No. 9 Miami to Host Bethune-Cookman with FSU Trip Looming
April 19, 2010
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Fresh off a series sweep of No. 21 North Carolina this past weekend, No. 9 Miami will welcome Bethune-Cookman to Alex Rodriguez Park for a mid-week showdown on Tuesday, April 20 at 6 p.m.
The Hurricanes improved to 27-9 overall and 14-4 in Atlantic Coast Conference play after picking up its first series sweep over North Carolina since Miami joined the ACC in 2005. The `Canes clinched the sweep with a thrilling come-from-behind win on Sunday, scoring three runs in the bottom of the eighth in a curfew-shortened game to win 8-7. Down 7-5 going into the final half inning, the `Canes rallied to tie it up before a wild pitch allowed Scott Lawson to plate the winning run in the finale.
Junior catcher Yasmani Grandal, who went 3-for-4 with four RBI on Sunday, now leads all ACC hitters in average (.420) and on-base percentage (.524) this year. Over the last 15 games, Grandal has recorded 29 RBI and 11 multi-hit games while his .479 average against conference opponents is 43 points higher the next highest ACC hitter.
Senior right-hander David Gutierrez, who tossed seven perfect innings last week in a 9-0 win over FGCU, will make his third start of the season Tuesday. Gutierrez, who is 3-0 with a 4.12 ERA, has tossed 11 scoreless innings since making the transition from closer to starter two weeks back.
Sophomore lefty Daniel Miranda replaced Gutierrez as Miami’s closer and has since earned a pair of saves and a win in his new role. Miranda (3-1, 1.99 ERA) has been UM’s best reliever over the last month, allowing just two earned runs in his last 18 2/3 innings (11 appearances).
After holding its opponents to just eight earned runs in four games last week, the Miami pitching staff now leads the ACC with a 3.49 team ERA. Against conference opponents, the Hurricanes boast an impressive 2.99 ERA – nearly a run better than a Virginia staff that ranks second with a 3.84 mark.
GAME 37: TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 6 p.m.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Wildcats – LHP Roman Lancara (3-1, 5.10 ERA) vs. Hurricanes – RHP David Gutierrez (3-0, 4.12 ERA)
RADIO: 90.5 WVUM
BETHUNE-COOKMAN REPORT
Bethune-Cookman is 23-14 overall and 6-7 on the road this year. The Wildcats have won eight of their last nine coming in – including a series sweep of Norfolk State at home this past weekend. Peter O’Brien leads the B-CU offense, hitting .386 with 16 homers, 40 RBI and 34 runs scored on the year. C.J. Lauriello (.370) is another of the team’s top hitters, while Ryan Durrence (.338) leads the club with 42 RBI. Matt Wright has a team-high 11 steals, while Lauriello has eight. Tuesday’s probable starter – Roman Lancara – is 3-1 with a 5.10 ERA in 42 1/3 innings. Lancara has appeared in 10 games, starting eight. Relievers Joe Munoz (2-2, 3.95) and Anselmo (2-0, 4.03) boast the top ERA on the staff, while Juan Perez (1-3, 5.09) has seven of the team’s eight saves.
MIAMI-BETHUNE-COOKMAN ALL-TIME SERIES
The Hurricanes hold a 19-3 advantage in their all-time series with the Wildcats. Last season however, B-CU took two-of-three games from UM in a weekend series in Coral Gables late in the year. The series started in 1983, with Miami winning the first 10 meetings until when B-CU’s first win came during the 2002 season.
`CANES VS. B-CU
Scott Lawson had a lot of success in Miami’s weekend series against Bethune-Cookman last season, going 5-for-11 with four walks, two doubles, four runs scored and seven total bases against the Wildcats. Yasmani Grandal is 6-for-17 with nine RBI in six career games against Bethune-Cookman, hitting a three-run homer in Miami’s last win over the Wildcats last year on May 9.
POLL MOVEMENT
After going 4-0 last week, the Hurricanes moved up in four polls released Monday afternoon. Miami jumped back into the Top 10 in the Collegiate Baseball poll, going from No. 13 back to No. 9 in country. The other big jump came in the Rivals.com poll, where the `Canes went from No. 17 to No. 14 while both Baseball America and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll moved UM up a spot from No. 15 to No. 14. The new NCBWA poll will be released Monday night.
ZEKE’S WEEK
Freshman centerfielder Zeke DeVoss had his most productive week as `Cane last week, going 7-for-15 with two homers, three RBI, eight runs scored and five stolen bases in UM’s four wins. DeVoss, who scored multiple runs in three of four games, was one of three `Canes to hit a pair of homers in UM’s sweep of No. 21 North Carolina. His five stolen bases on the week brought his team-leading season total to 16. He also hit safely in all four games – including hitting his third and fourth homers of the season on Friday and Sunday against the Tar Heels.
FSU WEEKEND COMING UP
Following Tuesday’s game against Bethune-Cookman, the Hurricanes will make their biennial trip to Tallahassee to take on rival Florida State in a three-game series April 23-25 at Dick Howser Stadium. The `Canes have won seven of their last 10 meetings with FSU and have claimed regular season series wins the last two years against the Seminoles. This weekend’s series will mark Miami’s second-to-last weekend road trip of the 2010 season.
TICKET INFO
To order tickets for Tuesday night’s game or any of the remaining 12 regular season home games left on Miami’s schedule, visit www.hurricanesports.com or call 1-800-GO-CANES.
