No. 1 Hurricanes batter Hokies

BLACKSBURG, Va. - Junior centerfielder Blake Tekotte tied a school record with three home runs and Miami hit five home runs in a game for the third time this season as the No. 1 ranked Hurricanes won its 40th game with a 12-4 win over Virginia Tech Friday evening at English Field.

Yonder Alonso and Dennis Raben also both homered for Miami (40-5, 21-2 ACC) which scored at least 10 runs for the 21st time this season. Tekotte ended up 3-for-3 with four RBI and four runs scored. Raben and Yasmani Grandal each added a pair of RBI.

Freshman lefty Chris Hernandez improved to 9-0 for Miami. He struck out six in 6 2/3 innings and gave up just two earned runs on nine hits. Kyle Bellamy and Carlos Gutierrez held Virginia Tech to one unearned run and one hit in the final 2 1/3 innings.

Virginia Tech starter Rhett Ballard dropped to 3-7 as he allowed eight runs, six earned and struck out four. Sean Ryan, Austin Wates, Klint Reed and Chris Kay each had two hits for the Hokies, who out-hit Miami, 10-8.

Raben's two-run home run in the top of the ninth made it, 10-3. After Adan Severino's double, UM tacked on two more runs to go ahead, 12-3 A Virginia Tech error with two outs scored Ryan Jackson and Severino giving Miami a 12-3 lead. The Hokies (20-29, 4-21 ACC) scored an unearned run in the bottom of the ninth getting within, 12-4.

Grandal's two-run single with the bases loaded highlighted a four-run eighth inning for the Hurricanes pushing their lead to 8-3. After Raben reached on a fielder's choice, Jackson hit his team-leading 17th double and Severino was intentionally walked. Dave DiNatale reached on an error allowing Raben to score giving Miami a 5-3 lead. Grandal then drove the third pitch he saw through the hole between first second and second extending the Miami lead to 7-3. Tekotte's sacrifice fly allowed DiNatale to score from third as UM led by five runs.

Tekotte's third home run put Miami ahead, 4-3, in the top of the sixth.

Solo home runs from Tekotte and Alonso tied the game for Miami, 3-3, in the top of the fifth. Tekotte's second homer of the game cleared the wall in left center. One out later, Alonso slapped the third pitch he saw on an 0-2 count down the left field line for his 15th home run of the season.

Virginia Tech went ahead, 3-1, in the bottom of the third. Wates' single in the bottom of the third forced a throw home with two outs, but Matt Hacker slid in safe after an error by the catcher.

Virginia Tech scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the second to go ahead, 2-1. Wates and Seaborn hit back-to-back singles leading off inning. Wates scored on an error tying the game, 1-1. Klint Reed's RBI double gave the Hokies the one-run advantage.

Tekotte led off the game with his seventh home run of the season quickly putting the Hurricanes ahead, 1-0, in the first.

Due to the threat of inclement weather Sunday, the Hurricanes and Hokies will wrap up their series on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. There will be 30 minutes between games.