No. 11 Miami Routes Phoenix, 17-4
Feb. 24, 2007
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – – Freshman lefty Eric Erickson won his first career start while fellow freshman Mark Sobolewski continued his hot hitting going 3-for-5 with six RBI and No. 11 Miami (5-5) used a 10-run first inning to even its series with the Elon Phoenix in a 17-4 win at Mark Light Field Saturday night. Erickson struck out a career-high six in five innings while holding Elon (5-3) to one run on four hits.
Roger Tomas, Chris Petralli and Kevin Diego each had two hits for the Hurricanes, who out-hit Elon, 16-6. Teddy Kaufman, David Gutierrez, Michael Rudman and Enrique Garcia limited the Phoenix to only two hits in the final three innings.
Elon starter Will Romanowicz (1-1) lasted 2/3 of an inning surrendering seven earned runs on five hits. He also walked two in that first inning. Chris Dove made his first appearance for Elon. He struck out five in the last four scoreless innings.
Erickson (1-1) cruised to a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the first. Jemile Weeks started UM’s 10-run first inning when he walked and moved to second on Tomas’ sacrifice bunt. Yonder Alonso followed with his 13th walk of the season before Dave DiNatale doubled down the left field line putting UM ahead, 2-0. Sobolewski then singled in his first of six runs as he drove a pitch up the middle bringing in DiNatale for a 3-0 UM lead. Richard O’Brien’s single scored Sobolewski, who stole second with two outs, for a 4-0 lead. Ryan Jackson followed with a double putting runners in scoring position for Blake Tekotte, who hammered a two-run single up the middle to make it, 6-0. After Weeks drew his second walk of the inning, Tomas’ first hit scored Tekotte. Alonso was hit by a pitch to load the bases for DiNatale, who ended up drawing a walk for his third RBI of the inning giving UM the 8-0 lead. Sobolewski hit his first double of the game to left center, which almost cleared the bases, but DiNatale was thrown out at home giving UM the 10-0 lead.
Alonso gave Miami an 11-0 advantage in the bottom of the third when he drove in Tomas. Tomas led off the third with an infield single and advanced on a passed ball. Sobolewski walked, before Diego tripled in the two runs and scored on a throwing error giving Miami a 14-0 lead.
Pat Irvine’s RBI infield single broke up the shutout getting Elon within 14-1 in the top of the fourth, but UM answered with three runs in the bottom of the fourth. Miami loaded the bases for Sobolewski. He hit a three-run double to make it, 17-1.
Elon took advantage of a UM error in the top of the seventh to score three unearned runs. Mike Melillo scored on a balk. With a runner on base, Matt Hill walked. Ryan Adams pinch-hit two-run single pulled Elon to 17-4.
Jordy Snyder, Adam Weaver, Robert Rodebaugh, Adams, Melillo and Irvine each had a hit for the Phoenix.
Miami and Elon wraps up their series Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. Junior LHP Manny Miguelez will face Elon RHP Zach Booker.
Game Notes: Sobolewski reached base nine straight times in the Elon series before striking out in the sixth inning. He has seven hits in nine at-bats and is 9-for-14 with 13 RBIs in the last three games … Going back to his appearance at UF, Erickson had retired 19 of 20 batters heading into the fourth inning tonight. He had a streak of 16 retired batters snapped when he issued a walk in the third inning … Miami last scored 17 runs in the 2006 opener at home against FIU in a 17-3 … The 16 hits were a season-high for UM … Miami last scored 10 or more runs in an inning in 1999 when UM put up 10 runs against Ohio State in the fifth inning of its 23-3 win.
