Third-Seeded Hurricanes Face Second-Seeded Clemson In ACC Tournament
May 25, 2005
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Miami faces elimination and a familiar opponent when it plays Clemson in the second round of the ACC Tournament Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
Brian London and Joe Zagacki will call the action live on WKAT 1360 AM. The Student Voice of Miami, WVUM 90.5 FM, will also broadcast the game with commentary and play-by-play from Adam Aizer and Mike Garcia. The game can be seen on the Internet at http://www.hokietv.com/acc.
The third-seeded Hurricanes (38-16-1), ranked eighth in the latest ESPN/Sports Weekly Poll, need to win against second-seeded Clemson to remain in contention for the ACC Tournament Championship. Miami lost to sixth-seeded North Carolina State, 2-1, in its first round game. Clemson was defeated 8-1 by Virginia in its first-round matchup.
In addition to advancing in the ACC Tournament, the Hurricanes are looking to end a five-game losing streak, the longest since Miami lost five in a row to end the 1993 season. Three of those losses came at the hands of Clemson. Miami was outscored, 30-9, in its three-game series at Clemson, May 19-21.
Senior Dan Touchet (3-4, 5.34 ERA) will take the mound for the Hurricanes against Josh Cribb (6-4, 3.80 ERA).
The loser of Thursday’s contest will be eliminated from the tournament.
Braun Named Golden Spikes Finalist
DURHAM, N.C. – Miami junior third baseman Ryan Braun was named a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, awarded to college baseball’s top player, by USA Baseball, in partnership with Major League Baseball Wednesday afternoon.
Braun is hitting .404 this season and leads the Hurricanes with 68 runs, 16 home runs, 71 RBIs, 145 total bases, a .732 slugging percentage and 22 stolen bases. He is the 11th UM student-athlete to be a finalist for the award. Pat Burrell (1998) is the only Hurricane to win the award.
Four other student-athletes join Braun as a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, one of the most highly-regarded awards in amateur sport. They include USC junior catcher Jeff Clement, Arizona junior outfielder Trevor Crowe, Nebraska junior Alex Gordon and Tennessee junior pitcher Luke Hochevar.
The 2005 Golden Spikes Award winner will be announced during the broadcast of the 28th Annual Golden Spikes Award show at a date and time still to be determined. The broadcast, presented in conjunction with the Major League Baseball Players Association, will also highlight USA Baseball’s athlete programs as well as some of the various organizational youth baseball initiatives supported by USA Baseball and the MLBPA.
