No. 1 Hurricanes Clinch Series at Virginia Tech, 9-2
May 10, 2008
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BLACKSBURG, Va. – Senior right-hander Enrique Garcia tossed eight strong innings and sophomores Mark Sobolewski and Ryan Jackson each collected three hits as No. 1 Miami clinched its 12th straight weekend series with a 9-2 win over Virginia Tech in the second game of a doubleheader at English Field Saturday afternoon. Dennis Raben went 2-for-4 with a team-high four RBI and a towering three-run home run which put UM ahead for good in the first inning.
Garcia (5-1) scattered four hits and gave up just two runs. He tossed 7 2/3 scoreless innings and retired 20 of the first 21 batters he faced. He one-hit the Hokies through the first 7 1/3 innings. Sophomore reliever Kyle Bellamy pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the Hurricanes.
Sobolewski drove in three runs in going 3-for-5 with his sixth home run. Jackson finished 3-for-5. Yonder Alonso added to Miami’s 15 hits as he went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.
Virginia Tech starter Jesse Hahn took the loss as he fell to 3-6. He gave up four runs in six innings on eight hits. Sean O’Brien knocked in both of Virginia Tech’s runs in the bottom of the eighth.
Miami wasted little time getting on the scoreboard in the top of the first. After singles from Blake Tekotte and Alonso, Raben launched a three-run home run which cleared the scoreboard in right field giving the Canes a 3-0 lead.
DiNatale led off the third with a triple to right center. He scored when Yasmani Grandal hit a ground ball to second that scored DiNatale giving Miami a 4-0 lead.
The Hurricanes made it 6-0 in the top of the seventh on Sobolewski’s two-run home run to left field.
Jemile Weeks’ RBI single to right center with one out scored Grandal, who led off the eighth with a single to right field, putting Miami ahead, 7-0. Sobolewski then ripped a run-scoring double to left plating Weeks for an 8-0 UM lead. Raben’s infield single allowed Sobolewski to score from second giving Miami a 9-0 lead.
The Hokies loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth. O’Brien’s two-run single with two outs broke up the shutout to pull Virginia Tech within, 9-2.
Miami returns home for a four-game homestand to wrap up the regular season. UM hosts North Florida Tuesday at 7 p.m. before entertaining No. 2 North Carolina next Thursday, Friday and Saturday to finish off ACC play.
Game and Series Notes
-Junior second baseman Jemile Weeks hit his 10th home run of the season in the top of the third inning in game one of the doubleheader.
– Junior left fielder Dave DiNatale added a double and home run – his seventh homer of the season in game one of the doubleheader. He tripled in game two.
– Junior right fielder Dennis Raben hit his eighth home run and second homer of the series in the first inning of game two.
– Sophomore third baseman Mark Sobolewski homered for the sixth time this season in the top of the seventh in game two of the series.
– Senior right-hander Enrique Garcia matched a season-long eight inning outing in game two. He threw eight innings in a 8-1 win at Duke.
– Miami hit .291 in the series led by Blake Tekotte who batted .545 (6-for-11) with three home runs, a double and five run scored. Ryan Jackson hit .455 in the series.
– The Hurricanes hit nine home runs in the series against the Hokies. It was the second time Miami hit at least nine homers in a series. UM had 10 home runs in a series win over Wake Forest.
