Maryland
Miami
Erickson Hurls No. 23 Miami Past Terps, 13-3
3/16/2007 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 16, 2007
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CORAL GABLES, Fla. - University of Miami starter Eric Erickson (3-2) struck out a career-high eleven batters in seven scoreless innings as the Hurricanes cruised to a 13-3 victory over the University of Maryland Friday evening at Mark Light Field. Miami improved to 13-9 and 1-3 in ACC play, while the Terrapins (12-6, 2-2) fell in a series opener for the first time this season. Senior Casey Baron (3-1) earned his first loss of the year after allowing five runs on eight hits in four innings of work.
Miami posted the first run on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the second inning, when left fielder Kevin Diego singled through the right side of the infield, scoring right fielder Dennis Raben. The Hurricanes added two more in the inning on a single by catcher Jason Hagerty and a Jemile Weeks sacrifice fly.
In the third, the Hurricanes struck again, converting shortstop Ryan Jackson's base hit to right field into their fourth run of the day. One inning later, Weeks's single over the leaping shortstop Dan Melvin scored Hagerty to give the Canes a 5-0 lead.
Miami continued the scoring barrage in the fifth inning, adding two more runs off the bat of center fielder Blake Tekotte, as he singled to bring Raben and Jackson home. A bases-clearing triple by Jackson in the bottom of the sixth inning increased the lead to 10-0.
Maryland avoided its first shutout of the season in the eighth when sophomore third baseman Mike Murphy singled to right field, scoring junior Steve Braun, who doubled to lead off the inning. Freshman AJ Casario, who reached on a fielder's choice, added the Terps' second run when he scored on sophomore Will Greenberg's groundout.
The Canes answered right back in the bottom half, though, when pinch hitter Dave DiNatale's leadoff home run along with Jonathan Weislow's two-RBI double gave Miami a 13-2 lead.
Melvin led off the ninth inning with a double down the left field line, then scored on a wild pitch and a throwing error by Hurricanes catcher Richard O'Brien.
The Terrapins will try to even the weekend series Saturday evening at Mark Light Field when they face the Hurricanes at 7 p.m.
TERP NOTES: Following the top half of the first inning, the game was delayed 49 minutes due to lightning activity in the area ... Tomorrow's contest against the Hurricanes will be televised live on ACC Select (http://www.accselect.com). The game can be viewed by purchasing a Single Event Pass ($3.99), or an All Event Pass ($9.99 per month) which allows unlimited access to games. The game will also be shown on a tape delay on Sunday at 7 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet.
