Friday Night At The Light: Hurricanes Host Bethune-Cookman In First Home Night Games Of The Year

Feb. 23, 2006

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The University of Miami Hurricanes will host the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats in a three-game series beginning Friday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. in the first night game at Mark Light Field this season. The teams will play again on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. and will close out the series on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 4 p.m.

All three games will be broadcast locally by the Student Voice of UM, WVUM (90.5 FM), and by the Hurricanes’ flagship station, WQAM (560 AM).

Miami has dominated the all-time series, leading 12-1, including a 15-9 NCAA Regional victory during the 1999 championship season. All 13 games have been played in Coral Gables, including the last meeting between the two teams in the 2003 Coral Gables Regional, a game which Miami won 10-5.

Bethune-Cookman comes in with a 3-8 record on the season. The Wildcats were swept by Mercer last weekend and lost 7-1 Tuesday night to Stetson. Their three wins this season have come against High Point, Jacksonville and Stetson.

Miami (6-6) was swept last weekend by the top-ranked University of Florida Gators. Staff ace Carlos Gutierrez gave up only four hits in the series opener but was charged with the first loss of his career in a 2-1 Florida victory. Manny Miguelez pitched eight innings, striking out a career high seven in a 4-1 Miami loss in game two. Miguelez gave up only five hits and one earned run in his first loss of the season. The series finale was taken over by the offense of both teams as the Miami rally fell just short in an 11-10 loss. Junior catcher Eddy Rodriguez hit .454 in the series to bring his average to .345 on the season.

Gutierrez, Miguelez and Scott Maine are the projected starters for the Hurricanes this weekend. Gutierrez and Miguelez are a combined 4-2 on the season with a 2.06 ERA. Maine made his much-anticipated 2006 debut in Sunday’s loss to Florida. He gave up three earned runs off of one hit in 1.1 innings in a no-decision.

The Wildcats’ probable starters are senior Richard Rodriguez (1-1, 2.79 ERA), junior Dustin Blackwell (0-3, 5.40 ERA) and freshman lefty Joseph Gautier (1-1, 5.21 ERA). Batters are hitting .216 off of Rodriguez, who leads the team with 16 strikeouts in three starts. Gautier has given up four earned runs and only two walks in his first two career starts for the Wildcats. Blackwell struggled in his last outing, allowing five earned runs in five innings off of seven hits in a 6-4 loss to Mercer.

For the Hurricanes, freshman first baseman Yonder Alonso leads the team in several categories, including batting average (.391), hits (18), doubles (5) and RBIs (18). Alonso has also hit safely in each of the last 10 games. At the other infield corner, third baseman Danny Valencia is second in the team in batting average (.370) and hits (17). Valencia leads the Hurricanes with 14 runs scored and seven walks.

JAY AND LANE VOTED TEAM CAPTAINS

Senior left-handed pitcher Andrew Lane and junior center fielder Jon Jay were voted as team captains by teammates, coaches and staff on Thursday, Feb. 23. Lane, who was voted a co-captain in the 2005 season with Danny Figueroa, is tied for the team lead with six appearances and has nine strikeouts and three walks in 6.2 innings this season. He was one of the most improved student-athletes on the 2005 squad and is one of only three seniors on this year’s team. Lane has set an example off the field as well, earning a spot on the Athletic Director’s honor roll all seven of his semesters at Miami and he is Miami’s representative for the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) and the ACC SAAC representative.

Jay is considered one of the best outfielders in the country and has already penciled his name among Miami’s all-time greats with a .384 career batting average, fourth all-time at UM. He led the team with a .408 average in 2005, playing as the team’s regular left fielder. Jay spent last summer on the USA National Team, playing in the outfield and hitting in the leadoff spot. He has shifted over to center field this season and is currently batting .359 with two home runs and 12 RBI.