Hurricanes Drop 7-4 Decision To Tennessee
Feb. 2, 2002
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – Javi Herrera went two-for-five at the plate and batted in three runs to lead the Tennessee Volunteers (1-1) to a 7-4 victory over the Miami Hurricanes (1-1) in college baseball Saturday afternoon before a crowd of 2,816 at Mark Light Stadium.
Four errors by Miami, the most since the Hurricanes committed six miscues in a 9-6 loss to Rutgers on March 11, 2001, contributed mightily to the outcome but the Tennessee bats also took advantage of several scoring opportunities as the Volunteers garnered 13 hits on the afternoon. Reliever Joey Andrews (1-0) picked up the win for UT working 3 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on three hits, striking out three and walking two. Starter Kiki Bengochea (0-1) took the loss for Miami as he worked 2 2/3 innings and allowed five runs (three earned) on six hits, struck out three and walked one.
Matt Dryer and Javy Rodriguez led Miami at the plate with a pair of two-for-four performances. Tennessee’s Walter Sevilla and Brandon Hopkins were the game’s top hitters as both went three-for-five at the plate.
The Volunteers struck early, jumping to 1-0 lead in the first inning when Nick Crowe scored on a throwing error by Joey Hooft. Crowe reached base via a walk, stole second base and then scored on a single by Brandon Hopkins and the error by Hooft.
Tennessee added four more runs to take a 5-0 lead in the third on two hits, one walk and an error. Walter Sevilla led off the inning with a single to left center, stole second and scored on an RBI single by Javi Herrera. Herrera then scored from first on an RBI double by Adam Smith. After Smith moved to third on a throwing error by Kiki Bengochea, Matt Sternberg dropped an RBI double down the right field line scoring Smith. Sternberg scored the final run of the inning on a throwing error by Kevin Howard.
The Hurricanes got on the board in the fourth to close the gap to 5-1 on an RBI single to left field by Haas Pratt, scoring Kevin Howard from second. Howard reached first on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second on walk by Kevin Mannix. Miami crept closer in the fifth with another solo run as Hooft doubled and scored on a double by Danny Matienzo.
Tennessee extended the lead again in the sixth with a pair of runs. Sevilla singled to right field Brandon Hopkins singled to left. Both scored on a double to right by Herrera.
Miami struck back in the bottom of the sixth as Haas Pratt reached on an error on a ground ball to third, reaching second on the play. He advanced to third on a balk and scored on a fielder’s choice groundout by Matt Dryer to move Miami within 7-3. The Hurricanes added another run in the bottom of the seventh as Kevin Howard walked and scored on a double by Kevin Mannix to make it 7-4.
The Hurricanes and Volunteers will conclude the three-game series Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Mark Light Stadium.
