Erickson Tosses Gem as No. 12 Miami Rolls Past Rutgers, 12-1
Feb. 19, 2010
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Junior left-hander Eric Erickson tossed 5 2/3 effective innings in his first start in nearly two years and sophomore third baseman Harold Martinez smacked two deep homers to left as No. 12 Miami defeated Rutgers, 12-1, in the season opener for both teams Friday night at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.
Erickson (1-0), who was pitching for the first time since June 16, 2008 after missing last year recovering from Tommy John surgery, allowed just two hits and one unearned run while striking out six in 5 2/3 innings of work to earn the win.
Martinez, who hit nine homers as a freshman last season, finished the night 2-for-3 with four RBI coming on a second inning solo shot and a three-run blast in the sixth. For Martinez, it was his second two-homer game of his career after hitting a pair last season against Florida State on March 5.
Nine Hurricanes had at least one hit on the night, including freshman centerfielder Zeke DeVoss, who went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. David Villasuso and Ryan Perry each had a hit and two RBI while Yasmani Grandal walked three times and scored three times.
Sam Robinson, Daniel Miranda and E.J. Encinosa finished the game off for the `Canes, holding Rutgers scoreless over the final 2 2/3 innings.
Rutgers starter Casey Gaynor (0-1) lasted 4 1/3 innings, allowing four earned runs on seven hits while walking four and striking out four in a losing effort. Billy Murphy, Sean Campbell, Sean Peterson and Charlie Law combined to allow seven runs over the final 3 2/3 innings.
Jaren Matthews had Rutgers’ lone RBI, going 1-for-4 on the night.
Martinez opened the scoring in the bottom of the second with a deep solo blast over the scoreboard in left.
UM pushed its lead to 2-0 in the second when DeVoss, who singled and stole second, scored on a bunt single and throwing error by Rutgers’ third baseman D.J. Anderson.Rutgers got on the board for the first time in the fourth when Dan Betteridge scored from second on a Matthews’ single.
The `Canes broke the game open in the fifth, scoring three runs to go up 5-1. A Villasuso double gave the `Canes a four-run lead when he scored Lawson and Grandal with a deep shot in the left field corner. Chris Pelaez followed that up with a single and Villasuso was able to come around and score from second after an error by centerfielder Brandon Boykin.
Martinez’s second homer capped on a five-run fifth that put the `Canes up 10-1. After two runs scored on wild pitches, Martinez hit a three-run blast off the scoreboard in left to put the `Canes up by nine.
UM added its final two runs in the eighth on a two-run bloop double to shallow center by Perry.
With new bleachers down the left and right field lines, the `Canes drew 3,287 fans to its season opener Friday night. Last season, 3,000 fans attended UM’s opener against Rutgers on Feb. 20, 2008.
The Hurricanes and Scarlet Knights will play game two of the three-game set Saturday at 7 p.m.
