Golden Panthers Play Host To Miami On Wednesday

[FIUVoice]

Florida International and Miami meet in a rematch of last week’s extra-inning affair Wednesday at 7 p.m. at University Park Stadium. The Golden Panthers (17-18) and Hurricanes (20-14) will meet for the 114th time in the back end of the annual home-and-home series.



Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling 1-866-FIU-GAME (348-4263). Admission is $8 for adults and $6 for children 12 and under, seniors 55 and over, and FIU faculty. Student admission is free.



Fans can follow the game on the Internet via livestats on the baseball page at www.fiusports.com.



The stage is set nearly the same as last week’s 10-inning thriller that saw Miami walk away with a 10-9 win. FIU will once again start freshman right-hander Ryan Bernal (3-0, 3.00 ERA) against last week’s starter from UM, junior southpaw Manny Miguelez (0-1, 7.34 ERA).



Last week’s game featured comebacks, lead changes, dramatic home runs and an exciting finish. The Golden Panthers rallied from a 6-1 deficit with a six-run seventh before Miami came back in the bottom of the inning to tie the game. A pair of scoreless frames led to extra innings, where the teams traded two-run home runs. Ryan Jackson ended the game with a RBI single up the middle to give UM the 10-9 win.



The Golden Panthers are coming off a pair of losses at Arkansas State and are led by James McOwen’s .456 average. But senior third baseman Bryan Pullin has been coming on strong, and is hitting a team best .436 with three home runs, 11 RBI and 10 runs scored during a 10-game hitting streak.



UM is led by sophomore first baseman Yonder Alonso, who leads the team with a .362 average, nine home runs and 40 RBI.

Wow someone is taking advantage of this game to charge a higher price huh ...HOPE TO SEE ALOT OF YOU THERE TOMM.!!!!!

[FIUBlue82]

Danny made an interesting choice in the 9th inning bringing in a pitcher who hadn't seen action in a month. Unfortunately, that resulted in a big inning for Miami, and another loss for the good guys.

www.miamiherald.com/588/story/71102.html

UM finishes sweep of FIU

By PETE PELEGRIN
[e-mail]

Once again Florida International and the University of Miami played a taut thriller until the final inning Wednesday night.

inning and the Hurricanes strode out of University Park Stadium with an 11-7 victory and a season sweep of FIU.

The Hurricanes rallied past the Golden Panthers 10-9 in 10 innings last Wednesday at Mark Light Field.

This time the rally was less dramatic.

Ahead 7-6 entering the top of the ninth inning, FIU coach Danny Price brought in right-hander Jorge Ramos to try and close the game.

Ramos, who had not pitched since March 16 because of elbow tendinitis, faced the top of UM's batting order.

The Hurricanes responded with two doubles and a single to take an 8-7 lead and then tacked on three more runs on a throwing error and a two-run double by catcher Richard O'Brien to cap off the five-run ninth inning rally.

Ramos had a thrown a bullpen session last weekend and Price said he wanted to get the freshman back in a game.

But in the ninth inning, ahead by one run and against the top of the UM order?

''He's bigger than me and he wanted the ball,'' Price said. ``That's the truth he really wanted the baseball and I wanted somebody who really wanted the ball to be out there. . . . and if I had to do it again, I'd do it again.''

Miami won in the last at-bat for the fourth time in the last five games.

''Entertaining,'' UM coach Jim Morris said of the win. ``That's what the definition of an ugly win is. We played good enough defense and we found a way to win and we got it done late which seems to be a characteristic of this team.''

For UM, Yonder Alonso and Dave DiNatale each hit a home run and had three RBI.

FIU was led by left fielder James McOwen, who was 3 for 5 with a home run.


PETE PELEGRIN

[FIUFan]

ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzz..........

[FIUBlue82]

Great blog entry by Pete.

miamiherald.typepad.com/fiusports/2007/04/the_beauty_of_b.html

The Beauty of Baseball

The beauty of baseball is that second-guessing is part of the game. And there was plenty of second-guessing at University Park Stadium on Wednesday night when FIU took on UCG.

I have to get in a Catherine Zeta-Jones photo here, because what follows is some ugly baseball.

Wednesday night, the Golden Panthers bullpen had pitched a marvelous game heading into the ninth inning. After a shaky third inning, Brian Santana, Evan Ellison and Walker Whitley were flawless allowing zero runs in seven of the eight innings the trio pitched. They struck out 11 UCG batters.

Then came the self-inflicted wound that became the ninth inning. Ahead, 7-6, coach Danny Price brings in Jorge Ramos, who had NOT pitched since March 16 because of elbow tendonitis. I'm no math whiz but by my count that's 26 days since the freshman had thrown a baseball that counted.

On top of that, Ramos had to get out the top of the UCG order which was pulverizing the baseball Wednesday. 3 of the first 4 hitters in the UCG lineup combined to go 7 for 14 Wednesday.

Just to remind, Ramos had not pitched in 26 days so you CANNOT pin the ninth inning on the kid.

Anyways, leadoff hitter Blake Tekotte doubles and gets moved to third base on a ground out. Now comes, arguably the best hitter in college baseball this season -- Yonder Alonso, a left-handed hitter going against the right-hander Ramos.

The move everyone in University Park and those listening on the radio would have made was to walk Alonso and set up a double play. Nope, on the first pitch Alonso rips a single to right...tie game. Then comes clean-up hitter Mark Sobolewski who smacks a double to right and then the FIU wheels came off with an error and a UCG two-run double. Five runs later the Golden Panthers suffer another defeat.

Now, I'm no Connie Mack (winningest major league manager: 3,731 wins), but I have to wonder: bringing in a pitcher, who is coming off an injury into the 9th inning of a one-run lead against the top of the batting order?

''He's bigger than me and he wanted the ball,'' Price said. "That's the truth he really wanted the baseball and I wanted somebody who really wanted the ball to be out there. . . . and if I had to do it again, I'd do it again.''

Ok, then. Good luck to the Golden Panthers against Sun Belt No. 2 Louisiana-Monroe this weekend.

I know many of you have written in already calling for change to the FIU baseball program. After games, like these, I could see your point. When and what the changes will be are unknown.

But one thing is for certain. FIU AD Pete Garcia won't have to come up with $40,000 like the UCG did when they went looking for a football coach, when the coach they hired was already on the campus of UCG. Who's running the financial show over there and could they give me $40,000?

Back to the matter at hand.

Pete Garcia will have to make a trip to the Home Depot for some door reinforcements, because baseball coaches from around the nation are going to be beating down his door for the opportunity to coach a Division I college baseball program in talent-rich Miami.

Folks, the FIU baseball program, like many of FIU's sports is "a sleeping giant" and someone needs to give it a wake-up call.

[FIUFan]

Danny's days are numbered.... as they should be.

[FIUFanatic]

Another disappointing baseball season, it seems. There should be no reason why FIU Baseball shouldn't be a top 25 team, particularly with local talent available. This is a shame for everybody. I really like Price, but...it's time, I think.

[FIUPantherFan]

You've got that right Fanatic. Name the stadium after him and then let someone who knows how to manage call the game! GO PANTHERS!

[Xpedition]

Bye Price. It's been fun.

[MiRi]

No matter how much I appreciate Coach Price, I agree with Pete. I feel bad because Coach Price is such a great guy and all, but we need change.