April 7, 2007
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Mark Sobolewski hit a one-out three-run home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to lead Miami (19-14, 6-8 ACC) to a 5-2 win over Georgia Tech (21-12, 9-5 ACC), snapping the Yellow Jackets’ eight-game winning streak.
Sobolewski went hitless in his first four at bats, but pulled an 0-1 pitch off Tech reliever Danny Payne over the left field wall to score Roger Tomas and Yonder Alonso and hand the Hurricanes their first win of the series.
Payne (0-1), who began the game in center field, took the loss despite giving up just two hits while striking out two in a career-long outing (2.1 IP). He also walked four, including both Tomas and Alonso in the 11th inning.
Miami center fielder Blake Tekotte led all hitters with three hits, while Michael Fisher and Matt Wieters paced the Jackets with two hits apiece.
Tekotte scored an unearned run in the bottom of the first inning to give the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead. The Miami center fielder led off with a single, moved to second on a failed pickoff attempt by Yellow Jacket starter Eddie Burns, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Tomas, and scored on an RBI groundout by Alonso.
Tech evened the score in the fifth inning when Jeff Ussery led off with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Payne, and scored on an RBI single by Fisher.
Tomas broke the 1-1 tie in the seventh inning with a two-out RBI triple to score Jason Hagerty, who had walked to lead off the frame, but the Jackets answered with a run in the bottom of the inning when Wieters led off with a single, moved to third on a double by Plagman and scored on a sacrifice fly by Chris House.
Burns, starting his second game in the span of five days, gave up just two runs, only one of which was earned, on five hits while striking out six in 6.1 innings of work, but did not factor into the decision.
Miami starter Scott Maine also pitched well, tossing six strong innings and giving up one run on six hits while striking out seven, but received a no decision for the first time this year.
Tech and Miami will conclude the series Sunday in a game that is scheduled to be broadcast live on CSS beginning at 1 p.m. WREK-Radio (91.1 FM/www.wrek.org) will also carry the game, and live stats can be found at www.ramblinwreck.com.
