Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Florida Atlantic
Miami
Baseball Falls in Season Opener
1/25/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Jan. 25, 2001
CORAL GABLES - Kevin Cooney entered Thursday night's season opener between Florida Atlantic University and the University of Miami with line-up questions. The question of starters responding was answered positively, but he will continue to play with the line-up through the first six weeks of the season after FAU suffered a 9-3 loss to the Hurricanes.
"We have thrown ourselves into the fire with a difficult schedule," said Cooney. "I thought Chris (Pillsbury) did a good job. It was a game where we made mistakes and they capitalized on them. They made mistakes and we capitalized on them. But, that is college baseball without pre- season games."
The two teams remained knotted through the first two and a half innings. The game saw its first hit a two-out RBI double in the bottom of the third by UM's third baseman Kevin Howard to score Miami's second run of the game. The first run was scored after a pass ball and a wild pitch.
FAU responded in the top of the third in a similar fashion by capitalizing on UM's miscues. Tim McNab led off the inning with a walk. Regan Samaniego followed with a single to center allowing McNab to advance to second and take third with heads up base running after Miami's center fielder bobbled the ball. Newcomer, Dean DeVine drove in McNab with a deep fly to center. Samaniego later scored when UM pitcher, Brian Walker over threw first on a planned sacrifice bunt.
Miami returned in the bottom of the inning to score three runs behind a FAU error, two doubles and a walk. The Canes scored four in the eighth which included a two-run homer. FAU scored its final run in the top of the ninth. Pinch hitter Mike Valdes reached first on a walk, moved to third on a double by freshman Rusty Brown, giving the Brown brothers (Kevin for UM) a double each. Valdes later scored on a sac fly by pinch hitter Jason Sullivan.
Chris Pillsbury, who's the first freshman to open the season for FAU, took the loss after three and a third innings of work. Pillsbury allowed five runs, four earned, on three hits, four walks and three strikeouts. Walker picked up the victory for UM after five innings of work. He also retired three by strikeouts, walked one allowed two runs, both earned and gave up three hits.
From FAU's pen, Greg Eubanks pitched four and a third for the Blue Wave. He gave up four runs, which included the homer, three were earned, and struck out one. Matt O'Brien finished the game with a two pitch out.
Offensively, FAU was led by shortstop transfer Bobby Spano's 2-for-4 plate performance. DeVine had the team's only RBI.
Miami was led by Mike DiRosa who hit a two-run homer to right in the bottom of the eighth. Kevin Brown, Kris Clute and Kevin Howard each hit doubles.
The two teams will play 7 pm, Friday, in Boca Raton.
