Miami Welcomes Local Opponent Barry to Coral Gables
April 12, 2011
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The No. 19 ranked University of Miami baseball team welcomes local opponent Barry University to Alex Rodriguez Park for a single midweek game on Wednesday, April 13, at 6 p.m. The game against the Buccaneers ends a four-game homestand for the Hurricanes.
Miami (21-11) enters the game with a seven game winning streak intact – sweeping its last two Atlantic Coast Conference series with Boston College (Chestnut Hill, Mass.) and NC State (Coral Gables, Fla.). That feat allowed the Hurricanes to jump back into the national rankings this week after a rare two-week hiatus.
The `Canes are ranked No. 19 in this week’s Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll – one of the four major poll publications. They are receiving votes in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll.
The Hurricanes also made a leap in this week’s NCAA RPI rankings from No. 31 up to No. 28.
The `Canes are led offensively by first baseman Rony Rodriguez with a .316 average at the plate – lifting his batting average by more than 30 points over the course of the last three weeks. On the year, Rodriguez owns 30 hits (seven doubles – one triple – four homers), a team second-best 19 RBI and a team-leading slugging percentage of .416. Last week against Florida Gulf Coast, the Miami native registered his first triple of the campaign.
Also playing well of late for UMiami is freshman third baseman Brad Fieger, now holding a .297 average to creep past sophomore Zeke DeVoss (.295) over the weekend. Fieger owns a team-leading eight doubles and a team-best .978 fielding percentage. He enters Wednesday’s game with a three-game hitting streak, while DeVoss has hit safely in his last four games.
Sophomore left-hander Steven Ewing, who tossed seven innings with just a single run allowed last week in the win over FGCU, will make his eighth start of the year Wednesday. Ewing, who is 4-1 with a team-low 2.38 ERA, has fanned 40 batters in his last five starts for the `Canes – including a career-high 12 in a victory over UCF (3/22).
Barry University will hand the ball to junior right-hander Jordan Wellander (3-1, 2.23 ERA). Wellander has seen most of his action in relief for the Buccaneers, but will be making his fourth start in his last six games Wednesday.
For ticket information for the 2011 baseball season, call 1-800-GO-CANES or visit Hurricanesports.com.
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.
Fans 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.
SCOUTING BARRY UNIVERSITY
Barry University is 27-11 overall and 10-7 on the road this year. The Buccaneers have won six of their last seven coming in – while falling in a tough 15-14 decision to Palm Beach Atlantic in their last outing. Dean Green leads the Barry offense, hitting .409 with 13 homers, 56 RBI and 35 runs scored on the year. Matt Petty (.322) is another of the team’s top hitters, while Drew Dwelly (.321) leads the club with 44 runs scored. Dwelly and Harold Holness share the team lead in stolen bases with eight apiece. Tuesday’s probable starter – Jordan Wellander – is 3-1 with a 2.23 ERA in 32 1/3 innings tossed. Wellander has appeared in 11 games, starting three. Relievers Tyler King (0-2, 5.79) and T.J. Mullins (2-2, 3.67 ERA) combine for nine of the team’s 10 saves on the campaign.
MIAMI VS. BARRY ALL-TIME SERIES
The Hurricanes hold a flawless 19-0 advantage in their all-time series with the cross-county Buccaneers. In a series that dates back to 1985, UM swept both games of a two-day midweek set, 6-0 and 11-1, last season, with both games played at Alex Rodriguez Park in Coral Gables, Fla.
POLL MOVEMENT
The Hurricanes have been missing from all four of the major collegiate baseball polls the past two weeks, until Monday when they made a leap to No. 19 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll. The `Canes would be ranked No. 27, respectively, with the amount of votes received in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll this week.
`CANES HEADING TO COLLEGE PARK
After facing Barry on Wednesday evening, the Hurricanes will have little time to rest as they will hop aboard a flight Thursday morning for a three-game series with Atlantic Coast Conference opponent Maryland, beginning Friday, April 15, at 7 p.m. The other two games will follow on Saturday (3 p.m.) and Sunday (Noon) – with all games played on the Maryland campus in College Park.
