Hurricanes Lose In Super Regional Opener To Nebraska, 3-1
June 10, 2005
LINCOLN, Neb. – Miami jumped to an early lead but could not figure out Nebraska starter Joba Chamberlain in a 3-1 loss to open the 2005 Lincoln Super Regional in front of a sold-out crowd of 8,308 Friday afternoon at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park.
UM starter Cesar Carrillo (13-3) pitched his third complete game of the season in the loss, throwing 8.0 innings and giving up two earned runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and a walk. Chamberlain was a riddle the Hurricanes couldn’t solve and sent 13 UM batters down via strikeout without a walk. He improved to 9-2 with eight-plus innings of work and gave up seven hits and one earned run. Brett Jensen retired three batters in the ninth for Nebraska to record his 14th save of the season.
“Cesar Carillo pitched well, but Joba Chamberlain was totally in control,” Miami head coach Jim Morris said. “Espeically with his outstanding slider. But we have to come back tomorrow and give a great effort.”
The Hurricanes (41-18-1) out-hit Nebraska (55-13), 7-6, but were unable string those hits together in a timely fashion and were thrown out on attempted steals twice.
Paco Figueroa led Miami at the plate, going 3-of-4 with a solo home run and two singles. NU catcher Jeff Christy burned Miami on both sides of the plate, throwing two UM runners out at second on steal attempts, while going 2-for-2 with a run scored. Joe Simokaitis went 2-for-3 for Nebraska with an RBI and run scored.
Carrillo and Chamberlain went pitch-for-pitch until the fourth inning. Miami second baseman Paco Figueroa put a 0-1 pitch from Chamberlain over the fence in left-center to lead off the inning and give the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead.
Nebraska made up the difference in its half of the fourth, scoring on an error. Carrillo gave up a single to Joe Simokaitis and walked Alex Gordon to begin the inning before striking out Curtis Ledbetter. Andy Gerch’s grounder went off first baseman Danny Valencia’s glove and into foul territory in right field to score Simokaitis. Gerch was thrown out by right fielder Brendan Katin trying to get back to first base on the play and the game was tied at 1-1.
The Cornhuskers took the lead with a leadoff solo home run from Daniel Bruce in the bottom of the fifth inning.
NU added onto the lead in the eighth inning. Jeff Christy led off with a double to left field and moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Jesse Boyer. Simokaitis singled to right on the next pitch to drive in Christy and give the Huskers a 3-1 lead.
Miami faces elimination when it meets Nebraska meet at noon (EST) Saturday at Hawks Field.
“We just have to pick it up tomorrow,” Figueroa said. “We have to come out strong as hitters tomorrow.”
The Hurricanes have now lost all three Super Regional openers on the road (at South Carolina in 2003 and at Florida State in 2000) but bounced back to take the second game in the first two instances.
UM senior Brandon Camardese (6-0, 5.17 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound against NU freshman Johnny Dorn (11-1, 2.02 ERA).
The game will be carried regionally on ESPN and will be broadcasted locally in Miami on WQAM (560am), WVUM (90.5fm), WSUA–Spanish (1260am) on Saturday.
Notes: The game start was delayed 2:21 due to rain… Carrillo struck out the side in the second inning and 10 of his 11 pitches were strikes (two foul tips)… Chamberlain’s 13 strikeouts were the most an individual had against Miami this season… It was the sixth-largest crowd at Hawks Field… The Hurricanes are now 2-5 all-time in Super Regional play… Head coach Jim Morris dropped to 10-5 all-time… Miami moved to 33-5-1 when out-hitting its opponents this season… It was the first complete-game loss thrown by a Hurricane since April 25, 2003 vs. FSU (L, 0-1).
