March 8, 2008

Box Score

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - Yonder Alonso hit two home runs and for the second straight night, No. 6 Miami used a big inning featuring multiple home runs to defeat Boston College, 8-3, in front of a capacity crowd of 3,000 at Mark Light Field. The Hurricanes (8-1, 2-0 ACC) clinched their first Atlantic Coast Conference series of the season.

Alonso finished 2-for-3 with four RBI and two runs while Adan Severino, Jemile Weeks, Ryan Jackson and Dave DiNatale each finished with a pair of hits as UM collected its sixth double-digit hit total in nine games with 12 on the night. Severino hit his second home run of the season in the fourth as he and Jackson each drove in a pair of runs on the night.

Anthony Nalepa picked up his first career win in relief, striking out three, walking one and allowing a pair of hits in holding the Eagles (6-6, 0-2 ACC) scoreless for 1 2/3 innings. Kyle Bellamy struck out four of the six batters he faced in the seventh and eighth innings before Carlos Gutierrez tossed a scoreless ninth to secure the win. Enrique Garcia, making his third start of the season for UM, allowed two earned runs on five hits while striking out five in 4 1/3 innings to earn the no decision.

BC starter Dan Houston lasted just three innings, allowing four runs on six hits while walking three and striking out three. Chris Nowalski relieved Houston in the fourth and tossed just 2/3 of an inning, allowing three runs on three hits before handing it over the Nick Asselin. Asselin, Kurt Hayer and Michael Belfiore combined to allow just one run on three hits over the final 4 1/3 innings.

After a seven-run seventh led to a 10-7 win Friday night, UM used a six-run fourth Saturday night to take the lead for good.

Miami trailed 3-1 before a big fourth inning was highlighted by home runs off the bats of Severino and Alonso. Severino's towering blast over the right field fence allowed Hagerty to score tying the game, 3-3. Jackson drove in DiNatale giving the `Canes a 4-3 lead. Alonso then launched his second homer of the game - a three-run shot to make it, 7-3.

UM added their eighth run in the seventh when Jackson brought home Dave DiNatale with a single to right-center.

Boston College plated the first run of the night in the top half of the second when Eric Campbell scored from third on a Matt Hamlet groundout in the second.

The Eagles tacked on another run in the third, pushing their lead to 2-0. After Garcia retired the first two in the inning, Barry Butera doubled to left before a Tony Sanchez single to right scored him from second.

Alonso homered down the line in right in the bottom half of the third, pulling the Hurricanes back within a run, 2-1.

BC scored a run for the third consecutive inning in the fourth when Mickey Wiswall came across on a Garret Smith grounder that was mishandled by Jackson which gave the Eagles a 3-1 lead.

UM pitchers struck out 13 in the game. Five BC pitchers combined to strike out 12.

The series finale with Boston College is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m. at Mark Light Field.

Game Notes

§       All eight of Miami's runs came with two outs.

§       Yonder Alonso's two-homer game marked his first of the season and fourth of his career.

§       Alonso hit home runs in back-to-back at bats for the second time in his career. The first time he accomplished the feat was against Florida State, April 27, 2007.

§       Sophomore right-hander Anthony Nalepa recorded his first career win.

§       UM's 12 hits marked the team's sixth double-digit hit total in nine games this season.