Valencia And Katin Lead Miami's Offensive Onslaught In 20-5 Win At Virginia Tech
April 9, 2005
SALEM, Va. – Danny Valencia and Brendan Katin combined for 14 RBIs to help the Hurricanes (26-9, 10-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) end a three-game losing streak on Saturdays in a 20-5 win against Virginia Tech (11-13, 2-11 ACC) at Salem Memorial Stadium Saturday afternoon.
Valencia had a career day, driving in eight runs on 5-of-6 hitting with two triples and a double. Katin was 3-of-6 with six RBIs and hit his sixth and seventh home runs of the season. The Hurricanes totaled 17 hits and scored the game’s final 11 runs in the seventh and eighth innings.
Brandon Camardese improved to 4-0 this season and gave up five earned runs on seven hits in five-plus innings. Hokie starter Ryan Kennedy (2-4) pitched 3.0 innings and gave up six runs on five hits, with three walks, two strikeouts and two hit batsmen in the loss.
Six of Miami’s nine losses this year have come on Saturday, including its last three Saturday games against Oral Roberts, Georgia Tech and Wake Forest.
Miami built on a 9-5 lead with a four-run seventh. Paco Figueroa singled to drive home Danny Figueroa for a 10-5 lead. The Hurricanes loaded the bases with two outs for Valencia, who hit a three-run double to the gap in left-center.
The offensive deluge ensued in the eighth with six runs by the Hurricanes. A sacrifice fly from Alex Garabedian scored Walter Diaz from third and left the bases empty with two outs. Danny Figueroa walked, Paco Figueroa singled and Ryan Braun walked to load the bases. Pinch-hitter Danny Robitaille walked to score Danny Figueroa for a 10-run lead. Valencia hit a two-run double and Katin followed with his second home run of the game, a 400-foot-plus shot off the light pole in left-center for the final 20-5 score.
Katin’s blast capped a day in which seven Hurricanes scored at least two runs. The top portion of Miami’s lineup, the Figueroas, Braun and Jon Jay, each scored three runs.
UM opened the scoring with a three-run first inning. Danny Figueroa was hit with the second pitch of the game and Paco Figueroa walked. Braun singled to bring in Danny Figueroa and Valencia followed a sacrifice bunt by Jay with a two-run single up the middle to provide a 3-0 lead.
The Hurricanes put another three-spot on the board in the third. Valencia tripled off the center field wall to score Jay from second. Brendan Katin put the next pitch from Kennedy over the 25-foot wall in left-center for his sixth home run of the season and a six-run lead.
Kennedy was replaced by Bobby West after walking Danny Figueroa to lead off the Miami fourth.
Valencia led off the fifth with his second triple of the game and was driven home on a single by Diaz to put UM up 7-0. Diaz scored two batters later on Danny Figueroa’s single to left-center.
Camardese did not allow a runner on base until Bryan Thomas laced a double to left with one out in the fifth inning. He scored two batters later on a single from Warren Schaeffer.
Katin padded the UM lead in the sixth with a RBI double that scored Jay.
The Hokies made up some ground with a four-run sixth. VT started the inning with five consecutive hits. Chris Stanton hit a leadoff double and moved to third on Matt Hacker’s infield single. RBI singles by Jose Cueto and Billy Marn brought Tech within 9-3 and spelled the end for Camardese. Danny Gil relieved Camardese and gave up another RBI single to Thomas. Jose Rojas doubled with two outs to score Marn and bring the Hokies within 9-5.
Danny Gil, Andrew Lane and Chris Perez provided four innings of scoreless relief for Miami.
The Hurricanes and Hokies conclude their series Sunday with a noon first pitch at Salem Memorial Field.
Notes: Danny Figueroa moved into second place on the all-time hit-by-pitch list at Miami when he was plunked in the first inning for the 28th time in his career, passing Wicho Hernandez (1991-94) and Jim Burt (2001-04)… Braun moved into sole possession of ninth place on the UM all-time RBI list with the 166th of his career in the first inning to pass Doug Shields (1981-84)… Valencia’s two RBIs in the first inning gave him 38 for the season to set a career high… Valencia is the first Hurricane to hit two triples in a game since Richard Gianotti had two against Florida on June 1, 2003… Valencia’s eight RBIs were the most since Kevin Howard had eight against Georgia Tech on May 11, 2002… Valencia’s five hits were the most by a Hurricane since Brian Barton’s five against Illinois-Chicago on March 19, 2004.
