In-State Rivals Square Off as No. 7 Miami Hosts No. 23 FSU
April 2, 2009
CORAL GABLES, Fla. —The seventh-ranked University of Miami baseball team will host in-state rival No. 23 Florida State this weekend in a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.
The Hurricanes (21-7, 8-4 ACC) are coming off a mid-week win over Barry on Wednesday, while the Seminoles (17-8, 6-4 ACC) – winners of seven straight – just picked up a 3-2 win over No. 19 Florida on Tuesday.
The first two games of the weekend series are slated for 7 p.m. Friday and 7 p.m. Saturday before Sunday’s finale’s set for 1 p.m. All three games will be televised live by CSS.
David Gutierrez (2-2), the ACC’s leader in ERA at 1.51, will make his first Friday start of the season this weekend. Gutierrez, who had been UM’s regular Saturday starter through the first half of the season, has kept his opponents to one earned run or less in five of his first six starts. In 35 2/3 innings, Gutierrez has given up just six earned runs while he is holding his opponents to just a .206 batting average against him.
Scott Lawson has been UM’s most consistent hitter all season and entering the FSU series, the junior second baseman is leading the team in batting average (.373), runs (28), hits (38), doubles (12) and total bases (58). Over the last five games, Lawson has reached base 73.1 percent of the time he has stepped into the batter’s box, going 7-for-14 with two doubles, a homer, a hit-by-pitch and 11 walks.
Jason Hagerty has nearly matched Lawson’s offensive production as of late, tallying a team-high 13 RBI in the last five games. Hagerty, who is tied with Lawson for a team-high 23 walks this season, is hitting .302 with five homers, 25 runs and a team-high 29 RBI.
Closer Kyle Bellamy continues to anchor a UM bullpen that was the team’s strength through the season’s first half. He comes into the weekend with a record of 3-0 and a perfect seven-for-seven in save opportunities. In 20 innings of work this year, Bellamy has allowed just two earned runs and has the staff’s best strikeout-to-innings pitched ratio (1.65 K/IP).
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
GAME 29: FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 7 P.M.
PROBABLE STARTERS
MIAMI – RHP David Gutierrez (2-2, 1.51 ERA) vs. FSU – LHP Sean Gilmartin (5-1, 2.92 ERA)
TV: CSS
RADIO: 560 WQAM, 1450 ESPN DEPORTES, 90.5 WVUM
GAME 30: SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 7 P.M.
PROBABLE STARTERS
MIAMI – LHP Chris Hernandez (2-2, 5.88 ERA) vs. FSU – LHP Brian Busch (1-1, 2.67 ERA)
TV: CSS
RADIO: 560 WQAM, 1450 ESPN DEPORTES, 90.5 WVUM
GAME 31: SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 1 P.M.
PROBABLE STARTERS
MIAMI – LHP Iden Nazario (3-0, 5.28 ERA) vs. FSU – RHP Mike McGee (2-1, 3.55 ERA)
TV: CSS
RADIO: 560 WQAM, 1450 ESPN DEPORTES, 90.5 WVUM
FLORIDA STATE REPORTThe Seminoles, winners of seven straight coming into the weekend, are coming off a series sweep over Maryland last weekend before a mid-week win over No. 19 Florida on Tuesday.
Tyler Holt leads the Seminoles in a number of offensive categories, including batting average (.454), hits (44), runs (35), slugging percentage (.680), on-base percentage(.534), total bases (66) and stolen bases (12). Stuart Tapley (.294, 7 HR, 24 RBI) is the Seminoles’ other top offensive threat. As a team, the Seminoles are hitting .333.
Friday night starter Sean Gilmartin has been the team’s most effective pitcher through the mid-way point of the season, going 5-1 with a 2.92 ERA in six starts. Gilmartin leads the team with 42 strikeouts and has just given up 12 earned runs in 37 innings. Brian Busch (1-1, 2.67 ERA) is slated to start on Saturday while Mike McGee (2-1, 3.55 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound on Sunday.
As a staff, the Seminoles own a 4.60 ERA. Closer Jimmy Marshall is 1-1 with five saves and has struck out 19, walked six and allowed seven runs on 11 hits in 11 2/3 innings of work.
MIAMI vs. FLORIDA STATE
Florida State owns a 132-118-4 edge in the all-time series versus Miami, but the Hurricanes have won five of the last six meetings. Last year, the Hurricanes won two-of-three games in Tallahassee and another in Omaha at the College World Series. The last time the Seminoles came to Coral Gables, Florida State won two-of-three in 2007.
AFTER FLORIDA STATE
The Hurricanes will conclude their nine-game homestand with a mid-week game against FAU on Tuesday, April 7 before traveling to Clemson, S.C. to take on the Tigers, April 10-12, at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
1999 NATIONAL CHAMPS TO BE HONORED SATURDAY
The 1999 National Champion University of Miami baseball team will be honored prior to Saturday night’s game between UM and Florida State at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field. Ten years after the team won the school’s third national title, members of the championship squad will be on hand and will be recognized in an on-field ceremony prior to the 7 p.m. game between the seventh-ranked Hurricanes and 23rd-ranked Seminoles. Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt will be on hand, in addition to UM head coach Jim Morris. Morris led the 1999 team to an overall record of 50-13, including four-straight wins in Omaha over Rice, Alabama (twice) and FSU in the championship game to claim the first of his two national titles as the head coach at Miami. UM’s three other national championships in baseball came in 1982, 1985 and 2001.
As of April 2, the following players have confirmed they will be in attendance Saturday:
First Baseman Kevin Brown (1999 CWS MVP)
Left-handed pitcher Ryan Channell
Infielder Kris Clute
Outfielder Manny Crespo
Right-handed pitcher Luke DeBold
First Baseman Raul De Castro
Catcher Mike Di Rosa
Third Baseman Lale Esquivel
Right-handed pitcher Tom Farmer
Right-handed pitcher David Gil
Outfielder Marcus Nettles
Left handed pitcher Alex Prendes
Infielder Javy Rodriguez
Right-handed pitcher Darryl Roque
Right-handed pitcher Alex Santos
Outfielder Brian Seever
Outfielder Mark Walker
‘CANES IN TOP 10 IN FOUR POLLS
Despite dropping two-of-three versus No. 3 Georgia Tech over the weekend, the University of Miami baseball team is still ranked in the Top 10 in four of five major college baseball polls, including as high as No. 7 in both the USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches Poll and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll. In addition to those two polls, UM is ranked No. 9 in both the Rivals.com poll and Collegiate Baseball poll, while Baseball America has the `Canes just outside of the Top 10 at No. 11 this week.
WALK THIS WAY
Miami has walked an impressive 146 times already through theseason’s first 28 games (5.2 walks per contest). Jason Hagerty andScott Lawson are tied for the ACC lead with 23 walks, while ChrisHerrmann is third on the team 17 free passes. With UM hitting .303as a team, in addition to drawing 146 free passes, five regulars have anon-base percentage of .400 or higher. Scott Lawson leads the teamwith a .485 on-base percentage, while Hagerty is second with a.474 OB%. Hagerty’s 23 walks in the season’s first 28 games thisseason is already two more than he had in his first two years at UM(76 games).
