Baseball Closes Homestand Tuesday vs. B-CU
GAME INFORMATION – GAMES 16-17
#13 MIAMI HURRICANES (10-5, 3-0 ACC) vs. BETHUNE-COOKMAN (8-7, 4-2 MEAC)
#13 MIAMI HURRICANES (10-5, 3-0 ACC) vs. STETSON (4-11, 0-0 Atlantic Sun)
Tues., March 11, 2014 (6 p.m. ET) • Wed., March 12, 2014 (6:30 p.m. ET)
Game One: WVUM 90.5 FM • Coral Gables, FL • Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field (4,999)
Game Two: WVUM 90.5 FM • DeLand, FL • Melching Field at Conrad Park (2,500)
SERIES HISTORY
Miami leads the all-time series against both teams: 25-4 against Bethune-Cookman and 110-42 against Stetson. Miami went 1-1 against the Wildcats in 2013, and topped Stetson in the only matchup between the two teams last year.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
WVUM 90.5 FM • WVUM.org
PROJECTED STARTERS
Tuesday: MIAMI LHP Danny Garcia (0-0, 2.57 ERA) vs. B-CU RHP Montana Durapau (2-0, 1.38 ERA)
Wednesday: MIAMI RHP Javi Salas (1-1, 1.59 ERA) vs. SU LHP Austin Perez (0-3, 4.29 ERA)
NEWS AND NOTES
HOW SWEEP IT IS…
• No. 13 Miami opened ACC play by winning all three games against visiting Boston College (March 7-9). The sweep was the first of 2014 for the Hurricanes, who did not record an ACC sweep last season.
• Miami went a perfect 5-0 on the week, including a midweek sweep of visiting Villanova (March 4-5). The Hurricanes sit alone atop the Coastal Division at 10-5 overall and 3-0 in the ACC.
• Bolstered by an impressive week at home, Miami rose to No. 13 in Baseball America’s rankings (from No. 16) – its highest ranking from the publication since April 9, 2012.
HEATING UP……
• Freshman Willie Abreu had a stellar week at the plate for the Hurricanes, with seven hits in 16 at bats (.438), raising his season average to a team-leading .327. He scored eight runs on the week, and ranks second in the ACC with 16 this season.
• Sophomore David Thompson entered the team’s weekend series with BC hitting just .243. He recorded five hits in three games to raise his average to. 304.
• Freshman closer Bryan Garcia ranks second in the ACC with five saves. He picked up back-to-back saves against the Eagles (3/8-3/9).
POWER SURGE…
• Miami ranks first in the ACC with 10 home runs through its first 15 games of the regular season. Dale Carey leads the team with three homers, while Zack Collins and Garrett Kennedy have two apiece.
• The Hurricane offense exploded for six home runs in its series with Florida (Feb. 21-23), the most for a Miami team in a single series since an April 2010 weekend set at Virginia Tech.
• Collins became the first Hurricane since current San Diego Padres slugger Yonder Alonso (2006) to record a home run as his first collegiate hit – a three-run blast against Florida (Feb. 22). He also recorded home runs in an exhibition with the Marlins (solo HR, Feb. 26) and on the road at Florida State (two-run HR, March 2).
• Miami did not record its 10th home run in 2013 until an 8-3 win over Wake Forest on May 10 – the team’s 51st game of that season.
FOUR UP, FOUR DOWN…
• Junior LHP Chris Diaz picked up his fourth straight win to open the 2014 season in a 6-2 victory over Boston College last Friday (March 7).
• Diaz, who ranked second in the ACC in ERA in 2013 (1.64), did not pick up his fourth win of 2014 until May 3 against St .John’s. He finished 2013 with a 7-2 overall record.
• The Florida City, Fla., native went a season-long 7.1 innings and allowed just two earned runs against the Eagles. He has a 2.05 ERA through his first four starts of 2014, adn is tied for first in the ACC with four wins.
