April 11, 2007
Miami (20-14) plays its fifth straight game in its home city heading across town to face Florida International Wednesday night at 7 p.m. The game will be carried by the Student Voice of UM, WVUM (90.5 FM), which can also be picked up online at www.wvum.org. The flagship of Miami athletics, WQAM (560 AM), will also broadcast the game.
ABOUT THE MIAMI HURRICANES
Miami is coming off a series win over Georgia Tech at home, which was the Hurricanes second straight ACC series win. UM went 3-1 last week which also included a 10-9 extra-inning mid-week win over cross-town rival Florida International. Miami had three walk-off wins last week – Wednesday against FIU (10-9 in 10 innings), Saturday against Georgia Tech (5-2 in 11 innings) and Sunday against Georgia Tech (8-7). The Hurricanesi hit .329 out-hitting its opponents, 49-35, in the four games. UM has now had at least 10 hits in five of its last seven games while going 4-2 during that time and 13-5 this season when they have at least 10 hits in a game. Miami’s pitching staff held Georgia Tech to .225 batting averaging and struck out 29 batters in 29 innings.
Senior designated hitter Gus Menendez came up with some key hits for Miami against Georgia Tech. Menendez finished the week 6-for-10 with two runs scored, a three-run home run and four RBI. Menendez’s 4-for-5 performance in Sunday’s Georgia Tech series finale was a career-best in which he also provided the game-tying home run and game-winning base hit. Menendez also had his second game-winning hit in the last seven days and third of the season. Center fielder Blake Tekotte added two hits in Sunday’s game. Tekotte finished the series 8-for-15 with two runs scored, one double and one RBI and had nine hits last week.
Sophomore first baseman Yonder Alonso celebrated his 20th birthday on Sunday with his ninth home run of the year. He hit 10 in his freshman campaign and already has nine, 34 games into the season. Alonso hit two home runs in the first game of the Clemson series. Since then, opposing teams have been careful with him. Alonso is 8-for-25 with seven runs scored, three homers and 12 RBI. However, he has walked nine times and intentionally walked twice. Alonso walked six times in the Tech series.
Senior closer Danny Gil appeared in three games for the Hurricanes last week and picked up two wins. He tossed an inning in relief to help Miami defeat FIU in extra innings on Wednesday. Gil no-hit Georgia Tech in Saturday’s game through 2 2/3 innings. He won the series finale when he recorded the final two outs in the top of the 11th. In four games last week, the senior closer tossed 4 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on two hits and struck out three. He no-hit Georgia Tech 3 1/3 innings. Gil actually has won three games in the last seven days for Miami. He earned the win in the series finale at Clemson as he tossed 3 2/3 innings in relief … Sophomore right fielder/LHP Dennis Raben won his first career game on Saturday. It happened in an unusual fashion as Raben made two relief appearances in the game. Raben pitched to two batters in the eighth inning before going back to right field. He started the 11th inning and pitched a perfect inning. Raben also had a big bat for UM, going 6-for-17 at the plate last week … Senior second baseman Roger Tomas also provided a big bat for the Hurricanes. Tomas hit .412 in the four games. He finished the week 7-for-17 with five runs scored, two doubles, one triple and four RBI.
ABOUT THE FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL PANTHERS
FIU (17-18) looks to rebound after losing a series on the road over the weekend at Arkansas State. The Panthers went just 1-3 last week dropping two one-run games. The Panthers won the series opener at Arkansas State, 5-3, before dropping the next two to the Indians. Left fielder James McOwen ranks eighth nationally hitting .456 with a team-high 67 hits. and 40 runs. He has 18 extra-base hits including 15 doubles. First baseman John Petika leads the team with 39 RBI.
THE UM-FIU SERIES
The Hurricanes lead the all-time series, 89-23. Miami won the first meeting of the season last week at Mark Light Field. UM has won five straight in the series. FIU last defeated Miami during the 2004 season, 5-4, at Mark Light Field.
YELLOW JACKETS, TIGERS GO DOWN IN SAME YEAR
The series win over Georgia Tech gave the Hurricanes a first. Miami had never won a series over both Clemson and Georgia Tech in the same year and had not taken series from either team since joining the ACC. The Hurricanes won a series over Tech during the 2004 season in Atlanta, before its inaugural season in the conference. UM snapped a seven-game losing streak to Clemson last weekend. Both Clemson and Georgia Tech advanced to the 2006 College World Series.
TEKOTTE NAMED TO COLLEGE BASEBALL FOUNDATION WEEKLY HONOR ROLL
Sophomore center fielder Blake Tekotte was named to the College Baseball Foundation’s weekly honor after hitting .474 going 9-for-19 with two RBI as he helped Miami to a 3-1 week including a series win over Georgia Tech. It was the Hurricanes second straight series win. From his leadoff spot, Tekotte owned a .500 on-base percentage. He hit .533 in the Georgia Tech series racking up a team-high eight hits. He started Miami’s comeback on Sunday with an RBI double. Tekotte has now hit safely in 16 of Miami’s last 17 games in which he is hitting .406 while going 26-for-64 with nine runs and seven RBI.