Florida Atlantic Defeats No. 1 Miami, 6-3
April 9, 2008
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CORAL GABLES, <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Fla. – Florida Atlantic second baseman William Block hit two home runs and starter Michael Obradovich tossed eight strong innings as FAU (19-11) defeated No. 1 Miami, 6-3, to snap the Hurricanes 14-game winning streak Wednesday night at Mark Light Field. Miami fell to 27-3 on the season and lost for just the second time at home this season.
Ryan Jackson recorded his team-high 15th multiple-hit game, going 3-for-5 with an RBI for the Hurricanes. Jason Hagerty and Jemile Weeks each finished with two hits.
UM starter John Housey (3-1) suffered his first loss of the season, giving up four earned runs on nine hits while striking out two and walking one in five innings of work. Michael Rudman and Rene Guerra each worked two scoreless innings in relief of Housey, combining to allow just three Owl hits over the final four innings.
Obradovich, who had thrown just 12 1/3 innings coming into the game, allowed three runs on eight hits pitching into the ninth inning, the longest any opposing starter has lasted against UM this season. Block, who had just one homer coming into the season, hit two solo homers in the third and the fifth, finishing the night 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. Glen Troyanowski came on in the ninth to relieve Obradovich and walked two, struck out two and allowed one hit but was able to hold UM scoreless.
Miami made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth. The first three batters in UM’s ninth reached base. Hagerty led off with a single to left and after Joey Terdoslavich followed with a single of his own to right, Blake Tekotte walked to load them up. After Weeks struck out for the first out of the inning, Alonso brought home Hagerty with a deep sacrifice fly to center bringing the Hurricanes within, 6-2. Jackson scored Terdoslavich with a single up the middle to make it, 6-3. With the bases loaded, Troyanowski struck out DiNatale to end the game.
FAU got on the board in the first with a pair of back-to-back RBI singles to left from Tom Hatcher and Block, scoring Nick Arata and Mike McKenna to go up 2-0.
The Owls pushed their lead to 4-0 with two more runs in the second. Troy Bubley scored the first run when an errand throw by Housey got over the head of Yonder Alonso on an attempted sacrifice bunt by Jeremy Griffiths. One batter later, McKenna grounded out to second, bringing home Arata from third to put FAU up by four runs.
DiNatale reached on a bunt single in the bottom half of the second. After moving over to third on a stolen base and a deep Weeks’ flyout to right, he scored on a Hagerty groundout to first to cut the deficit to three runs, 4-1.
Block was able to get that run right back however with a solo shot to left to lead off the third extending it, 5-1. He followed that up with another solo shot to left his next time up in the fifth, putting FAU ahead, 6-1.
The Hurricanes will hit the road this weekend when they head to Atlanta for a weekend series with Georgia Tech, April 11-13. Game times are set for 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Game Notes
-Sophomore shortstop Ryan Jackson recorded his team-best 15th multiple-hit game, going 3-for-5 with an RBI.
-FAU starter Michael Obradovich tossed eight-plus innings. It was the longest outing of any opposing starter against Miami this season.
-Blake Tekotte’s 16-game hitting streak was snapped with an 0-for-4 night at the plate.
