No. 1 Miami Tops No. 2 UNC, 12-2, for ACC Coastal Crown
May 15, 2008
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CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Freshman left-handed pitcher Chris Hernandez won for the 10th time with a seven-strikeout performance in 7 2/3 innings and junior first baseman Yonder Alonso hit his second career grand slam – which also was the second one against a team ranked No. 2 – as No. 1 Miami (43-6, 23-3 ACC) cruised to a 12-2 win over the second-ranked Tar Heels (43-10, 20-7 ACC) Thursday night to win the Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division. Jemile Weeks and Dave DiNatale each added two hits for Miami, which snapped a four-game losing streak to the Tar Heels.
Hernandez (10-0) gave up just two runs on six hits and did not walk a batter for the third time in his last three starts. His seventh strikeout came on his 100th pitch. Sophomore reliever Anthony Nalepa tossed the final 1 1/3 innings retiring four of the five batters he faced.
Alonso finished 1-for-3 with two runs and the four RBI. He now has 17 home runs – 11 coming in the last 19 games. DiNatale also homered for the Canes as he and Weeks both finished 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI.
UNC starter Alex White fell to 8-3 after surrendering six earned runs in 4 1/3 innings. He walked five batters and struck out another seven. Five Tar Heel pitchers combined to walk a season-high 12 batters. Chad Flack led UNC going 3-for-4 while Dustin Ackley went 2-for-4.
Alonso’s opposite field grand slam in the bottom of the third gave the Hurricanes a 4-1 lead. UM managed to load the bases on back-to-back walks to Yasmani Grandal and Blake Tekotte before Jemile Weeks hit an infield single. Alonso worked the count to 3-2 before he blasted his second career grand slam deep over the scoreboard in left field giving Miami a three-run lead.
UNC drew within, 4-2, in the top of the fourth. Chad Flack doubled to center field and later scored on Tim Federowicz’ RBI groundout.
DiNatale’s seventh homer of the season made it 6-2 in favor of the Hurricanes in the bottom of the fourth.
Miami capitalized on five walks by North Carolina pitchers in the bottom of the seventh to score six runs. Four straight walks to start off the seventh put the Hurricanes ahead, 7-2. Weeks two-run single to left field extended the UM lead to 9-2. After Ryan Jackson’s sacrifice fly made it 10-2, DiNatale added a two-run single to right field which made for the 10-run lead.
Miami and North Carolina continue their series Friday at 7 p.m. The game will be televised live on CSS. Miami will recognize its lone senior RHP Enrique Garcia in pregame ceremony. The game can be heard on WVUM (90.5 FM), WQAM (560 AM) and in Spanish on WWWK 105.FM and WPIK 102.5 FM.
Game and Notes
-Junior first baseman Yonder Alonso hit his second career grand slam and second grand slam of the season in the bottom of the third inning. Alonso’s first career grand slam actually came against No. 2 Florida State in the series finale which led Miami to an 11-10 win. Alonso now has homered 11 times in the last 19 games.
– The Hurricanes hit two home runs off UNC starter Alex White, who entered the game only surrendering two homers on the season.
– The win for Miami also guaranteed that Miami will finish the regular season with the fewest losses under Jim Morris, since he took over the program in 1994. The 1998 team lost nine regular season games and finished 46-9.
– Freshman lefty Chris Hernandez became the second straight UM freshman pitcher to win 10 games in a season. Eric Erickson finished last season 10-4 in his freshman campaign. Hernandez also didn’t walk a batter for the third straight game. He now is 10-0 with a 2.67 ERA.
– Junior designated hitter Dave DiNatale homered for the seventh time this season in the bottom of the fourth.
– Miami scored at least 10 runs for the 22nd time this season. It was also the third time that UM has scored at least 10 runs against a team ranked No. 2 this season as Miami defeated No. 2 Florida State, 11-4 in the series opener and 11-10 in the series finale. UM has had a 10-run game in all but one ACC series this season. Duke held Miami to seven runs in the series opener and eight runs in game two of the series. Miami has scored in double digits in 13 of their 26 ACC games this season.
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