Current Hurricanes Win Baseball Alumni Game, 2-0
Oct. 24, 2008
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami baseball team held its annual alumni game Friday at Mark Light Field, with the current Hurricanes defeating the former players, 2-0.
With a scoreless ballgame in the bottom of the sixth, the current `Canes plated both of their runs on a pair of singles from freshman outfielder Nathan Melendres and junior shortstop Ryan Jackson. Melendres brought home the first run for UM with a bloop single to center, scoring junior college transfer Scott Lawson from second. A batter later, Jackson hit an infield single to short to bring home senior Ryan Perry, who had reached earlier on a hit-by-pitch.
Junior right-hander Michael Rudman earned the win after tossing a scoreless sixth. Freshman right-hander Kevin Youst came on in the seventh to close out the game for the Hurricanes, retiring three straight alumni to secure the win.
Junior right-hander David Gutierrez started for the current `Canes and tossed a scoreless first. Right-handed junior college transfer Taylor Wulf followed with scoreless inning of his own in the second before junior John Housey followed with another in the third.
The Hurricanes continued to keep the alumni at bay with a new pitcher every inning. Junior Kyle Bellamy and freshman Sam Robinson tossed shutout innings in the fourth and the fifth, setting up the opportunity for Rudman in the sixth.
The top two spots in UM’s lineup – a combination of Jackson, Melendres and junior outfielder Jonathan Weislow – combined to get on base in 7-of-8 plate appearances. Jackson led the `Canes at the plate with a 3-for-4 night, smacking a pair of singles and a third-inning double.
The alumni’s best chance to score came in the top of the fourth, when Kevin Brown was stranded on second after hitting deep two-out double to center.
Prior to the game, members of the 2008 team were on hand to accept their 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship rings.
The current `Canes will now hold four intrasquad scrimmages over the next two weeks before playing host to Miami Dade College and Indian River on back-to-back days, Nov. 6-7. From there, the team’s Orange-Green Fall World Series will take place Nov. 12-15, a week before UM closes out its fall season when it hosts Pro Scout Day on Nov. 22.
