Baseball Set for Orange and Green Fall World Series
Nov. 1, 2010
Coral Gables, Fla. – The University of Miami baseball team is set to hold its Fourth Annual Orange-Green Fall World Series, with the first game set to begin Tues., Nov. 2, at Alex Rodriguez Park. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m., and fans are encouraged to attend with admission absolutely free.
The five-game series will be spread-out over the course of the next two weeks, with the second game of the series to be played Fri., Nov. 5 at 3 p.m.
The Green Team will be led by junior left-handed pitcher Daniel Miranda, as well as All-Atlantic Coast Conference infielder junior Harold Martinez. Last season, Martinez batted .295 for the `Canes, hammering a team-best 21 homeruns, while driving in a team-high 69 runs on a third-best 71 hits. On the mound, Miranda registered a 3.23 ERA with a team-high tying five saves out of the bullpen. He posted a 5-3 record in 34 outings, striking out 59 batters in 47.1 innings on the hill.
For the three-time defending champion Orange Team, they will be led by junior outfielder Nathan Melendres, who is the leading hitter returning from last season’s NCAA Super Regional team. In 2010, Melendres batted .301 at the plate, ending the year with 65 hits, 35 RBI and scoring 42 runs. He was also tied for third on the team with 14 stolen bases. On the mound, the Orange Team will lean on the arm of senior right-hand pitcher Michael Rudman. After missing the 2010 season rehabbing from injury, Ewing had a break-out year in 2009, going 3-0 with a 1.74 ERA in 21 innings of work as a reliever. He finished the campaign second on the staff with a 1.71 ERA, and tallied the second-most strikeouts of any reliever with 23 in 21 innings of work.
Game One starters for both teams are tentatively set to be E.J. Encinosa (Soph., RHP) for the Orange, and Steven Ewing (Soph., LHP) for the Green. A season ago, Encinosa led the `Canes with a 2.20 ERA, going 1-1 in 29 appearances – mostly out of the bullpen, throwing 49 innings on the hill. He finished third-best on the team in strikeouts (61). Ewing saw action in eight ballgames a season ago, posting a 2-2 record in five starts. He finished with 15 strikeouts through 24.1 innings of work on the hill.
This year’s Orange and Green Fall World Series marks the fourth time the Hurricanes have held the best-of-three fall series under UM head coach Jim Morris, now entering his 18th year at the helm of the `Canes program. The Orange squad has won the previous three Orange and Green Fall Series from 2007-09.
Last year, the Orange Team used the strength of Yasmani Grandal as MVP of the series, going 7-for-13 at the dish with four doubles and three RBI. Martinez led the Green Team with a 5-for-11 showing at the plate, adding two homers and three RBI in three contests.
Orange won the series, 2-1.
After falling in the opener of last year’s series, Zeke DeVoss and Ryan Perry helped tie the series for the Orange Team two days later, each hitting two-run homers in the 6-3 win for the Orange.
Following this year’s series, the Hurricanes will close out their 2010 fall season with Pro Scout day on Sat., Nov. 20 at Alex Rodriguez Park. A time for the event has yet to be determined.
For more information on the University of Miami baseball team, please log on to www.hurricanesports.com. Once there, you will find up-to-date news, stats and information regarding the Hurricanes baseball program.
You can also keep up-to-date with all UM Athletics via twitter at Twitter.com/HurricaneSports. To follow the UM Baseball Team via twitter, please navigate to Twitter.com/CanesBaseball.
