`Canes Down Alumni, 11-3, Saturday Night at FanFest
Feb. 13, 2010
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The 12th-ranked University of Miami baseball team defeated the former `Canes, 11-3, in Saturday’s alumni game at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field. Despite the most impressive group of players returning for the alumni team in the game’s history, the 2010 team earned a come-from-behind win behind solid pitching early on that held the alumni to just one hit through the first five innings.
The game, which was held in conjunction with the team’s fourth annual FanFest, was played about an hour after junior All-America catcher Yasmani Grandal won a home run derby against former `Canes Ryan Braun and Yonder Alonso and teammate Ryan Perry.
Harold Martinez led the `Canes with a double, a walk, two runs scored and a run batted in while Yasmani Grandal had a pair of hits and a walk. Stephen Perez also doubled and scored, Scott Lawson had a single, a walk, a run scored and a RBI while Chris Pelaez had a single, a walk and run scored. Iden Nazario earned the win, tossing a scoreless third.
Paco Figueroa had the alumni’s only hit before the sixth, Adan Severino doubled a scored in the sixth while Blake Tekotte had two walks and a run.
The alumni jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the second to take the early advantage. After a Tekotte walk, a Paco Figueroa single and a Kevin Brown walk loaded the bases, a Javy Rodriguez sacrifice fly and a fielder’s choice put the alumni up two.
The 2010 `Canes got a run back in the bottom of the second when a Martinez sacrifice fly to right scored Pelaez.
Perez led off the bottom of the third with a ground-rule double to right-center and moments later, scored on a Lawson single to right to tie it up. Two batters later, a wild pitch scored Lawson from third to give the current team its first lead at 3-2.
The `Canes went up 4-2 in the fifth when a Michael Broad sacrifice fly to center scored Frankie Ratcliff.
The alumni got a run back in the sixth on a throwing error to cut the deficit to 4-3.
In the bottom of the sixth, the current team scored two runs on a Thomas Powers’ infield single and a balk, taking a three-run advantage.
The `Canes pulled away an inning later, scoring three runs in the seventh to go up 9-3. Broad made it 11-3 in the eighth with a two-run double to center.
Prior to the alumni game, Grandal came away victorious in the home run derby, hitting seven home runs in the first round and five more in the second, defeating Braun – who hit one home run in the final round – for the title.
The day’s festivities were held under cool conditions, with temperatures falling into the lower 50’s during the alumni game.
Yonder Alonso, Blake Tekotte, Jon Jay, Chris Perez, Carlos Gutierrez and Kyle Bellamy were among the group of alumni that played in the game. Assistant head coach J.D. Arteaga started for the alumni, while Jason Santana started for the 2010 squad.
The ‘Canes will open the 2010 season Friday, Feb. 19 at home against Rutgers. To order tickets for the 2010 season, call 1-800-GO-CANES or visit www.hurricanesports.com.
