Miami and USF Set for Rematch in Coral Gables
April 26, 2011
Complete Release in PDF Format 
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The 14th-ranked University of Miami Hurricanes host the USF Bulls in the second game of the year between the two schools on Wednesday, April 27, inside Alex Rodriguez Park at 6 p.m. The contest is the first of the final two midweek games on the regular season schedule for the Hurricanes.
Miami (27-13) enters the weekday contest having won 13 of the last 15 games – including the last seven weekday games dating back to Florida Atlantic (March 15). The Hurricanes took two-of-three from then ranked No. 10 North Carolina over the weekend to jump several spots in the latest collegiate polls.
The Hurricanes are led offensively by junior center fielder Nathan Melendres, leading the team in batting average (.322) and doubles (11). He ties for the team lead in triples (2) and is second in slugging percentage (.504) – while also second in stolen bases (14) and tied for second in runs (26).
Also playing well for the Canes is Zeke DeVoss, batting .313 on the year and leading the team in runs (42), tied for the lead in hits (45), tied for triples (2), leading in walks (35) and leading the Atlantic Coast Conference in steals (26), while ranking fourth in the league in on-base percentage (.466). DeVoss moved back to left field in the Sunday series finale against UNC, with sophomore Michael Broad back in the field at second base.
Junior Rony Rodriguez hit his team-leading seventh home run in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader against the Tar Heels, as well as Melendres knocking out his second homer of the year in the 10th inning offensive explosion for the Canes during the first game.
Junior Harold Martinez enters the game against USF working on a 10-game hit streak, adding a .299 average at the dish along with 43 hits and a team-best 32 RBI to go along with three home runs and five doubles.
Miami will start sophomore left-hander Steven Ewing on the mound Wednesday, as the Orlando native has collected a 6-1 record on the year – including wins in his last six contests – with a team-low ERA of 2.30. Ewing leads the team with 65 strikeouts in 54 2/3 innings tossed, while walking just 15 batters. The only loss he has suffered this season was a 4-2 setback against USF in the “Florida Four” on March 1.
The last time these two teams met was during the “Florida Four” on March 1, with the Bulls using a 4-2 advantage at Steinbrenner Field. The Bulls claimed the win behind seven strong innings from pitcher Matt Reed, while Ewing allowed just two runs in 6 1/3 worked, also striking out five and giving up seven hits.
The UM pitching staff currently holds a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 2.6-to-1, while the bullpen has amassed 15 saves behind a team-high 11 from junior closer Daniel Miranda. The other four saves have come from junior Sam Robinson.
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. The game will be streamed live via Canes All-Access, also located at 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.
Fans can keep up-to-date with all UM Athletics via twitter at Twitter.com/HurricaneSports. You can also become a fan of the Hurricanes on Facebook at Facebook.com/MiamiHurricanes.
SCOUTING USF
USF enters Wednesday’s game with a 19-20 overall mark, and working on an 8-7 mark in the BIG EAST. The Bulls dropped two-of-three to Louisville over the weekend, and will pitch left-hander Kyle Parker against the Canes in tomorrow night’s affair. Parker is 0-0 on the year, and uses a 5.40 ERA. The Bulls are led offensively by the play of third baseman Jonathan Kosco with a .329 average, adding a team-leading 31 runs scored, 50 hits and 17 walks. Behind him is shortstop Sam Mende with a .280 average at the dish. Mende is second on the team in hits (45) while leading in doubles (7), triples (3) and home runs (4). The Bulls pitching staff has a collective ERA of 4.02 while their opponents are at 3.64.
MIAMI VS. USF ALL-TIME SERIES
Miami leads the all-time series against USF by a count of 82-30. The Hurricanes have won six of the last seven meetings, with USF taking the only other meeting between the two teams this year in Tampa, 4-2. UMiami swept last year’s two-game series, as the series picked up for the first time since 2005.
POLL POSITION
Sitting at No. 20 last week, the University of Miami made several jumps in three of the four major collegiate polls this week. The Hurricanes moved as high as No. 14 (Collegiate Baseball Newspaper), and made a leap up to No. 16 in the Baseball America poll. UM moved to No. 19 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll, and moved to No. 23 in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) poll.
