No. 24 Miami Baseball Travels to Top-Ranked Florida
March 3, 2011
Complete Miami vs. Florida Game Notes (PDF) 
Coral Gables, Fla. – The 24th-ranked University of Miami baseball team is set to play a three-game series at top-ranked University of Florida this weekend inside McKethan Stadium, beginning Friday, March 4, at 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday’s games will be televised live on Sun Sports.
Miami (4-4) is coming into the weekend after a tough 4-2 setback against USF on Tuesday night as part of the Florida Four Showcase in Tampa. Florida (7-1) also took part in that event, falling 5-3 to fifth-ranked Florida State in the nightcap of the second annual affair at George Steinbrenner Field.
The Hurricanes last competed at UF in the 2010 NCAA Gainesville Regional, falling in consecutive games to the Gators, who advanced to the NCAA College World Series in Omaha, Neb.
Head coach Jim Morris will not be with the `Canes this weekend in Gainesville, as he was released from University of Miami Hospital (UMH) on Thursday morning and is recovering from gall bladder surgery and an infection at his home in Coconut Grove. The 18th-year head coach for the `Canes has missed four of the last five games, and was taken to the hospital for surgery during UM’s opening series against Appalachian State a week ago in Coral Gables.
UM will look to pick up on its hitting this weekend, batting .241 for the season. However, the `Canes have increased their average the last five games, batting .266 during that span and holding opponents to .217 over that period.
The Gators are batting .336 on the campaign, while the pitching staff enters holding opponents to just a .216 average. As a staff, the Gators’ pitchers stake a 1.88 ERA on the year, while Miami holds an ERA of 3.08 for the year.
Miami’s starting pitching has gotten solid performances in weekend games this year, especially in the front and back ends of the series. Freshman Bryan Radziewski (Miami, Fla.) has performed well on the hill in two starts, picking up a win in his last outing against Appalachian State. In that contest, the Florida Christian School product went five innings on the mound, spreading out three unearned runs on five hits and collecting seven strikeouts in the win. He has 15 K’s in his first two collegiate starts.
Radziewski leads all UMiami pitchers with a 0.83 ERA.
Sophomore right-hander Eric Whaley has embraced his starting job this season in the third game of series, holding an ERA of 2.13, and owns a team second-best 13 strikeouts. Against Appalachian State last Saturday in Coral Gables, the Pompano Beach, Fla., native sparked the `Canes to victory with seven scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and registering a career-best nine strikeouts.
In the all-time series against the Gators, the `Canes hold a 123-99-1 advantage. However, the Gators have taken six of the last seven games – including the last two series, respectively. In a rivalry that dates back to 1940, the `Canes swept the Gators in a three-game set in Gainesville back in 2009. Florida countered by taking two-of-three from the `Canes last year at Alex Rodriguez Park.
Miami will throw left-hander Radziewski in the series-opener Friday night, while the Gators will counter with left-hander Brian Johnson, entering with a 2-0 record and a clean ERA of 0.00.
The Hurricanes use the bat of freshman first baseman Brad Fieger with a .333 average, including a team-high tying three doubles. Following him at the dish is Rony Rodriguez with an even .300 average. Sophomore outfielder Zeke DeVoss carries a .286 average into the weekend, owning two doubles and a triple for a .429 slugging percentage.
Florida has five players batting above .300 on the slate, including Daniel Pigott with a team-high .538 average. Preston Tucker has a .455 average with a team-high tying two home runs and two doubles. Tucker has a team-best .727 slugging percentage. Nolan Fontana (.393), Brian Johnson (.333) and Josh Adams (.308) round out the top five hitters for UF.
All three games will be broadcast on the radio via WVUM (90.5 FM) and over the internet at WVUM.org, while Mike Weisman and Eric Hahn will have the call. A live look-in at Friday’s game will be carried during the weekly Hurricane Hotline on WQAM (560 AM). UM Assistant Sports Media Relations Director for baseball, Bryan J. Harvey, will be on the air with Joe Zagacki and Josh Darrow beginning at 7:45 p.m.
Hurricane Hotline will begin at 7 p.m., as UM men’s basketball head coach Frank Haith will be on the first half-hour. Closing the program at 8:45 p.m. is Miami women’s basketball head coach Katie Meier, named Thursday as the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Coach of the Year.
Live stats for the game will be provided through Game Tracker at HurricaneSports.com. Fans can also join the live chat, provided by Cover It Live, by visiting HurricaneSports.com as well.
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, MARCH 4, 7 p.m.
PROBABLE STARTERS
MIAMI – LHP Bryan Radziewski vs. UF – LHP Brian Johnson
RADIO: 90.5 WVUM
GAME 2: SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 3 p.m.
PROBABLE STARTERS
MIAMI – RHP E.J. Encinosa vs. UF – RHP Hudson Randall
TELEVISION: SUN SPORTS | RADIO: 90.5 WVUM
GAME 3: SUNDAY, MARCH 6, 12:30 p.m.
PROBABLE STARTERS
MIAMI – RHP Eric Whaley vs. UF – RHP Karsten Whitson
TELEVISION: SUN SPORTS | RADIO: 90.5 WVUM
