Hurricanes Fall To Gators, 2-1, In 11 Innings
Feb. 19, 2005
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – The second-ranked Miami Hurricanes baseball team lost a 2-1 heartbreaker in the bottom of the 11th inning to 15th-ranked Florida on Saturday afternoon at McKethan Stadium. Miami’s eight-game winning streak to open the 2005 season was snapped in front of a season-high crowd of 4,531, while the Gators ended a five-game losing streak to the Hurricanes and improved to 4-2.
UF catcher Brian Jeroloman hit a two-out, bases loaded fly ball off UM reliever Brandon Camardese to shallow left field that was dropped by Hurricane leftfielder Jon Jay, allowing Adam Davis to score the game-winning run in the bottom of the 11th.
Florida had its chances to score numerous times during the game, leaving 13 men on base entering the 11th before the Gators capitalized on their final scoring opportunity. Davis drew a one-out walk, followed by Gavin Dickey’s single to put runners at first and second. Dickey was forced out at second on Jeff Corsaletti’s grounder to Miami shortstop Roger Tomas. Hurricane reliever Ricky Orta intentionally walked Matt LaPorta to load the bases before Camardese was brought in from the bullpen to face Jeroloman.
Miami rallied from a one-run deficit in the ninth for the second consecutive game against Florida. The Hurricanes trailed, 1-0, entering the top half of the ninth before consecutive one-out singles by Paco Figueroa and Ryan Braun, and an RBI single by Jay tied the game at 1-1.
It was not the first time Jay had kept the Hurricanes in the game. In Miami’s 9-7 win against Florida on Friday night, Jay had three game-tying hits, including the game-tying RBI in the ninth. Jay also scored the game-winning run in that game.
While Jay’s offense pushed the game into extra innings on Saturday, it was his defense in the fourth inning that kept Miami within a run of Florida for the rest of the game.
UM starter Dan Touchet pitched three innings of no-hit ball until the Gators led off the bottom of the fourth with a pair of singles by Corsaletti and LaPorta. Corsaletti was forced out at third on a bunt by Jeroloman to keep runners at first and second with one out. UF shortstop Justin Tordi broke open the scoring with a double to left field to score LaPorta. Jay quickly tracked down Tordi’s hit and fired the ball to Tomas at third base in time for a relay throw to catcher Eddy Rodriguez, who tagged out Jeroloman at home plate to limit the scoring to one run.
Florida starter Bryan Ball cruised through the first six innings of the game, allowing only four hits and striking out four. A leadoff double by Braun in the seventh ended Ball’s day at 75 pitches and he was spelled by sophomore Steven Porter. Porter struck out Jay and was replaced by Darren O’Day. O’Day’s pickoff attempt of Braun at second base rolled into the outfield and Braun advanced to third. It was as far as Braun would get, as O’Day was able to strike out Danny Valencia and retire pinch hitter Danny Robitaille.
Touchet allowed one run on six hits in seven innings of work in the no-decision. The game-winning run was charged to Orta, who picked up his first loss of the season. O’Day worked 4.1 innings and improved his season record to 2-1 with the win.
Miami and Florida conclude the series Sunday at 1 p.m. at McKethan Stadium.
