Miami Baseball Opens the Season against Rutgers on Friday
Feb. 17, 2011
Coral Gables, Fla. – The No. 18 University of Miami baseball team will begin the 2011 season Friday, Feb. 17, versus Rutgers University inside Alex Rodriguez Park at 7 p.m., in Coral Gables, Fla. Friday night marks the third consecutive season the `Canes will open the year against the Scarlet Knights, taking all three games in a three-game stretch a season ago in Coral Gables.
Under the direction of 18th-year head coach Jim Morris, the `Canes look to improve upon last season’s 43-20 team that advanced to the NCAA Gainesville Super Regional. Miami won the NCAA Coral Gables Regional to advance in the NCAA Tournament bracket, defeating teams from Dartmouth and Texas A&M, respectively.
For the first time in the Jim Morris era, Miami will look towards a freshman to toe the rubber in the season-opener, with left-hander Bryan Radziewski getting the nod. The Florida Christian School alum and Miami native allowed just one earned run during the fall season the Hurricanes, and ended his senior season with 107 strikeouts and an 8-2 record, holding an ERA of 0.87. He was dubbed the FHSAA Class 1A-4A Player of the Year in 2010.
Rutgers will open the year with right-hander Tyler Gebler on the mound. Gebler had just a 1-3 record in 2010, carrying an ERA of 1.75 in 28 appearances out of the bullpen.
As a team, the Hurricanes enter the season ranked in the top 25 of all six national preseason polls, including a No. 17 ranking in the Perfect Game USA poll.
Though losing catcher Yasmani Grandal, the 2010 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year, to the Major League Baseball Draft, the Hurricanes still have plenty of offensive weapons returning. Junior third baseman Harold Martinez returns as a Louisville Slugger Preseason All-America Third Team selection after leading the league in home runs (21) a year ago. The Miami native suffered an injury during the NCAA Gainesville Super Regional, and did not participate in summer ball to rehabilitate. He had a solid fall campaign, and is expected to be a team leader offensively and defensively for UMiami this season.
The Hurricanes outfield looks to be as solid as any heading into the weekend series with junior Nathan Melendres and sophomore Zeke DeVoss back in the mix. Both batters carried plus-.250 averages a season ago, while DeVoss swiped a team-high tying 24 bases. Sophomore shortstop Stephen Perez tied him for the lead, as he returns for the `Canes after averaging .255 at the plate a year ago with 50 runs and 38 RBI. Melendres finished the season batting .301, and collecting 35 hits in his last 29 games.
Following Radziewski on Friday night, Miami is slated to throw RHP E.J. Encinosa, a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America choice from 2010, on Saturday and RHP Eric Whaley on Sunday. Rutgers will counter with LHP Rob Smorol on Saturday and RHP Nathaniel Roe on Sunday.
UMiami leads the all-time series against the Scarlet Knights, 44-11. In fact, UM has collected 11 of the last 12 in the series that dates back to 1967.
Friday’s game will be streamed live for free via the internet at HurricaneSports.com. The game will be streamed via Hurricanes All-Access, and is part of Miami’s Social Media Friday event – a ground-breaking event in the world of social media and intercollegiate athletics.
For ticket information for the 2011 baseball season, call 1-800-GO-CANES or visit Hurricanesports.com.
For more information on the University of Miami baseball team, please log on to HurricaneSports.com. To follow the UM Baseball Team via twitter, please navigate to Twitter.com/CanesBaseball. You can also access the official UMiami Baseball blog at TheUBaseball.com.
You can keep up-to-date with all UM Athletics via twitter at Twitter.com/HurricaneSports. You can also become a fan of the ‘Canes on Facebook at Facebook.com/MiamiHurricanes.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
GAME 1: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 7 p.m.
PROBABLE STARTERS
MIAMI – LHP Bryan Radziewski vs. RU – RHP Tyler Gebler
RADIO: 90.5 WVUM | 1450 AM ESPN Deportes
GAME 2: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 7 p.m.
PROBABLE STARTERS
MIAMI – RHP E.J. Encinosa vs. RU – LHP Rob Smorol
RADIO: 90.5 WVUM
GAME 3: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, Noon
PROBABLE STARTERS
MIAMI – RHP Eric Whaley vs. RU – RHP Nathaniel Roe
RADIO: 90.5 WVUM
Scouting Rutgers
Entering 2011, the Scarlet Knights have all the pieces in place to build on the accomplishments of a 30-win season and appearance in the semifinals of the BIG EAST Conference Championship last spring. Rutgers welcomes back 20 letterwinners and five starters from last season, including a nucleus headlined by All-Americans Steve Nyisztor and Tyler Gebler. The sophomore duo will be joined by a talented class of newcomers with the ability to offset the loss of four players who moved on to professional baseball last summer.
Three of RU’s top five hitters from 2010 return to the lineup this spring, highlighted by Nyisztor, who hit .410 with 17 doubles and four home runs in his freshman All-American campaign last spring. He will move from second base to shortstop this season next to veteran third baseman Russ Hopkins. In his first season as an everyday player, Hopkins hit .333 and drove in 25 runs in 47 games last spring. Senior right fielder Michael Lang will once again provide power in the Scarlet Knights’ lineup after a season where he hit 18 doubles, four triples and 12 home runs to go along with a .317 average from the leadoff spot in 2010.
Harold Back for an Encore
Junior third baseman Harold Martinez has been named to the Louisville Slugger Preseason All-America Third Team after leading the Atlantic Coast Conference in home runs (21) a season ago. Martinez, a star-studded Miami native, batted .295 in 2010, driving in 69 runs on 71 hits and crossing the plate 48 times. In the NCAA Gainesville Super Regional, Martinez suffered an injury in which he spent the entire summer rehabilitating and getting ready for the 2011 campaign.
Miami Predicted to Finish Third In Coastal Division
Miami baseball has been predicted to finish third in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference Coaches Preseason Poll. The poll is voted on by the league’s 12 head coaches. Capturing a 20-10 league record in 2010, the Hurricanes finished the year third in the Coastal Division behind Virginia and Georgia Tech, respectively. Miami posted a 43-20 overall record en route to claiming the NCAA Coral Gables Regional title, and advancing to the NCAA Gainesville Super Regional.
Encinosa Returns as All-American
Sophomore right-hander E.J. Encinosa registered a 1-1 record in 2010, posting an ERA of 2.20 in 29 appearances on the hill. For his efforts, Encinosa was named to the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America Team. On the year, Encinosa turned in 61 strikeouts in 49 complete innings of work.
To Be the Best, Play the Best
According to Boyd’s World RPI [strength of schedule], the UMiami Hurricanes have the 33rd toughest schedule in the nation. The `Canes not only play the top-ranked University of Florida Gators on the road in the third series of the year, but there is the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) schedule. The ACC has been ranked as one of the top three toughest leagues in the nation the past five years by multiple collegiate baseball publications.
