No. 12 Miami Downs Rutgers, 6-1, in Season Opener
Feb. 20, 2009
CORAL GABLES, FLA.– Head coach Jim Morris won his 1,200th career game as a Division I head coach and newcomer Scott Lawson went 3-for-4 with two RBI as the 12th-ranked University of Miami baseball team defeated Rutgers, 6-1, on opening night at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.
Miami (1-0) and Rutgers (0-1) remained tied at one heading into the bottom of the fifth before Lawson’s third hit of the game – a two-out single to right – brought home Jason Hagerty for what would prove to be the game-winning run for the `Canes.
Sophomore starter Chris Hernandez picked up the win for UM, allowing just one run on three hits in six innings while striking out seven and walking three. Junior Taylor Wulf made his first career appearance on the mound for the `Canes, tossing two scoreless innings before giving way to junior Michael Rudman who pitched a scoreless ninth.
In addition to Lawson’s 3-for-4 performance, sophomore Yasmani Grandal finished 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and two runs scored while freshman Harold Martinez went 2-for-4 with RBI in his Miami debut.
Rutgers starter Casey Gaynor lasted five innings, and despite allowing only one earned run, suffered the loss. Willie Beard came on in the fifth and allowed two runs in 2/3 innings before Kevin Lillis, Sean Campbell and Sean Peterson finished out the game for Rutgers.
Dan Betteridge was the lone Scarlet Knight with multiple hits, finishing the night 2-for-3.
Rutgers opened the scoring in the top of the third when a Jayson Hernandez fielder’s choice scored Jarred Jimenez from third.
Miami tied things up at one in the bottom half of the third when Lawson’s first hit – a double to left – scored Nathan Melendres from second.After Lawson put Miami up 2-1, Martinez’s first career hit pushed UM’s lead to 4-1 when he smacked a bases-loaded single to center, scoring Chris Herrmann from third and Grandal from second.
Finally, Grandal pushed the score to 6-1 in the bottom of the eighth when he hit UM’s first home run of the season with a towering two-run blast over the scoreboard in left.
Prior to the game, former `Cane and current Baltimore Oriole Aubrey Huff was honored as he is set to be inducted into the UM Sports Hall of Fame.
Miami and Rutgers will play two seven-inning contests on Saturday starting at 4 p.m. at Alex Rodriguez Park. Junior right-hander David Gutierrez is slated to start the first game for the `Canes while left-hander Dennis Hill will get the nod for the Scarlet Knights.
Postgame Notes
– UM head coach Jim Morris recorded his 1,200th career victory as a Division I head coach.
– A sell-out crowd of 3,000 was on hand to see the season-opener.
– With the win, UM improved to 48-17 in home openers.
– Sophomore left-hander Chris Hernandez tied a career-high allowing three walks.
– Junior Scott Lawson recorded his first hit as a Hurricane with a bloop double to short right-center in the bottom of the first. He followed that up with his first RBI with another double in the third, scoring Nathan Melendres from second.
– Freshman Nathan Melendres recorded his first career hit and first career stolen base with a single and a swipe of second in the bottom of the third.
– Junior Chris Herrmann’s first career hit at UM came in the bottom of the sixth when he hit a one-out single to right off Beard.
– Freshman Harold Martinez’s first hit and first two RBI came in the bottom of the sixth.
