Alonso's Ninth Homer Rallies No. 1 Miami by FAU, 12-10
April 16, 2008
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<?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>BOCA RATON, Fla. – Junior first baseman Yonder Alonso blasted a two-out two-run ninth inning home run and No. 1 Miami overcame a seven-run deficit to rally past Florida Atlantic, 12-10, Wednesday night at FAU Stadium in front of 2,348 fans. Junior closer Carlos Gutierrez (2-1) picked up his second win for the Hurricanes (31-3), who won the season series over the Owls (21-13).
Alonso finished 3-for-6 with three runs scored and two RBI for Miami, which scored 10 of its 12 runs with two outs. It was Alonso’s ninth home run of the season. Sophomore shortstop Ryan Jackson led the Hurricanes going 4-for-5 with three RBI and two doubles. Junior right fielder Dennis Raben went 3-for-5 with three runs scored while Mark Sobolewski hit his fourth home run of the season and finished with four RBI for the Hurricanes who had 17 hits in the contest.
Gutierrez pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief. Miami used six pitchers and after FAU scored 10 runs off UM’s first two pitchers, Hurricane relievers Anthony Nalepa, Kyle Bellamy, PJ Fisher and Gutierrez combined to throw five scoreless innings and limit the Owls to four hits. Nalepa tossed two scoreless innings, giving up three hits and striking out another three. Bellamy tossed 1 1/3 hitless and scoreless innings.
FAU closer Glen Troyanowski (3-1) lost for the first time in 13 appearances. He allowed three runs on four hits in 1 1/3 innings and struck out three. FAU starter Adam Morrison went five innings and allowed seven runs on eight hits and recorded three strikeouts. Catcher Alex Silversmith led the Owls going 4-for-5 with one RBI. Shorstop Nick Arata and first baseman Travis Ozga each had three hits for FAU, which finished with 17 hits in the contest.
Miami was down to its last out in the top of the ninth before scoring three two-out runs to go ahead, 12-10. After two straight strikeouts, Jemile Weeks ripped a single to right field. Alonso then worked the count to 2-1 before he launched his ninth homer of the season over the wall in right field giving the Hurricanes an 11-10 lead. After back-to-back base-hits from Sobolewski and Raben, Jackson knocked in Sobolewski to make it, 12-10.
The Hurrcanes drew within 10-9 in the top of the eighth. After Weeks reached on a fielder’s choice and Alonso singled through the right side, Sobolewski’s sacrifice fly scored Weeks. Adan Severino then drew a pinch-hit bases loaded walk getting Miami within a run. Tryonanowski then got Dave DiNatale to strike out looking with the bases loaded.
Miami trailed by its largest deficit of the season in the top of the fifth. Down 10-3, the Hurricanes scored four runs with two outs. After Weeks walked and Alonso reached on a double that dropped into center field, Sobolewski homered down the left field line pulling UM within, 10-6. Raben followed with a single to right before Jackson doubled down the left field line pulling the Hurricanes to 10-7.
Arata’s two-run home run capped a three-run third inning giving the Owls an 8-2 lead. Jackson’s RBI single in the top of the fourth allowed Raben to score as UM pulled within, 8-3, but FAU’s Tom Hatcher hit a two-run single giving the Owls a 10-3 lead.
FAU jumped on Miami with 10 runs in the first four innings. The Owls scored three runs on four hits in the first inning to go ahead, 3-0. The Hurricanes got within, 3-2, in the top of the second on back-to-back RBI doubles from Dave DiNatale and Joey Terdoslavich, but the Owls scored two runs in the second, three runs in the third and two more runs in the fourth to build their seven-run lead.
The Hurricanes continue its seven-game road swing when No. 1 Miami heads to No. 2 Florida State for a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series this weekend. It will be the first time since 1999 that the Hurricanes and Seminoles were ranked as high when they met. No. 1 Miami and No. 1 Florida State met in Coral Gables that season for a three-game series that Miami swept. The Hurricanes were ranked No. 1 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll while FloridaState was No. 1 in the ESPN coaches’ and Baseball America polls.
Game Notes
– Sophomore third baseman Mark Sobolewski homered for the fourth time this season in the fifth inning against FAU.
– Sophomore shortstop Ryan Jackson hit his team-leading 13th and 14th doubles of the season. His first came in the fifth inning and the second in the seventh.
– Junior centerfielder Blake Tekotte recorded his 17th stolen base of the season while second baseman Jemile Weeks stole his 12th base both coming in the sixth inning.
– Miami matched a season-high with 17 hits in the game.
– Junior first baseman Yonder Alonso hit his team-leading ninth home run in the top of the ninth inning. It was Alonso’s second game-winning home run of the season.
– Miami won the season series over the Owls, two games to one.
– UM overcame its largest deficit – seven runs – of the season to win.
– Miami allowed a season-high 17 hits by an opposing team and the third-most runs (9). UM gave up 16 hits to NC State in the series finale which resulted in an 11-10 Miami loss.
– 10 of Miami’s 12 runs came with two outs.
