NO. 1 MIAMI TRAVELS TO FAU FOR RUBBER GAME TONIGHT
April 16, 2008
Game 34
Sunday: Miami at Florida Atlantic
Apr. 16, 6:30 p.m. (FAU Stadium)
Radio: WVUM (90.5 FM)
Probable Starting Pitchers:
UM: 39 Michael Rudman, RHP (0-0, 6.10 ERA)
FAU: 12 Adam Morrison, LHP (2-2, 4.46 ERA)
No. 1 Miami (30-3) continues its seven-game road swing when the Hurricanes travel north to Boca Raton to face the Florida Atlantic Owls in the rubber game of the three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the FAU Baseball Stadium. The matchup pits two of the top offensive teams in the country. Miami ranks sixth nationally in batting average (.343), while FAU is 16th (.331). The Owls rank fourth in home runs (60) while the Hurricanes come in ranked eighth in home runs (53). The game will be carried on the radio by the Student Voice of UM, WVUM (90.5 FM), which can also be picked up online at www.wvum.org.
ABOUT THE MIAMI HURRICANES
Miami (30-3) swept an Atlantic Coast Conference series at No. 10 Georgia Tech over the weekend and finished last week, 4-1. UM also won a midweek contest over Florida Gulf Coast before having its 14-game winning streak snapped by Florida Atlantic.
Junior centerfielder Blake Tekotte was named the ACC Player of the Week after hitting .600 (9-for-15) with seven runs scored, nine RBI and three home runs in the Tech series. Tekotte has now hit safely in 19 of the last 20 games. He is hitting .390 on the season from his leadoff spot while posting 15 extra-base hits including six doubles, three triples and six home runs and 28 RBI. He owns a .506 on-base percentage. The Hurricanes got a walk-off two-run home run from Dave DiNatale in the 11th inning to win 4-2 last Tuesday night against Florida Gulf Coast before FAU defeated UM, 6-3, in Coral Gables. The Hurricanes bring a .343 team batting average into the game while the pitching staff has compiled a 3.59 team ERA.
Offensively, Preseason All-Americans second baseman Jemile Weeks (.403, 31 Runs, 48 Hits, 11 2B, 3 3B, 7 HR, 39 RBI), centerfielder Blake Tekotte (.390, 47 Runs, 48 Hits, 28 RBI, 16 SB), and first baseman Yonder Alonso (.358, 37 Runs, 38 Hits, 8 2B, 1 3B, 8 HR, 33 RBI) anchor the lineup, but shortstop Ryan Jackson (.368, 29 Runs, 46 Hits, 2 HR, 29 RBI), third baseman Mark Sobolewski (.354, 25 Runs, 45 Hits, 3 HR, 26 RBI) and left fielder/designated hitter Dave DiNatale (.352, 31 Runs, 37 Hits, 7 2B, 5 HR, 26 RBI) have all been swinging the bat well.
ABOUT THE FLORIDA ATLANTIC OWLS
Florida Atlantic has won five of its last six games which includes the Owls snapping Miami’s 14-game winning streak last week. FAU took a series from Troy over the weekend and sits in third place in the Sun Belt.
Shortstop Nick Arata and RHP Michael Obradovich were honored on Monday by the Sun Belt Conference. Arata was named the league’s “Player of the Week” while Obradovich was named “Pitcher of the Week.”
Arata hit .588 (10-of-17) and scored nine runs in four games last week. Arata went 3-for-5 with a stolen base against Miami, and went 7-for-12 in a key series win over Troy, including hitting a game-winning walk-off home run in the Friday game. FAU ranks 16th nationally in batting average (.331) and fourth nationally in home runs (60). Arata leads the team hitting .409 with seven doubles and seven homers while producing 29 RBI. Right fielder Mike McKenna ranks second in the nation in home runs (14). He is hitting .400 with a team-high 54 hits, 41 runs scored and 53 RBI. FAU lefty Adam Morrison (2-2, 4.46 ERA) will make his fifth start of the season Wednesday.
THE MIAMI-FAU SERIES
Miami leads the series, 40-8. The teams have split the two meetings played in Coral Gables the last two weeks. UM won 16-7 back on April 1. FAU snapped Miami’s 14-game winning streak last Wednesday. Miami is making its first trip to Boca Raton and FAU since the 2001 season. FAU won the last meeting in Boca Raton, 11-10.
