Miami-Florida Rivalry Continues At The Light Friday
Feb. 16, 2006
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One of the most storied rivalries in the Sunshine State continues this Friday at 2 p.m. between perennial college baseball powers, No. 16 Miami and No. 2 Florida at Mark Light Field. The `Canes and Gators are slated for a 1 p.m. start Saturday and a noon game on Sunday.
The two teams have met 205 times, with Miami owning a 117-87-1 advantage over its upstate opponent. Each of the last five meetings between the two schools has been decided by three runs or less, dating back to the 2004 Coral Gables Super Regional. Florida took last year’s series in Gainesville, rebounding from a 9-7 loss in the series opener to post a 2-1 win in extra innings before holding off a late Miami rally for a 14-11 win in the series finale.
All three games will be broadcast locally by the Student Voice of UM, WVUM 90.5 FM. UM’s flagship station, WQAM 560 AM will air Saturday’s games, with Joe Zagacki and Brian London handling the play-by-play and color. Spanish Radio will broadcast the game Friday and Saturday on WHRC 1550 AM . Dave LaMont and Nick Belmonte will also call the action live on Sun Sports on Saturday and Sunday.
Miami (6-3) is coming off a 13-4 win against Louisville on Wednesday. The Hurricanes pounded out 12 hits against the Cardinals and were led by Jon Jay’s 2-for-2 performance that included a home run, double and four runs scored. Junior cleanup hitter Danny Valencia leads the team with a .400 average and 12 runs scored, and a 10-game hitting streak, dating back to last season. Senior newcomer Tommy Giles leads the Hurricanes with three home runs and seven walks to go with nine RBI.
A trio of freshman have made an immediate impact on the Miami lineup. After going hitless in his first two collegiate games, first baseman Yonder Alonso has hit safely in each of the last seven to accrue a .394 average and a team-best 15 RBI, hitting in the No. 5 spot. Leadoff man Blake Tekotte is hitting .313 and is a threat to move on the base paths with a team-best six steals. Second baseman Jemile Weeks has lived up to expectations hitting second in the lineup with a .370 average.
Perhaps the most pleasant surprise for UM has been the play of sophomore Friday starter Carlos Gutierrez (3-0, 1.15 ERA), who didn’t even pitch the second half of his freshman season. He will duel with Florida ace Bryan Ball (1-0, 0.00 ERA) on Friday. UM sophomore lefty Manny Miguelez (1-0, 3.00 ERA) has pitched well in his last two outings, despite earning two no-decisions. Miguelez will face Bryan Augenstein (1-0, 2.25 ERA) on Saturday.
Scott Maine will be making his much-anticipated season debut on the mound following rehabilitation from a car accident just prior to the fall semester. Maine will face freshman J.K LaCoste (1-0, 0.00 ERA), who struck out nine in eight innings against Cincinnati in his collegiate debut last week.
Florida (3-1) is ranked second in the ESPN/Sports Weekly Coaches’ Poll and the Baseball America Poll, and is the NCBWA’s and Collegiate Baseball’s top-ranked team. The Gators outscored Cincinnati 40-8 in a three-game sweep of the Bearcats last week before suffering a 3-2 setback to Mercer Wednesday.
