Three-Run Ninth Lifts No. 5 Miami Baseball to 9-8 Win over No.11 UCLA
Feb. 11, 2007
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – – Yonder Alonso finished 4-for-4 with four RBIs and two home runs and Gus Menendez capped off a three-run ninth inning with a walk-off RBI single as the No. 5 University of Miami Hurricanes rallied to defeat No. 11 UCLA, 9-8, Saturday night in front of a season-high 3,015 fans at Mark Light Field. Miami (2-2) won its second straight game in the three game series, while the Bruins fell to 2-3.
Jemile Weeks and Ryan Jackson each had a pair of hits for the Hurricanes, who out-hit the Bruins, 14-10. Freshman David Gutierrez (1-0) tossed one inning in relief to pick up his first collegiate win. Danny Gil started for the Hurricanes and struck out eight in five innings while allowing three runs on four hits. Seven Miami pitchers combined to strike out 11 Bruins. Brant Rustich suffered his first loss for UCLA as he allowed three runs on five hits in an inning pitched.
With Miami trailing, 8-6, Weeks started the Hurricane rally in the bottom of the ninth. He led off with a single up the middle and moved to second on Jackson’s base-hit into left field. Alonso’s fourth RBI of the game pulled Miami within, 8-7, when he singled to center field. Mark Sobolewski’s RBI double down the left field line tied the game, 8-8. Menendez then delivered the game-winner up the middle to bring in Alonso.
UCLA took the lead in the top of the ninth on back-to-back home runs from Brandon Crawford and Tim Stewart putting the Bruins ahead, 8-6.
The Bruins fought back to tie the game, 6-6, in the top of the eighth. Ryan Babineau led off the inning with a double. Will Penniall then followed with a single to center field putting runners on the corner. Justin Uribe then drove in Babineau to make it, 6-5. Uribe advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved to third when Mickey Weisser hit into a fielder’s choice. Uribe later scored on a passed ball to make it, 6-6.
Miami jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first inning when Weeks led off the game with his first home run of the season. One batter later, Alonso went deep for the second time this season when he sent a ball over the fence in right field.
UCLA answered right back in the top of the second when Penniall scored on a ground out and Crawford was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Blake Tekotte’s sacrifice fly brought in O’Brien in the bottom of the second putting Miami back ahead, 3-2. Alonso extended the Hurricane lead to 5-2 when he belted a two-run home run to center field that also scored Jackson in the bottom of the third.
Aiden Carrithers RBI double to left center in the top of fourth brought the Bruins within, 5-3. But Miami pushed its lead back to three runs when Tekotte singled through the right side to score Dennis Raben in the bottom of the sixth.
Carrithers’ RBI double down the right field line started UCLA’s rally over the last three innings. Nolan Rouse scored to make it, 6-4.
Carrithers, Penniall and Uribe each had two hits for UCLA. Carrithers finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs while Crawford also added two RBIs. Brendan Lafferty started for UCLA on the mound and lasted three innings giving up five runs on six hits with one strikeout.
Miami and UCLA wrap up their three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m. at the “The Light.” LHP Manny Miguelez (0-0, 1.80 ERA) will face UCLA freshman Gavin Brooks (0-0, 4.50 ERA).
