Erickson Strikes Out 11 as No. 23 Miami Rolls to 13-3 Win over Terrapins
March 16, 2007
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – – Freshman lefty Eric Erickson struck out a career-high 11 batters while fellow freshman shortstop Ryan Jackson drove in four runs while going a career-best 4-for-5 as No. 23 Miami downed Maryland, 13-3, in the opening game of their three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series at Mark Light Field Friday night. Miami (13-9, 1-3 ACC) pounded out a season-high 18 hits and won its first ACC game of the season in front of 2,154 fans.
Erickson scattered six hits over seven innings striking out 11 of the 26 batters he faced. He retired nine straight batters from the second to the fourth innings and struck out the side in the fourth. Michael Rudman, Teddy Kaufman and Anthony Nalepa all pitched in relief.
Roger Tomas, Kevin Diego and Jason Hagerty each had two hits for Miami. Hagerty had his first two-hit game as a Hurricane finishing 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Maryland (12-6, 2-2 ACC) starter Casey Baron had his shortest outing of the season as he gave up five runs on eight innings in four innings in suffering his first loss. A.J. Casario, Mike Murphy, Gerry Spessard and Dan Melvin each went 2-for-4 for Maryland.
Miami took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Dennis Raben knocked a single to center field leading off the inning. After a Blake Tekotte walk, Kevin Diego laced a single into right field to score Raben. Hagerty then drove in Tekotte. Jemile Weeks’ sacrifice fly to center field scored Diego for the final run of the second.
Jackson’s run-scoring single brought home Mark Sobolewski in the bottom of the third to make it, 4-0.
Hagerty hit a one-out double in the bottom of the fourth before scoring on Weeks single through the left side to put the Hurricanes ahead, 5-0.
Miami made it 7-0 in the bottom of the fifth on Tekotte’s two-run single which scored Jackson and Raben.
Jackson’s three-run triple in the bottom of the sixth scored Sobolewski and Alonso, who both singled and Roger Tomas, who reached on an error putting the Hurricanes ahead, 10-0.
Maryland pushed across two runs in the top of the eighth on Mike Murphy’s RBI single, which scored Steve Braun who doubled. Will Greenberg’s RBI ground out scored another run for the Terrapins.
Dave DiNatale blasted his first career home run to start off the bottom of the eighth giving the Hurricanes an 11-2 lead. Jonathan Weislow slapped a double down the left field line which scored Sobolewski and Jackson giving the Hurricanes a 13-2 lead.
Maryland scored a run in the top of the ninth when Dan Melvin led off with a double, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a throwing error by the catcher to make it, 13-3.
Miami and Maryland continue their series Saturday night at 7 p.m. LHP Scott Maine (2-3, 5.57 ERA) will face Maryland RHP Ryan Moorer (2-0, 2.81 ERA). The game will be televised on CSS. WVUM (90.5 FM), WQAM (560 AM) and WRHC (1550 AM) will all broadcast the game.
HATS OFF TO HURRICANE FANS
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day this Saturday March 17th, the Hurricanes will wear a commemorative cap as they take on ACC rival Maryland Terrapins. The cap features an all green Hurricanes English M logo on the front and a solid green four leaf clover on the back. Immediately following the game, all Hurricanes players and coaches will autograph their game used cap and 25 winners will be selected among the fans who’ve signed up. All fans are encouraged to stop by the main entrance of Mark Light Field throughout the game and enter to win your very own cap. Winners need not be present to win. For more information, or to order your tickets, please call 1-800-GO-CANES.
Game Notes: The game was in a lightning delay for 51 minutes during the middle of the first inning … Erickson was the first pitcher since Scott Maine to strike out 11 batters. Maine record 11 strikeouts on May 12 against Wake Forest … Freshman catcher Jason Hagerty had his first multiple-hit game as a Hurricane … Miami is 8-4 when having at least 10 hits in a game.
