cockroft Silences Coastal Carolina Bats in 6-1 Win
April 30, 2004
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The fourth-ranked Miami Hurricanes rode J.D. Cockroft’s seven scoreless innings on the mound to a 6-1 win over Coastal Carolina in front of 1,344 fans at Mark Light Field.
The Hurricanes improve to 31-9 on the season with the win, while Coastal Carolina falls to 26-16.
J.D. Cockroft held the Chanticleers scoreless over seven innings to improve to 5-3 on the year, and extend his scoreless innings streak to a career-best 21.2 innings. The left-handed senior has lowered his ERA from 4.26 at the start of his streak to 2.67.
Brian Barton and Richard Giannotti lead Miami with two hits each, while Giannotti added three RBI.
Jim Burt lined a RBI single up the middle to score Jon Jay in the first inning and stake Miami to a 1-0 lead. It was Burt’s team-leading 53rd RBI of the season.
Barton added to the Hurricanes’ lead with a solo home run to lead off the fourth inning. It was Barton’s third home run of the season and gave UM a 2-0 lead.
Giannotti plated Burt, who had drawn a walk, with a RBI ground out to third base to give UM a 3-0 lead in the sixth inning.
Cockroft pitched his way out of a jam in the seventh inning to preserve his scoreless innings streak. He allowed a leadoff double to Brett Gordon and a single to Jon Foisy that put runners on first and third base.
Cockroft worked out of a jam with back-to-back strikeouts of Chris Raber and Chad Oxdendine and a ground out to second base.
After a 35-minute rain delay in the eighth inning, Alex Blanco came on and surrendered a RBI single Gordan to close the Miami lead to 3-1. Chiqui Chirino was pitching when the rain came with runners on first and second base and one out.
Miami struck back in the bottom half of the eighth inning as leadoff walks to Burt and Barton came around to score on Giannotti’s two-RBI triple to right-center field. Giannotti would score on a wild pitch to give the Hurricanes a 6-1 cushion.
The Hurricanes return to action against Saturday at 7 p.m. against Coastal Carolina at Mark Light Field.
