Postgame Notes
June 1, 2007
General Game Notes
Game time temperature was 81 degrees, with winds out of the Southwest at 13 mph. The official attendance for Game One was 984.Early-game jitters appeared to play a key role for both starting pitchers, as Miami’s Scott Maine and Louisville’s Zack Pitts combined for five hit-batters, four wild pitches and five mound visits through just the first 1.2 innings of work. Pitts was relieved by Gavin Logsdon with two outs in the bottom of the second. Logsdon went on to win his second game of the year in relief.While pitchers struggled early on, both teams combined for some clutch, two-out hitting. An incredible 15 of the game’s 20 runs came with two outs.With the win, Louisville will play at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday vs. the winner of the Missouri – Kent State contest. Miami will once again play at 1 p.m. vs. the loser of Friday night’s Mizzou – Kent State game. Miami Game NotesMiami suffered its first loss in the opening round of an NCAA Regional since a 5-4 loss to Sam Houston State on 5-23-96 in Austin, Texas. The Hurricanes had won 10 consecutive NCAA Regional-openers prior to Friday’s 13-7 defeat to Louisville. The last time Miami lost an opening-round game, the Hurricanes rallied with win the Austin Regional and advance to the College World Series Championship Game in Omaha.The 13 runs allowed by the Hurricanes were the most for the school in NCAA Regional action since allowing 15 runs to Florida on June 1, 2003, in Coral Gables, Fla.Starting pitcher Scott Maine hit a career high and school-record tying four batters in his 4.0 innings of work. The four hit-by-pitches equaled the four recorded by Kiki Bengochea vs. Bucknell (5-25-01) and Brandon Camardese vs. Rutgers (3-14-04).Overall, the Hurricanes hit a school-record six batters in the contest, including the four by Maine and the two recorded by relievers David Gutierrez and Alex Koronis.Dennis Raben drove in the game’s first run with a sacrifice fly to center. The RBI was Raben’s ninth in his last nine games and his 46th of the year.Richard O’Brien hit his sixth home run of the season in the bottom of the second inning. O’Brien has now homered in each of his last three games. Prior to his recent power surge, O’Brien only hit three home runs in his first 42 games of the year.Yonder Alonzo’s drew his 12th intentional walk of the season and 62nd overall walk on the year. Alonzo is No. 8 on Miami’s single-season walks list. Louisville Game NotesLouisville earned its first-ever postseason win with today’s 13-7 triumph. Today’s win came in Louisville’s second-ever NCAA Regional appearance. The Cardinals appeared in the 2002 NCAA Regional, but lost to Georgia (7-1) and Coastal Carolina (9-1) in Atlanta.The 13 runs scored by Louisville were the most allowed by a Miami team away from Mark Light Field (home facility).The 15 hits recorded by the Cardinals were the second-most against Miami this season. Miami allowed 23 hits against North Carolina State on April 15, 2007.While he didn’t figure in the decision, right-handed reliever Kyle Hollander was outstanding in relief, pitching 4.0 inning and striking out five, without allowing a base runner. Hollander retired all-12 batters he faced.Despite falling behind 7-3 at the end of the second inning, the Louisville bullpen was outstanding, holding Miami scoreless over the final seven innings, while relinquishing just three total hits. Louisville’s pen allowed two hits in the third inning and a final hit with two outs in the ninth. The Cardinal pen retired 15 consecutive batters during one stretch.While the Louisville pen was stifling, the Cardinal’s bats were equally impressive, scoring 10 unanswered runs to earn the come-from behind win. Catcher Derrick Alfonso started the rally by hitting his fifth home run of the season in the third inning. The solo blast was his first homer in 28 games. Alfonso finished the game by going a career high 5-for-6 at the plate.Miami native Jorge Castillio helped the Cardinal rally to tie the game at 7-7 in the top of the fourth inning, hitting a three-run homer with two-outs. The blast was Castillo’s sixth of the year.First baseman Daniel Burton finished the game with a season high four RBI, pushing his season total to 49, which is second on the club.Second baseman Logan Johnson used the phrase “Take one for the team” literally, as he was hit by a pitch in each of his first-three at-bats. The NCAA Regional record is held by Rick Peters from Arizona State who was hit four times by Washington State on 5-28-77.Isaiah Howes hit his team-leading 16th home run of the season in the top of the seventh inning.
