University of Minnesota Athletics
Baseball Loses Season Opener to Defending Champion Miami, 10-4
2/15/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Junior right-hander C.J. Woodrow started the game for the Maroon and Gold, lasting four innings and striking out just one Miami batter. Senior Jason Kennedy led Minnesota's offense with a RBI double and three walks. Sophomore Gary Dick also provided some help with a two-RBI single, but the game was all Miami.
The Hurricanes took a quick 1-0 lead on Kevin Howard's home run in the bottom of the first inning. Then, added three more runs in the second, thanks to a home run by Danny Matienzo and a two-run double by Javy Rodriguez.
Minnesota got on the board in the top of the third inning, when Dick singled in seniors Scott Howard and Kennedy, cutting the Hurricane lead in half 4-2.
Miami went up again in with an RBI single in the bottom of the third and another solo home run in the bottom of the fourth. The score was now 6-2, in favor of the 'Canes.
The Golden Gophers loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the fifth, but could not find a way to score. They left seven runners on base over the span of the game - five in scoring position.
Matienzo connected for his second home run of the game, this time a three-run shot, to extend Miami's lead to 9-2 in the bottom of the fifth. The Hurricane's then added one more in the bottom of the sixth to make it 10-2.
Minnesota added two more runs in the top of the seventh inning. Senior Chris Guetzlaff belted a deep sacrifice fly to the wall in center field, scoring senior Rob LaRue. Kennedy then doubled off the center field wall to score senior Jeremy Beaulieu and cut the lead to 10-4; but that was the last time a Golden Gopher would cross the plate.
The two teams will do it again on Saturday, beginning at Noon CDT, and again on Sunday at 11 a.m. CDT. Both games can be heard on WMIN-AM 740, or on www.gophersports.com.
