Hurricanes Down Mississippi State, 10-4, to Win Coral Gables Regional
June 5, 2005
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The top-seeded University of Miami Hurricanes (41-17-1) scored six runs in the opening two innings and Andrew Lane set a career-high, pitching four innings in relief in the Hurricanes’ 10-4 victory against second-seeded Mississippi State (42-22) to win the Coral Gables Regional Sunday night at Mark Light Field.
Lane claimed the win to improve to 3-0 this season and tied a career-high with three strikeouts in the game, while holding the Bulldogs to four hits.
MSU pitcher Brooks Dunn took the loss, falling to 6-3 on the season, after giving up six earned runs off five hits in 1.1 innings work.
Miami struck early and often, posting two runs in the first on a two-run double by Danny Valencia before rallying for four more runs in the second.
The Hurricanes greeted Dunn with a pair of singles by Brendan Katin and Walter Diaz to leadoff the second. After Diaz stole second, Danny Figueroa reached on a fielder’s choice to score Katin. Danny Figueroa stole second and an errant throw from MSU catcher Ed Easley allowed Danny Figueroa to advance to third and Diaz to score. Paco Figueroa, Danny’s twin brother, then hit a double along the left field line that scored Danny and put the Hurricanes up 5-0.
Dunn was replaced by Justin Pigott with one out in the second. Pigott could not stop the flood of Miami runs as the Hurricanes tacked on one more run before inning’s end. Paco Figueroa, who stole his second base of the night, scored on Ryan Braun’s sacrifice to give Miami a 6-0 lead.
The top of the fourth saw Diaz record his second hit of the night and advance to second on a Pigott balk. Danny Figueroa laid down a sacrifice bunt that advanced Diaz to third. Paco Figueroa hit his second double of the night and 14th of the year to score Diaz and gave Miami a 7-0 lead.
The Bulldogs finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Joseph McCaskill’s bloop single dropped into shallow center pushing Brad Corley, who singled, to reach third with two outs. Jeff Butts then hit a double to right that scored Corley and McCaskill.
MSU struck again in the fifth after back-to-back singles by Thomas Berkery and Brad Jones ended the night for UM starter Brandon Camardese, who gave up four runs in four innings of work, striking out four batters. Danny Gil came in for relief but walked Corley to load the bases. Joseph Hunter then hit a no-out RBI single to left that scored Berkery. Jones scored after McCaskill hit into a double play.
Gil exited the game after two innings of relief, making way for Lane, who struck out Butts to end the inning with a 7-4 Miami lead.
The Hurricanes added two more runs in the top of the sixth when Danny Figueroa hit a double to left making way for Braun who slammed his 18th homerun of the season.
One inning later, Eddy Rodriguez gave the Hurricanes a 10-4 advantage when he belted a solo shot, his eighth of the season, over the left field fence off of MSU reliever Saunders Ramsey before UM reliever Chris Perez entered the bottom of the ninth to close out the Miami victory.
