Miami Baseball Flies Past FGCU Eagles in Fort Myers

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Three Hurricanes registered multi-hit games – led by Rony Rodriguez’s 3-for-3 night with two RBI, as the University of Miami raced past homestanding Florida Gulf Coast, 8-1, Wednesday night at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, Fla.

Miami (18-11) defeated Florida Gulf Coast for the third time this season, improving to 7-0 all-time against the Eagles. It was also the third win against the Eagles in as many weeks.

FGCU (15-16) plated its lone run of the game with Tim Roberson’s RBI to score leadoff batter second baseman Mikel Alvarez who kicked off the game with a triple. Alvarez had two of the Eagles’ four hits on the night – both of them extra-base hits.

With Florida Gulf Coast leading 1-0 after an inning of play, Miami scored eight runs over the next three to complete the evening’s scoring.

When Harold Martinez singled to start the second inning for UMiami, Rony Rodriguez tallied his first triple of the year on the next at-bat to bring in Martinez for the tying run. UM moved ahead for good on the strength of a Brad Fieger RBI ground-out.

The Hurricanes advanced their lead at 5-1 in the third inning as Nathan Melendres’ RBI single to center plated Zeke DeVoss, and the lead stretched with RBI singles from Harold Martinez and Brad Fieger, respectively.

The final three runs of the game came in the fourth inning when Chantz Mack brought in Dale Carey on an RBI grounder to second, followed by Melendres’ fielder’s choice RBI to plate Shane Rowland. Rodriguez picked up his second RBI of the day with a single to left that allowed DeVoss to score for the second time in the game.

Hurricanes starting pitcher Steven Ewing (4-1) earned the win after tossing seven strong innings on the hill. He allowed just the one run in the opening inning and spreading out three hits and striking out eight batters on the bump Relievers Sam Robinson and Adam Sargent finished the game for the ‘Canes with an inning worked apiece.

The loss went to FGCU starter Jason Forjet (1-3) who went just 2 1/3 innings, giving up four earned runs on six hits and a walk. Reliever Harrison Cooney went just an inning before he was chased, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits.

The bats have certainly come alive for Miami, now scoring 47 runs over the course of their last four games since the end of the Georgia Tech series.

UMiami used the bat of Rodriguez tonight, finishing 3-for-3 at the plate with his first triple of the year (the second of his career) and two RBI. Mack and Martinez each posted multi-hit performances on the night, with Fieger driving in two runs.

FGCU was led by Alvarez with a 2-for-3 night and the lone run scored for the Eagles. Zach Maxfield finished 2-for-4 as the only other FGCU performer with a hit on the evening.

Miami gets back to the diamond on Friday, April 8, welcoming Atlantic Coast Conference opponent NC State to Alex Rodriguez Park for a three-game series beginning at 7 p.m.

For ticket information for the 2011 baseball season, call 1-800-GO-CANES or visit Hurricanesports.com.

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