University of Tennessee Athletics
Miami Eliminates Tennessee in CWS; Vols Finish Third
October 01, 2001 | Baseball
6/14/2001
OMAHA --- Miami got home runs from Kevin Howard, Danny Matienzo and Kevin Brown as the Hurricanes rallied from a 4-0 deficit to post a 12-6 victory over Tennessee in the 55th College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium.
Tennessee closes its season at 48-20 and a third place tie at the College World Series with Cal State Fullerton. Miami (52-12) will play Stanford (51-16) for the national championship, Saturday at 1 p.m. (EDT).
Dan Smith (6-0) picked up the win after pitching three innings of relief, allowing one run on three hits.
Brian Gates (6-5), who was chased in the fourth inning, took the loss, after allowing seven runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and one walk.
Brandon Hopkins and Dan Wilson each collected two hits for the Vols, while Matienzo and Mike Rodriguez had three hits to pace Miami's 13-hit attack. Howard led the Hurricanes with four RBI.
Tennessee built a 4-0 lead after three by scoring two in the second on a Wilson double and Ryan Case single, and adding two more in the third on a sacrifice fly and a bases loaded walk by Kris Bennett.
Miami sent 12 men to the plate as they broke the game open with a seven-run fourth, highlighted by back-to-back home runs by Howard and Matienzo and a two-run single by Rodriguez. The first six batters all reached safely as Howard cranked a three-run blast, while Matienzo followed with his third home run of the series and 13th of the season. The Hurricanes took a 5-4 lead on a ground out before Rodriguez's hit capped the inning to make it 7-4.
The Hurricanes added three more in the fifth for a 10-4 lead, getting two on Brown's 14th home run and Rodriguez's third RBI.
The Vols then plated a run in the bottom of the inning as Ryan Moffett scored after tripling to start the frame to make it 10-5, while Miami extended its lead to 12-5 in the seventh on an error and a fielders choice.
Justin Parker singled home Christensen in the eighth for Tennessee's final tally.
| ? | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ? | R | H | E |
| MIAMI | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ? | 12 | 13 | 0 |
| TENNESSEE | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ? | 6 | 11 | 1 |
Miami - Bengochea, Smith (3), DeBold (6), Cohn (8), Huguet (8) and Lovelady. Tennessee - Gates, Nicholson (4), Curtiss (5), Parker (5), Filsinger (8), Bertolino (9) and Herrera. W-Smith (6-0). L-Gates (6-5). HR-UM-Howard (4), Matienzo (13), Brown (14). T-3:38. Att-18,975.
