April 24, 2008

Game Notes 

Game 39

Friday: Virginia at Miami

Apr. 25, 7 p.m. (Mark Light Field)

Radio: WVUM (90.5 FM)

Webcast: ACC Select

Probable Starting Pitchers:

UVA: 19 Pat McAnaney, LHP (4-1, 2.17 ERA)

UM: 27 Chris Hernandez, LHP (6-0, 3.16 ERA)

Game 40

Saturday: Virginia at Miami

Apr. 26, 7 p.m. (Mark Light Field)

TV: CSS

Radio: WVUM (90.5 FM), Spanish Radio (WWWK 105.FM or WPIK 102.5 FM)

Probable Starting Pitchers:

UVA: 25 Jacob Thompson, RHP (5-2, 3.98 ERA)

UM: 17 Eric Erickson, LHP (6-0, 3.28 ERA)

Game 41

Sunday: Virginia at Miiami

Apr. 27, 12 p.m. (Mark Light Field)

TV: CSS

Radio: WVUM (90.5 FM)

Probable Starting Pitchers:

UVA: 38 Andrew Carraway, RHP (3-2, 2.82 ERA)

UM: 31 Enrique Garcia, RHP (2-1, 6.18 ERA)

MIAMI CONTINUES HOMESTAND WITH VIRGINIA

No. 1 Miami (33-5, 17-2 ACC) continues its seven-game homestand when the Hurricanes host Virginia (32-12, 13-8 ACC) for a three-game set at Mark Light Field. Game times are 7 p.m., 7 p.m. and Noon Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Games Saturday and Sunday will be televised live on CSS with Jason Solodkin with the play-by-play and Wicho Hernandez as the color analyst. All three games will be carried on the radio by the Student Voice of UM, WVUM (90.5 FM), which can also be picked up online at www.wvum.org. WQAM (560AM) will also carry the broadcast. Spanish radio WWWK 105.FM or WPIK 102.5 FM will carry the game Saturday night.

ABOUT THE MIAMI HURRICANES

Miami (33-5, 17-2 ACC) suffered only its fifth loss after falling to FIU, 6-3, Wednesday night. UM went 3-1 last week winning a series at No. 2 Florida State in which the Hurricanes posted a 10-run sixth inning to win the series opener and used two home runs from first baseman Yonder Alonso including his first career grand slam to take the rubber game.

Alonso was named the ACC Player of the Week after hitting .556 (8-for-15) with 10 runs scored, nine RBI and homering twice while slugging 1.333 and posting a .714 on-base percentage. On the week, Alonso hit .533 slugged 1.267 and owned a .650 on-base percentage. He also added four walks extending his national lead to 45 walks on the season. He now is hitting .379 on the season with 10 doubles and 11 home runs for 42 RBI. In ACC play, Alonso is hitting .373 with nine home runs and 25 RBI, 29 walks and a .593 on-base percentage.

The Hurricanes entered the week ranking third nationally in batting average and fifth in scoring. UM also is fourth in the country in slugging percentage and 10th in home runs.

Offensively, Preseason All-Americans second baseman Jemile Weeks (.400, 50 Runs, 56 Hits, 12 2B, 3 3B, 9 HR, 44 RBI), Tekotte (.372, 52 Runs, 54 Hits, 30 RBI, 19 SB), and Yonder Alonso (.379, 47 Runs, 47 Hits, 10 2B, 1 3B, 11 HR, 42 RBI) anchor the lineup, but shortstop Ryan Jackson (.377, 30 Runs, 55 Hits, 2 HR, 35 RBI), third baseman Mark Sobolewski (.351, 27 Runs, 52 Hits, 4 HR, 33 RBI) and left fielder/designated hitter Dave DiNatale (.325, 32 Runs, 40 Hits, 8 2B, 5 HR, 29 RBI) have all been swinging the bat well.

ABOUT THE VIRGINIA CAVALIERS

The Cavaliers, who come into this weekend ranked as high as No. 16 nationally, split a pair of mid-week contests with a 9-1 win over Georgetown on Tuesday before a 6-5 loss to William & Mary on Wednesday. Last weekend, UVa  (32-12, 13-8 ACC) took two-of-three games from Wake Forest in Charlottesville.

Jeremy Farrell and David Adams have combined on 13 of the team's 20 home runs this season. Farrell is second on the club with a .327 average and leads the team in home runs (7) and slugging percentage (.578) while Adams is hitting .323 with six homers and a team-high 43 RBI. Dan Grovatt has proven to be one of the top hitters in the ACC and UVa's most consistent threat to get on base, leading the team in both average (.376) and on-base percentage (.459).

Lead-off man Greg Miclat is the ACC's top base-stealer, having swiped 25 so far this season. As a team, Virginia has a league-high 99 steals, with four Cavaliers having swiped double-digit bases. The Cavaliers also boast one of the league's top weekend starting rotations in Pat McAnaney, Jacob Thompson and Andrew Carraway.  McAnaney, who is slated to go Friday against UM, is currently 4-1 with a 2.17 ERA in 62 1/3 innings. He has tossed two of UVa's three complete games and has recorded a team-best 74 strikeouts. Saturday's starter Thompson has started a team-high 10 games this season and is 5-2 with an ERA of 3.98. Carraway (3-2, 2.82) will bring his team-leading 7.4 strikout-to-walk ratio (59-to-8) when he takes the mound on Sunday against the Hurricanes.

Closer Michael Schwimer has a league-leading 11 saves this season and has allowed just two earned runs in 18 2/3 innings of work. The Cavaliers have won the last two series over the Hurricanes winning in Coral Gables in 2006 and Charlottesville last season.

ALL-TIME SERIES MIAMI vs. VIRGINIA

Miami leads the all-time series, 11-8, but the Cavaliers have won the last two series in 2006 in Coral Gables and in 2007 in Charlottesville.

THREE HURRICANES ON DICK HOWSER WATCH LIST

Junior second baseman Jemile Weeks, sophomore relief pitcher Kyle Bellamy and freshman lefty Chris Hernandez have all been named to the watch list for the Dick Howser Trophy given to the top player in collegiate baseball. The Dick Howser Trophy, given in memory of the former Florida State University All-America shortstop and major league player and manager who died of brain cancer in 1987, is regarded by many as college baseball's most prestigious award. Criteria for consideration for the trophy include performance on the field, leadership, moral character and courage, qualities that were exemplified by Dick Howser's life.

GUTIERREZ NAMED TO STOPPER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST

Junior closer Carlos Gutierrez is one of 45 closers included on the midseason watch list for the fourth annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award. The award is given to the top relief pitcher in Division I college baseball.