Blake Tekotte had a big two-run single in the seventh inning to help top-seeded University of Miami--the nation's top-ranked team, win a 7-4 contest against Bethune-Cookman in the NCAA Coral Gables Regional opener at Mark Light Stadium.
Leading 5-4 in the seventh inning, the Hurricanes (48-8) Ryan Jackson was hit by a pitch to start off the at-bat. He then advanced to second on a passed ball before Dave DiNatale and Adan Severino took back-to-back walks to load the bases. That's when Blake Tekotte stepped up and delivered a bloop single to centerfield that squeezed between B-CU (36-21) second baseman Mark Brooks and centerfielder Jos? Ortiz.
The single scored two runs to push the Hurricanes lead out to 7-4 ... thus the final score.
"I was just trying to put it in play," Tekotte said. "We knew we had our work cut out for us. This was the best fourth-seeded team in the nation."
With the game tied at 4-4 in the sixth, Miami took the lead for good as DiNatale scored off a Yasmani Grandal RBI base knock up the middle off reliever Eric Thomas. Thomas suffered his first loss of the season today as the junior right-hander went 1.1 innings out of the bullpen allowing three earned runs on two hits and three walks.
That allowed the Hurricanes to go up 5-4.
"Bethune-Cookman has an outstanding ball club," Miami head coach Jim Morris said. "I don't think I've been as nervous all year as I was (Friday). I didn't feel comfortable until the last pitch."
Reliever Kyle Bellamy (6-0) got the victory, pitching 2 1-3 scoreless innings. Carlos Gutierrez pitched a scoreless ninth for his 12th save.
Bethune-Cookman came out of the gate playing well as they took a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Neal Jones kicked off the frame with one of his two hits on the day as he lifted a single up the middle, followed by a walk to third baseman Emmanuel Castro and a sacrifice ground-out from Drew Clark. Brooks' RBI ground-out and Patrick Jones single plated two runs to put the Maroon and Gold up, 2-0 after two innings.
Miami stormed back in the third with four runs off B-CU starter Hiram Burgos who allowed more than one (1) earned run in a game for the first time since the Illinois State series in the beginning of the season.
DiNatale and Severino had back-to-back singles and advanced to on one of two (2) errors on one play to get into scoring position. Grandal had a RBI single and Tekotte doubled to right followed by Sobolewski's two-run single to put the `Canes up 4-2.
"Nobody gave us a chance against Miami," said Bethune-Cookman head coach Mervyl Melendez, whose team also lost two regular season games against the Hurricanes. "They capitalized on our mistakes and that's why they're the No. 1 team in the nation."
B-CU now faces Mississippi tomorrow at noon in the first elimination game of the day back at Mark Light Stadium. The Rebels of Ole Miss defeated B-CU in 2006 during the Oxford, Miss. Regional by a score of 3-2.