March 3, 2010
CORAL GABLES, Fla. –The 10th-ranked University of Miami baseball team will step out of regular season play to play Major League Baseball’s Florida Marlins on Wednesday at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter. First pitch is slated for 3:05 p.m.
The Hurricanes have opened the 2010 season with a record of 6-1, with series wins over Rutgers and Manhattan as well as a mid-week 15-2 victory over USF on Tuesday at the Florida Four tournament in Tampa. Miami is averaging 11.14 runs per game (78 runs in seven contests) and has reached double-digit runs in four of its first seven games.
On Tuesday against USF, preaseason All-America catcher Yasmani Grandal led the `Canes at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three doubles, two walks, two RBI and three runs scored. Michael Broad had four RBI on the night, Harold Martinez reached base four times and scored three times and Chris Pelaez extended his season-opening hitting streak to six games.
Pelaez continues to lead the Atlantic Coast Conference in hitting with a .650 average (13-for-20). The junior college transfer also has two homers, seven RBI and a team-high tying 10 runs scored. He has reached base on 19 of his first 27 plate appearances, good enough for a .731 on-base percentage. After going 8-for-11 against Rutgers in the season opening series, Pelaez went 4-for-6 with a homer and four runs scored in two games against Manhattan.
Broad broke onto the scene this past weekend against Manhattan, hitting a team-best .444 (4-for-9) with four walks, two RBI and six runs scored in three games. Fellow freshman Stephen Perez is coming off one of hisbest games as a `Cane, going 3-for-4 on Sunday against the Jaspers.
Freshman left-hander Jerad Grundy will start for the `Canes. Grundy, a native of Johnsburg, Ill., is 0-0 with a 13.50 ERA this season, allowing five runs on five hits while walking one and striking out two in two innings of work. Right-hander Ricky Nolasco is slated to take the mound for the Marlins Wednesday.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 3:05 p.m.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Hurricanes – LHP Jerad Grundy at Marlins – RHP Ricky Nolasco
RADIO: 90.5 WVUM
CANES-MARLINS ALL-TIME SERIES
The game between the Hurricanes and the Marlins – slated to start at 3:05 p.m. – will be the 10th exhibition meeting between the two teams, with the Marlins owning a 7-1-1 edge. Former Hurricane Gaby Sanchez is slated to start at first base for the Marlins while Ricky Nolasco is likely to take the mound against UM. The series started in 1997, when the Marlins won the first meeting, 2-1, in Homstead. The next three games were played in Coral Gables while the last five games played since 2003 have all been played in Jupiter.
`CANES HOLD STEADY IN RANKINGS
After picking up series wins in each of their first two weekends, the Hurricanes held steady in all four major national polls on Monday. UM came in at No. 10 in the NCBWA poll and No. 11 in both the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll and Collegiate Baseball’s poll. The Hurricanes also stayed at No. 16 in the Baseball America poll.
RIVALRY WEEKEND COMING UP
The University of Miami’s annual series with in-state rival Florida has moved back to Coral Gables this year. The `Canes and Gators will square off this upcoming weekend at Alex Rodriguez Park. Game one of the three-game set is slated for 7 p.m. Friday night, with game two set for 7 p.m. Saturday and game three scheduled for Sunday at 3 p.m. The series finale will be broadcast live by Sun Sports.
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.