Sobolewski's Walk-Off Homer Lifts Miami to 5-2 Win over Georgia Tech in 11 Innings
April 7, 2007
Coral Gables, Fla. – – Freshman third baseman Mark Sobolewski hit a walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the 11th as Miami evened its Atlantic Coast Conference series with Georgia Tech with a 5-2 win Saturday afternoon at Mark Light Field. Dennis Raben (1-1) won his first career game for Miami (19-14, 6-8 ACC) as he tossed 1 1/3 innings in relief. UM snapped a seven-game winning streak by the Yellow Jackets (21-12, 9-5 ACC) and won its first game over Tech in the last six meetings.
Blake Tekotte delivered a 3-for-6 outing at the plate to lead UM, who registered nine hits in the contest. Sobolewski finished 1-for-5 with three RBI. It was his second late-inning homer of the week, which sparked a Miami win. Miami starter Scott Maine had another good outing as he held Georgia Tech to one run on six hits and struck out a season-high seven. David Gutierrez tossed an inning in relief allowing one earned run. Danny Gil also tossed 2 2/3 innings in relief and no-hit Tech, but he walked three and struck out another two.
Georgia Tech starter Eddie Burns pitched effectively into the seventh inning as he held Miami to two runs, one earned, on five hits and recorded six strikeouts. Brad Rulon two-hit UM through 1 1/3 innings. Rulon sat down four batters on strikes. Danny Payne (0-1) suffered his first loss for Tech as he allowed three runs in 2 1/3 innings. Payned issued two walks, two intentionally, and struck out two.
With one out in the bottom of the 11th, Roger Tomas and Yonder Alonso drew back-to-back walks. Sobolewski took a 0-1 offering from Payne deep over the left field wall for his third home run of the season giving UM the 5-2 win.
Both teams had chances in the last three innings. Georgia Tech’s Jay Dantzler reached third base in the top of the 10th after a walk, stolen base and wild pitch, but Gil struck out the final two batters to end the 10th.
In the ninth, Tech’s Jeff Ussery drew a lead-off walk. After he stole second, Gil got Payne to fly out. Michael Fisher then grounded into a double play ending the top frame of the ninth. In the bottom half, Tekotte placed a bunt single just fair and moved to second on Tomas’ sacrifice bunt. Alonso was intentionally walked before Payne recorded to fly outs forcing extra innings.
Miami jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first after Tekotte scored on Alonso’s ground out, after his lead-off single and a throwing error. Georgia Tech tied the game, 1-1, in the top of the fifth on Fisher’s RBI single up the middle, which scored Ussery, who led off with a single of his own.
The Hurricanes regained the lead, 2-1, in the bottom of the seventh on Tomas’ RBI tripe to center field, which scored Jason Hagerty. The Yelllow Jackets answered right back in the top of the eighth on Chris House’s sacrifice fly, which scored Matt Wieters. Wieters opened up the eighth with a base hit before advancing to third on Tony Plagman’s double.
Wieters and Fisher each had two hits for Georgia Tech.
Miami and Georgia Tech will play the rubber game of their series on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Mark Light Field. UM RHP Enrique Garcia is scheduled to face Georgia Tech LHP Ryan Turner. The game will be televised by CSS.
Game Notes: Saturday’s game lasted three hours and 38 minutes … Miami played more than 10 innings for the first time since the 2005 season – a 4-3 home loss to Oral Roberts on April 2 … Blake Tekotte had his fourth three-hit game of the season … Dennis Raben appeared twice in the game as pitcher for UM. Raben entered in the eighth, faced two batters, gave up a double but got an out. He moved back to right field, before returning to the mound in the top of the 11th where he recorded three straight outs … Mark Sobolewski hit his second home run in three games for Canes. Sobolewski’s two-run home run on Wednesday tied the game against Florida International, before Ryan Jackson’s walk-off single lift the Hurricanes to the win … Miami now has five walk-off wins this season after the win Saturday.
