Early Mistakes Prove Costly For Hurricanes In 11-10 Loss To Florida
Feb. 19, 2006
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – The 16th-ranked Miami baseball team more than doubled No. 2 Florida’s hit total for the second time in the three-game series between the two teams, and for the second time the result was a one-run loss. Miami out-hit Florida, 15-6, but could not overcome its early mistakes on the mound and in the field in an 11-10 loss to the Gators Sunday afternoon in front of 2,800 at Mark Light Field.
The loss evened Miami’s record at 6-6 and capped a series sweep by the 6-1 Gators.
Ricky Orta (1-1) was charged with the loss despite setting a career-high with seven strikeouts and giving up just one hit in four innings of relief. Josh Edmondson (1-0) picked up his first win of the season with two and two-thirds innings of relief and Darren O’Day recorded his third save of the series.
Freshman Yonder Alonso and Eddy Rodriguez led Miami’s offensive charge, both going 3-for-5. Alonso scored two runs and knocked in two more while Rodriguez had one RBI. Jon Jay and Gus Menendez both added two RBI to pace the Hurricanes.
Florida’s Bryson Barber went 2-for-3 with three RBI off the bench, including the game-winning hit in the eighth inning to lead the Gators.
Sunday’s game was the different version of a familiar storyline for Miami. The Hurricanes had out-hit the Gators 9-4 in the 2-1 series-opening loss but made costly mistakes on the base paths and didn’t help themselves with any offensive punch. The deciding factors were inversed on Sunday.
Miami’s pitching staff overshadowed its 14 strikeouts with eight walks and five hit batsmen, directly accounting for eight of Florida’s runs. The Hurricanes’ offense battled back from a 6-0 deficit to take a 7-6 lead in the fifth before UM gave up four more runs in the sixth and the deciding run in the eighth inning. UM’s offense hung 10 runs on the board to complement its 15 hits, but didn’t do itself any favors by grounding into five double plays.
Florida scored six runs in the second innning with the aid of just one hit, thanks to a deluge of Miami mistakes that included an error on a force play, four hit batsmen and three walks. UM’s Scott Maine, who made his first career start Sunday, got into trouble by hitting Jeroloman and Dickey to start the inning and gave up a one-out single and an RBI walk to Brandon McArthur for a 1-0 Florida lead. Rodriguez dropped Maine’s throw to home on Chris Woods’ come-backer, allowing Dickey to score from third with the bases loaded. Maine hit Adam Davis and walked Brian Leclerc to score two more runs for a 4-0 UF advantage before he gave way to Ricky Orta. Florida scored two more runs on a sac fly and when Dickey was hit for the second time in the inning, with the bases loaded.
The Hurricanes chipped away at the UF lead with a run off an error in the second and a three-run third. Miami took its first and only lead of the game in the fifth. Trailing 6-4, Alonso walked and Raben singled with two outs to put runners at first and second. Menendez and Rodriguez hit back-to-back doubles for a 7-6 lead.
The Gators used its first hits since the second inning to retake the lead with a four-run sixth. Florida led 10-7 in the eighth when Dickey was hit for the third time of the day by Danny Gil, pushing Jeroloman to second base with one out. Barber singled to score Jeroloman to take an 11-7 lead.
UM answered in the bottom of the inning. Menendez scored from third on Blake Tekotte’s fielder’s choice and an infield single from Jemile Weeks set up a two-run, two-out single from Jon Jay to bring the `Canes within 11-10.
It was as close as Miami would get. Dennis Raben’s second double of the day was as close as the Hurricanes would get to home, as O’Day struck out Menendez and forced Rodriguez to pop up to end the game.
Miami returns to action next Friday, with the opener of a three-game series against Bethune-Cookman.
Notes: Alonso increased his team-leading RBI total to 18 and leads the team with a 10-game hitting streak and a .391 average… The Hurricane pitching staff held Florida to a .172 average at the plate… Miami’s 14 strikeouts Sunday were the most by the team since the 2003 season when it struck out 15 North Carolina Tar Heels.
