Hurricanes Run With Bulls Friday In Matchup of Early Season Unbeatens
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Feb. 9, 2005
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (hurricanesports.com) – The second-ranked Miami Hurricanes baseball team (4-0) play host to South Florida (3-0) in a three-game series beginning Friday, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. at Mark Light Field. The Hurricanes and Bulls are slated to play on Saturday at 7 p.m. and finish the series on Sunday at 1 p.m.
UM has opened the season with four straight wins for the first time since Jim Morris’ first year as head coach at Miami in 1994. Miami shutout Florida International, 7-0, in the season opener on Feb. 1 and took three games from High Point over the weekend. The Hurricanes defeated the Panthers, 12-5, last Friday night and won 7-6 on Saturday in 11 innings. They closed the series with an all-around solid performance in a 10-1 win. The win stretched Miami’s home winning streak to 16 dating back to the 2004 season.
South Florida opened its season with a three-game sweep of Bethune-Cookman in Tampa last weekend, including a 16-4 win last Sunday, Feb. 6.
A pitcher’s duel is anticipated for the series opener as Hurricane ace right-hander Cesar Carrillo (1-0, 0.00 ERA) opens the series against highly-touted right-hander Casey Hudspeth (1-0, 0.00). Carrillo, a preseason All-America selection will put an unblemished career record on the line against the Bulls. The junior owns a 13-0 career record and Miami is 20-0 when he makes an appearance. Hudspeth also garnered preseason All-America accolades and held Miami scoreless for 7.2 innings in a 7-2 Bulls win last year in Tampa. He pitched 4.1 innings in the season opener against Bethune-Cookman and gave up just two hits in the win.
Miami junior Dan Touchet and sophomore Chris Perez are scheduled to start for the `Canes on Saturday and Sunday.
Senior OF/2B Paco Figueroa and sophomore left fielder Jon Jay have gotten off to quick starts at the plate for Miami. Figueroa is batting .563 with a double, triple, home run and three RBI. Jay is batting .538 and leads the team with five walks. Preseason All-America third baseman Ryan Braun is healthy after an injury-plagued 2004 and leads the team with two home runs, eight RBI and a 1.000 slugging percentage through four games.
Tickets, priced at $7 for adults and $5 for youth and seniors, can be purchased online at www.hurricanesports.com or by calling 305-284-CANE in Miami-Dade County and 1-800-GO-CANES outside of Miami-Dade County
NOTES
The Miami-USF Series
The Hurricanes own a 77-29 advantage in the series between the two schools, including a 56-14 record at Mark Light Field. Miami has won seven of the last 10 meetings between the two schools. The two teams split a pair of games last year in Tampa with Hudspeth notching the win in the first game, 7-2. UM stormed back in the second game to win 17-3. Left fielder Jon Jay went 4-for-4 with three RBIs in the win for Miami.
Home, Sweet Home
The Hurricanes are currently riding a 16-game home-winning streak, dating back to a 13-3 win against Florida Atlantic on May 19, 2004. Miami won its last 12 home games of the 2004 season, including five wins in the NCAA playoffs. UM’s four home wins in the 2005 season have run the win streak to 16 games. The longest home winning streak in school history is 29 games, lasting from April 25, 1980 to March 14, 1981.
Hail Cesar
Junior hurler Cesar Carrillo upped his career pitching record with the Hurricanes to 13-0 with a win against Florida International in the season opener on Feb.1. An appearance by Carrillo has meant a win for the Hurricanes since his collegiate career began in 2004. The Hurricanes are 20-0 all-time when Carrillo pitches in a game.
Braun Back To Form
Junior preseason All-American third baseman Ryan Braun is showing no ill effects from a rib cage injury he suffered in the middle of the 2004 season that caused him to miss 18 games. Hitting in the three hole, Braun has delivered with a .455 batting average and eight RBI. He hit solo home runs on consecutive at bats in a 10-1 win against High Point last Sunday, the second of which turned out to be the game-winning run. It was the first time a Hurricane had hit home runs in consecutive at-bats since Jim Burt accomplished the feat against Illinois-Chicago on March 20, 2004. In the 11th inning of a 7-6 win against High Point last Saturday, Braun made a diving stop and throw at third with runners at second and third to prevent the go-ahead run from scoring. Braun also leads the team with a 1.000 slugging pct. and four stolen bases.
Perez Earns First Win
Sophomore pitcher Chris Perez had the strongest showing of any UM starter in the High Point series to pick up his first career win. Perez retired seven batters on ground outs, struck four batters and set a career mark for innings pitched in a game with 5.0 last Sunday, Feb. 6.
Gil Continues Winning Ways
If pitcher Danny Gil’s performance in relief against High Point last Saturday is any indicator, the undefeated hurler will not fall victim to a sophomore slump. Gil picked up right where he left off from an 8-0 freshman season and pitched two scoreless innings to get his ninth career win in a 7-6, 11-inning victory against High Point. He also pitched an inning of scoreless ball in the season opener against Florida International. Altogether he has pitched three innings and given up three hits with four strikeouts and one walk.
