No. 12 Hurricanes Rally to Sweep Fordham in 10 Innings, 10-9
March 4, 2007
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – – Dennis Raben laced a game-winning single to right field in the bottom of the 10th to cap a three-run inning as No. 12 Miami rallied to complete the sweep of Fordham, 10-9, Sunday afternoon at Mark Light Field. Raben ended up 2-for-4 with one RBI, one run and two walks while teammates Jemile Weeks, Mark Sobolewski and Dave DiNatale each had two hits.
Alex Koronis (1-0) earned his first collegiate win in relief as he pitched a scoreless 10th inning. Manny Miguelez started for Miami and surrendered five runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings, but he left in the sixth with a two-run lead. Raben also pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief. Sobolewski had a 2-for-5, two-RBI day while DiNatale was 2-for-4 with three RBI. Jason Hagerty was 1-for-1 with two RBI.
John Mollicone finished 3-for-5 with three runs for Fordham (0-6) while designated hitter Michael Taddei was a perfect 3-for-3. Brian Keeney went 2-for-4 with three RBI for the Rams. Greg Dimmling tossed 2 1/3 innings. Dimmling gave up three runs in taking the loss. He walked five as Fordham walked 12 Hurricanes in the game.
Miami trailed 9-7 heading into the bottom of the 10th, Richard O’Brien and Weeks drew back-to-back walks. They moved up one base on Roger Tomas’ sacrifice bunt. Yonder Alonso loaded the bases when he reached on a passed ball after striking out. Sobolewski was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded bringing the Hurricanes within, 9-8. DiNatale followed with a base-hit through the right side tying the game, 9-9. Raben then singled through the right side to score pinch-runner Nick Freitas for the final run of the game.
Fordham broke a 7-7 game in the top of the 10th. Mike Mobbs had an RBI single to put the Rams ahead, 8-7. The Rams would go ahead, 9-7, when Keeney scored on a throwing error by the UM pitcher on a sacrifice bunt attempt.
The Rams scored six runs between the fourth and eighth innings. A Bobby DiNardo RBI ground out and Tadei’s RBI single pulled Fordham to 7-3 in the fourth. Two more runs in the top of the sixth brought the Rams within, 7-5. Jordan Lert doubled in Eric Reese who led off the sixth with a line-drive triple to right field. Keeney’s run-scoring single made it a two-run game.
Fordham tied the game, 7-7, in the top of the eighth on Keeney’s third RBI of the game as his fielder’s choice allowed Mollicone to score with the bases loaded. Rich Goulian drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game.
The Hurricanes used a seven-run second inning for their first lead. DiNatale walked and advanced to second on Raben’s infield single. After Kevin Diego reached on a fielder’s choice, Blake Tekotte walked loading the bases. Jason Hagerty recorded his first career hit as a Hurricane when he doubled down the left field line putting UM ahead, 2-1. Weeks followed with a walk loading the bases again, before Tomas drew a walk putting UM ahead, 3-1. Sobolewski drove in a run and a throwing error on the same play scored another Hurricane run for a 5-1 lead. DiNatale then doubled in two more runs for the 7-1 Miami advantage.
Fordham took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second on Brian Keeney’s sacrifice fly that scored John Mollicone.
Miami will play its first two mid-week home games Tuesday and Wednesday. The Hurricanes host St. Bonaventure Tuesday night at 7 p.m. UM will play LaSalle at 7 p.m. Wednesday night.
Series Notes: The extra innings win in Sunday’s finale was the first for Miami since UM defeated Wake Forest, 11-10, in 10 innings on May 13, 2006 … The Hurricanes swept their second series of the season and moved to 8-0 all-time against Fordham … Freshman catcher Jason Hagerty’s double down the left field line in the second inning was his first career hit and put UM ahead 2-1 … Freshman third baseman Mark Sobolewski had another good series for Miami as he finished the weekend 7-for-14 with three runs scored, one double, one triple, a three-run home run and eight RBI. He slugged .929 and owned a .563 on-base percentage … Dennis Raben and Roger Tomas each hit .444 in the series while Raben had two home runs, four RBI and five walks. He slugged 1.111 and had a .643 on-base percentage … Miami hit .324 in the series while pitching staff had a 5.46 ERA. Fourteen of Miami’s 32 hits went for extra-bases which included nine doubles, one triple and four home runs … Fordham walked 27 batters and hit nine Hurricanes in the series … Freshman lefty Eric Erickson allowed one run on five hits and struck out five in eight innings in game two for his second career win … Junior Scott Maine tossed five scoreless innings, limiting Fordham to four hits for his second win on Friday night.
