No. 2 Hurricanes Storm By FAU, 16-7
April 1, 2008
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CORAL GABLES, <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Fla. – Junior left fielder Dave DiNatale posted career highs in RBI and hits going 4-for-5 with five RBI and No. 2 Miami bounced back from a first inning grand slam to down Florida Atlantic, 16-7, Tuesday night at Mark Light Field. Sophomore right-hander John Housey (3-0) won his third straight mid-week start as Miami (22-2) ran its winning streak to nine games.
DiNatale fell one triple shy from hitting for the cycle. His two-run home run in the fourth inning put the Hurricanes ahead for good. Sophomore shortstop Ryan Jackson finished 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Blake Tekotte, Jemile Weeks and Mark Sobolewski also each added a pair of hits for the Hurricanes, who out-hit the Owls, 16-13.
Housey (3-0) settled down after a first inning grand slam to toss four scoreless innings. He allowed four runs, three earned on six hits, walked three and struck out two. Alex Koronis limited the Owls (16-10) to one run on four hits in three innings and struck out four while P.J. Fisher tossed the ninth inning.
First baseman Travis Ozga led FAU going 4-for-5 with two runs scored. Designated hitter Tom Hatcher ended up 2-for-5 with five RBI, which included four RBI on his first career grand slam. FAU starter Jeff Beliveau (1-1) was charged with the loss as he allowed seven runs, six earned, on six hits in 4 2/3 innings. He walked seven batters and struck out four.
DiNatale dropped a two-out RBI single into right field in the bottom of the fifth extending the Hurricane lead to 7-4.Tekotte sparked a five-run sixth inning, when he led off with his second home run of the season. After another run came home on Jason Hagerty’s fielder’s choice. Jackson’s RBI double made it, 10-4. DiNatale then blooped a double along the right field line putting the Hurricanes ahead, 12-4.
Hatcher drove in his fifth run when he singled to right field after the Owls led off the seventh with a double by Mike McKenna and a single from Ozga, which pulled FAU within, 12-5. But, Sobolewski and Jackson each delivered RBI base-hits in the bottom half of the seventh pushing it back up to 14-5.
UM tacked on a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI double from Jonathan Weislow and sacrifice fly from Iden Nazario to make it, 16-5, before FAU scored a pair in the top of the ninth for the final, 16-7 outcome.
DiNatale hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the third putting the Hurricanes ahead, 5-4. After Blake Tekotte walked, stole second and moved to third on an error, Jemile Weeks hit a sacrifice fly to right field to make it, 6-4.
Miami rallied from a four-run deficit in the bottom of the first. Blake Tekotte led off with a double and moved to third on Jemile Weeks’ bunt single. A Yonder Alonso sacrifice fly and a Dennis Raben double brought the Hurricanes within, 4-2. Ryan Jackson’s RBI groundout made it, 4-3.
Tom Hatcher’s grand slam with two outs in the top half of the first quickly gave FAU a 4-0 lead.
The Hurricanes head across town Wednesday to take on FIU at University Park at 6 p.m. Sophomore right-hander David Gutierrez (0-0, 3.48 ERA) is expected to start for the Hurricanes.
Game Notes:
– Junior left fielder Dave DiNatale set career-highs in hits (4) and RBI (5) in the win over the Owls.
– Miami has now won nine straight games. The last time UM rattled off nine straight win was the 2006 season, the Hurricanes won 16 in a row.
– A win against FIU on Wednesday will match the best-start ever by a Hurricane team under Jim Morris. The 1995 team went 23-2 before losing its third game of the season.
– Junior center fielder Blake Tekotte extended his hitting streak to 11 games. He homered for the second time this season in the seventh inning against FAU.
– The Hurricanes have posted at least 10 hits in nine straight games and 16 of their last 17 games.
– UM improved to 8-0 in midweek games with the 16-7 win over FAU.
– Freshman designated hitter Iden Nazario recorded his first career RBI in the bottom of the eighth on a sacrifice fly that scored Jonathan Weislow.
