COLLEGE WORLD SERIES | UM 7, FSU 5
Canes top FSU to stave off elimination
The Hurricanes kept their season alive despite another shaky performance by closer Carlos Gutierrez.
Posted on Tue, Jun. 17, 2008
By ANDRE C. FERNANDEZ
OMAHA, Neb. --
University of Miami starting pitcher David Gutierrez was hit with a line drive that knocked him out of Monday's game in the second inning.
Closer Carlos Gutierrez was hit hard by opposing batters in the ninth inning for the second consecutive game.
But the Hurricanes survived to play another game in Omaha and sent their biggest rival home with a 7-5 victory against Florida State in the first elimination game of the College World Series.
A crowd of 17,251 at Rosenblatt Stadium watched as the Seminoles (54-14) posted 18 hits to UM's 11 but left 17 runners on base, which tied a CWS record.
The Hurricanes (53-10) will play another must-win game at 7 p.m. Wednesday against Stanford (40-23-2).
''It's amazing how many games in this series end up being such a battle to the end,'' UM coach Jim Morris said. ``I don't know many more of these my heart can take.''
Gutierrez, who gave up four runs in the ninth inning Saturday in a loss to Georgia, entered the ninth Monday with a 7-2 lead. He faced all nine batters in FSU's lineup in another precarious ninth inning.
Gutierrez gave up three runs on four hits and two walks. After walking Ohmed Danesh and giving up consecutive singles to Tyler Holt and Jason Stidham with two outs, Gutierrez pitched around catcher and National Player of the Year Buster Posey to load the bases.
The potentially disastrous inning ended when Gutierrez got FSU right fielder Jack Rye to ground into a fielder's choice. UM second baseman Jemile Weeks fielded the high-bouncing grounder and flipped it to shortstop Ryan Jackson to keep Miami's season alive.
''Carlos went to 3-2 counts on a couple of guys and then he'd fire one right down the chute and they hit it hard,'' Morris said. ``You have to challenge them and make them swing the bat because even great hitters make outs most of the time. If they hit it hard, you'd hope they'd hit at somebody. To their credit, they hit the ball hard.''
One of the hardest hits came off the bat of FSU designated hitter Tommy Oravetz in the top of the second inning. The liner up the middle hit right-hander David Gutierrez a couple of inches below his throwing shoulder.
Morris said Gutierrez felt sore and went to a nearby hospital to have X-rays taken.
Gutierrez had given up a run-scoring double to first baseman Dennis Guinn and allowed four hits the previous inning. Sophomore Eric Erickson relieved him after the injury, and pitched the next five innings to improve to 9-1 this season.
Erickson gave up eight hits, struck out two and only allowed one run, aided by excellent Miami defense.
Junior Dennis Raben came up with two defensive gems in right field that helped the Hurricanes escape the fourth and sixth innings unscathed.
With UM leading 4-2 in the top of the fourth and Posey at third base, Raben made a diving catch on the run to rob Rye of another run-scoring hit.
Two innings later, Raben topped it with a shoe-level catch on a fly ball by Stidham. He then fired the ball on target to UM first baseman Yonder Alonso to complete a double play.
''[Raben] made some outstanding plays,'' FSU coach Mike Martin said. ``Jemile's play at the end wasn't easy either. Their defense played great.''
The Hurricanes had their best hitting effort in the bottom of the third, scoring four runs off FSU starter Elih Villanueva. Weeks hit his second home run of the tournament -- a two-run blast to right field -- to give UM a 2-1 lead.
UM loaded the bases with two outs on walks to Sobolewski and Severino and an infield single by Jackson. Raben singled on the next at-bat to drive in two runs.
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