Weislow Powers No. 10 Miami Past No. 12 Florida, 8-5
Feb. 27, 2009
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Senior Jonathan Weislow hit his first two career homers – including a game-winning three run homer in the sixth – as the 10th-ranked University of Miami baseball team took game one of a three-game set against No. 12 Florida, 8-5, in front of 4,714 fans Friday night at McKethan Stadium.
Weislow, who in 51 career games coming into the contest had just 10 RBI in 51 at-bats, finished 2-for-4 with the two homers, a walk, five RBI and two runs scored. It was the second time in as many games a `Cane hit two homers in a game after junior Jason Hagerty accomplished the feat in last weekend’s series finale against Rutgers (2/22).
With the win, Miami improves to 4-1 overall. Florida suffered its first loss of the season, falling to 5-1.
Sophomore starter Chris Hernandez (2-0) picked up his second win of the year, allowing four runs on six hits while walking one and striking out five. Freshman Daniel Miranda relieved Hernandez and pitched effectively, allowing one run on one hit in 2 2/3 innings before giving way to junior Kyle Bellamy. Bellamy closed out the game for UM, earning his second save of the year after allowing one just hit and two walks while striking out two.
In addition to Weislow, senior Dave DiNatale and junior Ryan Jackson each finished with a pair of hits. DiNatale finished 2-for-5 with two runs while Jackson went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
UF starter Patrick Keating (1-1) suffered the loss despite allowing just three earned runs. Keating, who was hurt by three UF errors, surrendered six runs in total while allowing eight hits and a walk in 5 1/3 innings. Tony Davis came on and tossed a scoreless 1 2/3 innings, striking out two before handing it over to Will Jolin and Greg Larson who each allowed a late run.
The Gators opened the scoring in the third with three runs off Hernandez. The first came on a Matt den Dekker sacrifice fly that plated Riley Cooper before Mike Mooney scored moments later on a Josh Adams ground-run double to left-center. Brandon McArthur drove in the third run with a line shot to center, scoring Adams from second.
Miami responded with three of their own in the top half of the fourth. Harold Martinez started things off when he reached on an error to lead off the inning. Two batters later, DiNatale singled to center before a Jason Hagerty groundout scored Martinez for the first run of the frame. With two outs and a man on, Weislow hit his first homer – a line shot to left – to tie things up at 3-3.
UF re-took the lead in the fifth when a McCarthur infield single up the middle scored Mooney from third to put the Gators up 4-3 after five.From there, the Hurricanes established their first lead of the night in the sixth on Weislow’s second blast.
After UM plated another run in the top of the eighth, the Gators threatened in the bottom half of the inning but the `Canes were able to hold them to just a run. After one run had already come across against Miranda, Bellamy entered the game and after giving up a single and a walk, proceeded to get out of the jam by inducing a bases-loaded groundout to third to keep it at 7-5.
UM added some cushion in the ninth, picking up one more run to close the scoring at 8-5.
McArthur had the best day at the plate for UF, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.
The `Canes and Gators will play game two of the series Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. Junior right-hander David Gutierrez is slated to start for UM while Alex Panteliodis will start for UF.
Postgame Notes
– Freshman Nathan Melendres and junior Scott Lawson each extended their team-best hitting streak to five games.
– Senior Jonathan Weislow hit his first and second career home runs in the top of the fourth and top of the sixth respectively.
– Weislow’s two-homer night marks the second consecutive game a Hurricane has his two homers in a game (Junior Jason Hagerty hit two in UM’s series finale versus Rutgers on Feb. 22).
-Sophomore starter Chris Hernandez extended his consecutive appearances without a loss streak to 20. With the win, Hernandez improved his career record to 13-0.
– Freshman reliever Daniel Miranda (2 2/3 innings) lasted more than two innings in his second straight relief appearance to begin his UM career.
– Junior closer Kyle Bellamy earned his second save of the season.
