Hurricanes Fall To FSU on Day Two of ACC Championship
May 21, 2009
DURHAM, N.C. – Falling behind 4-0 after the first inning, the fifth-seeded University of Miami baseball team was unable to mount a comeback against top-seeded Florida State, falling 4-2 Thursday on the second day of play at the 2009 ACC Baseball Championship.
With the loss, Miami (36-19) was eliminated from championship contention. The Hurricanes will close out their tournament run against Boston College Friday at 12 p.m. Florida State (42-14) clinched a spot in the championship game with the win.
FSU’s top three hitters all recorded hits off UM starter Chris Hernandez (7-4) in the top of the first. A single by center fielder Tommy Holt started it off and was followed by back-to-back run-scoring doubles by Stephen Cardullo and Mike McGee off “The Blue Monster,” the oversized wall that stretches from the left-field line to center field at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
Hernandez retired the next two batters, but designated hitter Tommy Oravetz followed with his seventh homer of the season to give Busch a 4-0 advantage before he ever took the mound.
Miami scored its first run in the fourth inning when catcher Yasmani Grandal singled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Harold Martinez. Two innings later, Grandal hit a massive solo home run off the third balcony of the office building beyond the left field wall, cutting the lead to 4-2.
Brian Busch (6-2) earned the win in six innings of work before Geoff Parker and John Gast each tossed a scoreless frame setting up Jimmy Marshall’s 10th save of the season for the Seminoles.
Hernandez, who struck out seven on the day, was able to shut down FSU after the first, allowing just one hit over the next five innings.
Grandal had two of UM’s four hits, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Ryan Jackson and Chris Herrmann each had a hit while Ted Blackman drew three walks on the afternoon.
Parker struggled in his one inning of action, issuing walks to right fielder Dave DiNatale, Blackman and second baseman Scott Lawson to load the bases. Parker survived the inning on an errant pitch that got away from catcher Rafael Lopez. Lopez located the ball and flipped it to Parker, who tagged DiNatale out at the plate for the third out of the inning.
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Game Notes
– Ted Blackman recorded his first three-walk game of his career.
– After taking two out of three from Florida State in the regular season, the season series between the two teams is now tied.
– Chris Hernandez (6 IP) lasted at least five innings for the 14th time in 14 starts this season.
– Yasmani Grandal hit his team-leading 16th homer of the season in the bottom of the sixth.
Radio Note
– In addition to its regular broadcast on 560 AM in South Florida, WQAM can be heard live on 87.7 FM in the Durham area during UM’s tournament games.
