Oct. 17, 2007

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - - The University of Miami Baseball team will host Indian River Community College and Barry University this weekend for two scrimmages as the Hurricanes continue their fall practice season. Miami will host Indian River at 6 p.m. Friday night at Mark Light Field. UM will play Barry at 7 p.m. Saturday night at "The Light."

Both scrimmages are free to the public, and fans are encouraged to attend for a preview of the 2008 Hurricane Baseball team. All Miami fall practices are open to the public. The team practices Monday through Saturday at Mark Light Field.

Miami returns seven position starters, two starters from its three-man weekend rotation and eight relief pitchers. Junior first baseman Yonder Alonso returns after earning second team All-ACC honors, second team All-America honors from Baseball America and Louisville Slugger third-team All-America honors by Collegiate Baseball in 2007. He led the team hitting .376 with an ACC-best 18 home runs and 74 RBIs. Sophomore Mark Sobolewski, who split time in left field and at third base, earned freshman All-America honors from Baseball America and Louisville Slugger. Sobolewski was the Hurricanes' second -leading hitter batting .345 with a team-high 88 hits. He had 16 doubles, eight home runs and 54 RBIs. Miami returns nine position players that played in at least 25 games and six of its top nine hitters including center fielder Blake Tekotte (.333, 73 hits, 50 Runs, 19 2B, 25 RBI, 15 SB), second baseman Jemile Weeks (.298, 56 hits, 20 extra-base hits, 27 RBI), right fielder Dennis Raben (.280, 46 Runs, 61 hits, 13 2B, 12 HR, 48 RBI) and shortstop Ryan Jackson (.236, 43 hits, 28 runs, 10 2B, 25 RBI).

Sophomore left-handed pitcher Eric Erickson returns to anchor the UM pitching staff. As a freshman in 2007, Erickson was selected first team All-ACC after going 10-4 with a 2.50 ERA. Opponents hit .243 against him. He went 6-2 with a 1.93 ERA in ACC games. Senior right-hander Enrique Garcia also returns after being selected in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft. Garcia went 8-4 in 22 appearances and posted a 3.82 ERA. He struck out 80 in 92 innings while opponents hit just .251 against him. UM's top relief pitcher, sophomore David Gutierrez went 2-0 with a 3.74 ERA in 2007. Miami receives an added boost with the return of redshirt junior pitcher Carlos Gutierrez, who was UM's Friday starter in 2006. Gutierrez sat out the 2007 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. Junior Jason Santana went 4-0 with a 1.42 ERA in five appearances before having shoulder surgery and missing the rest of the 2007 season.

NCAA teams have 45 days to get in 37 practices and two exhibition games. The Hurricanes have completed two weeks of fall practice and have four weeks remaining after Saturday. Miami will hold its annual scout day on Nov. 17. The alumni baseball game has been moved up to Nov. 2 at 5 p.m. in conjunction with homecoming weekend.