No. 13 Miami Opens ACC Play at Home Against Boston College
March 11, 2010
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The 13th-ranked University of Miami baseball team will open Atlantic Coast Conference play this weekend when the Hurricanes play host to Boston College, March 12-14, at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field. Game times this weekend are set for 7 p.m. Friday night, 7 p.m. Saturday night and 1 p.m. Sunday. Saturday’s contest will be televised live by CSS.
Fresh off its biggest win of the season – a 19-2 win at UCF on Tuesday – Miami (8-3) will send left-hander Chris Hernandez (1-1, 2.65) to the mound in the opener, while Boston College (5-6) will counter with another lefty in Pat Dean (2-0, 3.86).
The Hurricanes continue to score runs at an impressive rate, averaging just under 10 runs per contest and scoring at least seven runs in nine of 11 games thus far. Junior transfer Chris Pelaez enters ACC play as one of the most accomplished hitters in the league through the season’s first month. Pelaez currently leads the league in slugging percentage (.882), ranks second in hitting (.529) and third in on-base percentage (.585).
Sophomore outfielder Nathan Melendres has arguably been Miami’s hottest hitter as of late however, hitting a team-best .385 over UM’s last five contests. Melendres was one of three `Canes with at least three hits against the Knights on Tuesday, going 3-for-6 with a pair of runs scored. Sophomore third baseman Harold Martinez also went 3-for-6 with two RBI and two runs scored while freshman shortstop Stephen Perez had the best day of any Hurricane at the plate, going 4-for-6 with a grand slam, 6 RBI and three runs scored.
Freshman lefty Steven Ewing (2-0, 2.92) pitched well again for Miami on Tuesday against the Knights, earning his second win in just his second start.
Following Hernandez on Friday night, Miami is slated to throw RHP Jason Santana (0-1, 9.00) on Saturday and LHP Eric Erickson (1-1, 3.00) on Sunday. Boston College will counter with a pair of right-handers in Kevin Moran (1-1, 9.31) on Saturday and Mike Dennhardt (1-2, 12.66) on Sunday.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
GAME 12: FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 7 p.m.
PROBABLE STARTERS
MIAMI – LHP Chris Hernandez vs. BC – LHP Pat Dean
RADIO: 90.5 WVUM
GAME 13: SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 7 p.m.
PROBABLE STARTERS
MIAMI – RHP Jason Santana vs. BC – RHP Kevin Moran
RADIO: 90.5 WVUM
TV: CSS
GAME 14: SUNDAY, MARCH 14, 1 p.m.
PROBABLE STARTERS
MIAMI – LHP Eric Erickson vs. BC – RHP Mike Dennhardt
RADIO: 90.5 WVUM
BC REPORT
The Eagles come into this weekend’s series with a record of 5-6, including a mark of 2-3 to open the team’s eight-game road trip in the state of Florida. After losing two of three last weekend at FAU, Boston College stayed in South Florida this week and split a pair of mid-week games at FIU Tuesday and Wednesday. The Eagles are led at the plate by veteran outfielder Robbie Anston, who leads the club in hitting (.458), doubles (7), on-base percentage (.536) and runs scored (20). John Spatola is BC’s top power source, leading the Eagles in homers (5) and slugging percentage (.857). Lefty Pat Dean anchors a BC pitching staff that has struggled early on this season. Outside of Dean, who is 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA in three starts, only two other Eagles – relievers Hunter Gordon and Taylor Lasko – own an ERA under five.
PEREZ CARRIES `CANES AT UCF
Freshman shortstop Stephen Perez had quite a night at the plate on Tuesday in Orlando, going 4-for-6 with a grand slam, six RBI and three runs scored. Perez, who had just four RBI in 10 games coming in, accounted for nine of UM’ 19 runs in the victory over the Knights
ATTENDANCE NUMBERS UP
An average of 3,511 fans have attended Miami’s first nine home games at Alex Rodriguez Park this season. That average ranks Miami 12th nationally so far this season. Last weekend against Florida, 13,310 fans attended the three-game series, including over 4,000 for all three games. Last season, UM averaged 2,170 at its home games.
`CANES NOMINATED FOR CWS LEGENDS TEAM
Head coach Jim Morris and former Hurricanes Pat Burrell, Danny Matienzo and Alex Cora have been nominated for potential selection to the CWS Legends Team, as announced by the NCAA on Thursday. With the 2010 Men’s College World Series to be the last played in Omaha’s Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium, the NCAA is asking fans to help select a CWS Legends Team that will represent student-athletes and coaches who had the best CWS performances in the 60 years the event has been held at the stadium. Fans can vote on who they think should be selected as members of the the team on the NCAA’s website at www.ncaa.com/cws.
TICKET INFO
Single game and season tickets are currently available for the 2010 University of Miami season. Single game prices start as low as $10, while season tickets start at $100. Group packages are also available. For more information or to order your tickets for Hurricanes baseball, visit www.hurricanesports.com or call 1-800-GO-CANES.
