Hurricanes Play Host To Pittsburgh And Quinnipiac
March 7, 2005
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – The sixth-ranked Miami Hurricanes baseball team (13-4, 2-1 ACC) will face Pittsburgh (5-2, 0-0 BIG EAST) at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 8 and meet up with Quinnipiac (0-0, 0-0 Northeast) at the same time on Wednesday, March 9. Both games will take place at Mark Light Field where the Hurricanes own a 12-2 record this season.
Tuesday’s game will be the fifth time the Hurricanes and Panthers have met, and the first time since a 6-2 win by UM in Coral Gables on March 7, 2001. UM has won all four previous meetings in its series with Pittsburgh, including three wins in the 1969 season.
Wednesday’s game will be the first-ever contest between Quinnipiac and the `Canes.
The Hurricanes are fresh off their first series win as a member of the ACC. Miami defeated North Carolina St. in the first game of a three-game series at Mark Light Field last Friday, 6-1. UM lost the second game of the series on Saturday, 11-5, but rebounded to take the series finale, 13-7, on Sunday.
Sophomore right-hander Ricky Orta (2-1, 3.55 ERA) will take the mound against Pittsbugh on Tuesday. Orta won in his starting debut for the Hurricanes last week against Northeastern. Orta gave up a home run on the first pitch of the game against the Huskies but rebounded quickly and did not give up a hit in 5.1 innings of work to lead UM to a 6-1 win. UP sophomore Bill Muldowney (0-0, 1.50 ERA) will get the nod against the `Canes on Tuesday night.
Freshman Raudel Alfonso (0-0, 6.35 ERA) will make his first career start against the Bobcats on Wednesday night. Alfonso has pitched 5.2 innings out of the bullpen this season and has given up six hits and four earned runs with three strikeouts and one walk. He will face Quinnipiac’s giant ace, 6-8 Pat Egan, in the Bobcats’ opener. Egan, a junior right-hander, finished the 2004 season with a 7-2 record and a 2.54 ERA
Pittsburgh will be playing its fourth game in as many days and is riding a four-game winning streak. The Panthers defeated LaSalle, 9-5, on Monday, March 7 in Boca Raton, Fla.
Quinnipiac is coming off a 23-21 record in 2004 and second-place finish in the Northeast Conference. Sophomore pitcher Pat Egan is the team’s top returner and will take the mound Wednesday night against Alfonso.
