CORAL GABLES, FL (May 8) – Kevin Mannix’s solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning lifted 13th-ranked Miami past No. 3 Georgia Tech, 7-5, on Monday night, May 8, at Mark Light Stadium.
The win gave the Hurricanes (32-16-1) a 2-1 victory in the three-game series with the Yellow Jackets (38-13).
Mannix’s home run, his sixth of the season, capped a three-run Hurricane rally in the seventh and eighth innings. Miami trailed 5-3 entering the bottom of the seventh before Danny Matienzo tied the score at 5-5 with a two-out, two-run homer, his seventh of the season.
Miami added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth with a RBI single from Mike Rodriguez to provide the final 7-5 margin.
The Yellow Jackets took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Richard Lewis led off the game with a single and came around to score on a RBI single from Bryan Prince. Miami quickly tied the game at 1-1 with a RBI groundout from Javy Rodriguez in the bottom of the first.
The Hurricanes took a 2-1 lead in the second when Danny Matienzo singled and scored on a wild pitch. Tech tied the score at 2-2 in the third when Jason Perry walked and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly from Mark Teixeira.
Miami again took the lead in the bottom of the fourth with a single run. Lale Esquivel led off the inning with a double to right center, took third base on Manny Crespo’s single and scored on Kevin Mannix’s RBI groundout.
The Yellow Jackets reclaimed the lead in the fifth with two runs to make the score 4-3. Perry led off with a walk and scored on a throwing error from third baseman Kevin Howard, while Wes Rynders, who reached on the error, scored on a wild pitch.
Tech pushed the lead to 5-3 in the sixth when Victor Menocal doubled and came around to score on Matienzo’s error.
Miami’s Luke DeBold (4-2) picked up the win in relief, while Tech reliever Kevin Cameron (4-2) took the loss after allowing three runs in two innings of work.
Neither starting pitcher figured in the decision, as Tech’s Steve Kelly allowed three runs in five innings and Miami’s Kiki Bengochea allowed our runs in 4.1 innings of work.
Georgia Tech will return to action on Tuesday night when the Yellow Jackets host Mercer at 7 p.m. at Russ Chandler Stadium. Tech will close out the 2000 regular season home schedule on Wednesday night against East Tennessee State at 7 p.m.
