Grandal's RBI single lifts Hurricanes past Tigers
May 31, 2008
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) – Yasmani Grandal’s tie-breaking run-scoring single in the eighth lifted No. 1 ranked and top-seeded Miami to a 6-5 victory over Missouri in a winner’s bracket game of the Coral Gables Regional Saturday afternoon.
Grandal hit a hard ground ball off Missouri reliever Kyle Gibson (9-3) and past shortstop Andrew Thigpen, scoring Dave DiNatale from third. Dinatale reached on a one-out walk and advanced to third on pinch-hitter Adan Severino’s single to right.
Miami reliever Carlos Gutierrez got the win, retiring the four hitters he faced. Gutierrez (5-2) struck out Aaron Senne and Jacob Priday for the final two outs. The victory assures Miami (49-8) a berth in the championship bracket Sunday at 4. Missouri and Mississippi will play an elimination game at noon.
Earlier, Mississippi eliminated Bethune Cookman 14-1. The Tigers (39-20) overcame a 5-0 deficit with a three-run fifth and Steve Gray’s two-run home run off Miami reliever Kyle Bellamy in the eighth. Gray hit Bellamy’s 1-2 pitch over the wall in the left centerfield for his 11th home run of the season.
Aaron Senne’s two-run single against Hurricanes starter Chris Hernandez in the fifth reduced Miami’s lead 5-2. Jacob Priday’s fielder’s choice scored Ryan Lollis for Missouri’s third run of the inning.
Bellamy relieved Hernandez with two out and runners on second and third in the sixth and retired Priday on a lineout to shortstop Ryan Jackson.
Hernandez pitched 6 2/3 innings, surrendered a season-high 10 hits and struck out eight. Blake Tekotte and Jackson each hit two-run home runs helping the Hurricanes build a 5-0 lead after three innings.
Tekotte’s second-inning shot, his 11th of the season, cleared the wall in right field and gave Miami a 3-0 advantage.
Missouri starter Rick Zagone surrendered his second homer when Jackson’s shot landed over the left field fence. Zagone allowed five runs and seven hits in 4/13 innings. Miami took a 1-0 lead on Jackson’s run-scoring single in the first.
