Reminders
The deadline to enter in the first ever Halo II Tournament is Friday, April 22 by 5 p.m. The tournament is being held at Stanford, Hecht, Pearson, and the Wellness Center. Be sure to sign up today to join in the fun.

Scores
Spring Flag Football
Playoff
Springs Boys & Girls – 9
Med 1/2 – 6

Springs Boys – 19
XX Men – 13

Soo Old – 28
Med 2 – 0

Blasphemy – 27
Salty Seamen – 7

Ligers – 13
Black Plague – 10

The Department – 48
Hot Carls – 2

Boss Players – 32
Boozers – 0

X Pi – 40
B2 – 0

Mother Ship – 20
Ricky Williams – 0
Dead Lambs – 20
Slippery Dicks – 6

Captain Nasty – 27
Water Boys – 6

Springs Boys – 13
That Dog’ll Bite You – 6

Soo Old – 33
Outlaws – 14

The Department – 19
Ligers – 13

Boss Players – 21
Smuggling YoYos – 20

X Pi – 14
Mother Ship – 7

Captain Nasty – 19
Dead Lambs – 18

MT 3 – 22
Pink Bandits – 0

Golden Girls – 45
Sexy Niners – 0

Whoop Whoop – 47
Silent But Deadly – 0

Golden Girls – 12
Bus Drivers – 8

Whoop Whoop – 23
Tenacity – 6

Women’s Championship
Whoop Whoop – 22
Golden Girls – 0

Sigma Alpha Epsilon – 34
Sigma Alpha Mu – 0

Phi Delta Theta – 15
Sigma Phi Epsilon – 10

Volleyball Playoffs:
Dirty Kneepads – 2
Mo Feckers – 0

Alarm – 2
The Team – 0

Ligers – 2
Dirty Kneepads – 0

Imperatives – 2
DPT 1 – 1

Boss Players – 2
Ace Malanga – 1

Springs Boys & Girls – 2
Alarm – 0

Imperatives – 2
Ligers – 1

Boss Players – 2
Springs Boys & Girls – 1

Co-rec Champinship
Boss Players – 2
Imperatives – 1

Sigma Phi Epsilon – 2
Sigma Chi – 0

Phi Delta Theta – 2
Sigma Phi Epsilon – 0

Sigma Alpha Mu – 2
Sigma Alpha Epsilon – 1

Greek Championship
Phi Delta Theta – 2
Sigma Alpha Mu – 0

Springs Boys – 2
Med – 0

Men’s Championship
Los Jugarados – 2
Springs Boys – 0

Men’s Campus
Championship
Los Jugarados – 2
Phi Delta Theta – 0

Kappa Kappa Gamma – 2
Tri Delta – 0

Alpha Delta Pi – 2
Kappa Kappa Gamma – 0

Delta Gamma – 2
Zeta Tau Alpha – 0

Panhellenic
Championship
Delta Gamma – 2
Alpha Delta Pi – 1

Hitters – 2
PT Players – 0

Shockers – 2
Blue Barracudas – 0

Set to Kill – 2
Hitters – 0

Watch Out – 2
DPT 1 – 0

Team #2 – 2
Bubba – 0

Med Girls – 2
Shockers – 0

Set to Kill – 2
Watch Out – 0

Team #2 – 2
Med Girls – 1

Women’s Championship
Team #2 – 2
Set to Kill – 1

Women’s Campus
Championship
Team #2 – 2
Delta Gamma – 1

Preseason Softball
Tournament Champions
The Outlaws

Every week, baseball Head Coach Jim Morris will answer questions from readers. Send any questions you might have to e.kalis@umiami.edu.

After two dominating wins on Friday and Saturday, were you surprised at how close Sunday’s game was?

Not really. They flip-flopped their pitching rotation and threw their best pitcher Sunday, so I knew it would be a tough game.

Did this weekend’s series answer any questions you had about the starting rotation?

That’s a continuing process and you don’t know the answer until the end of the season. By then you just go with who’s hot.

Was it annoying at all to have to play at two different sites this weekend?

No. It was great. I enjoyed playing at Virginia Tech’s field and they had a nice facility. Playing at the pro stadium was a great experience for our players and I think they really enjoyed it.

Could you talk about the test that awaits you traveling to UNC to take on the Tar Heels?

It’s going to be a tremendous challenge and we are going up against probably the best pitching staff in the country.

Brendan Katin had another huge series against Va. Tech. He seems to have come a long way in two years here. Can you talk about his progress since he’s been here?

Brendan has a ton of potential, unlimited potential. There’s no telling how far he can go. I think he has the potential to play in the Major Leagues if everything falls into place. I was very happy for him this past weekend with the way he played. He played great.

Tim Harris is only a freshman but already a leader on the Miami men’s track team. Harris, who finished third in the 800m at the Duke Invitational last week, fielded questions from our Chris Hamilton.

TH: You won the 800 meters at the U.S. Junior Championships last year. What was that like?

Harris: It was great. I went through a lot of things in high school and winning U.S. Juniors was the icing on the cake for my high school career.

TH: Karron Clement (Florida) just broke Michael Johnson’s 10-year record in the 400-meter Indoors. What is one record you would like to break?

Harris: I’m not really focused on records right now. I just want to establish myself as a good runner in college.

TH: You’re a freshman this year. Do the older guys ever tease you or give you hard time?

Harris: No, we have a pretty young team. Being a real track guy coming in here, coach really uses me as a leader of the team [laughs]. I’m not the guy that they push around. I’m usually the guy everyone looks up to.

TH: Are track stars just born fast or is there a way to increase your speed?

Harris: Coming from Miami, I think we all have a little speed. But I played football in high school and I think the weight training got me stronger and to the level that I’m at now.

TH: Do you have an embarrassing moment that’s happened on the track?

Harris: My sophomore year I jumped the gun in a race and false started at regionals. It wouldn’t have been a big deal if it was a sprint, but it was the mile.

TH: Nearly half of the track team is made up of football players. What is it like having them around?

Harris: To me, it’s nothing different because I used to be one of those guys in high school. We all know each other and it’s not about football players trying to take over anything.

TH: What did you think of the Marian Jones steroid controversy?

Harris: It’s all a lie. I don’t think she took steroids.

TH: At what point will you say “It’s time for me to go pro?”

Harris: [Laughs] Anytime in my college career where I feel like I’ve accomplished the things I want to accomplish and feel that I’m at the top of my game.

TH: Devin Hester vs. Roscoe Parrish in the 100m. Who do you like?

Harris: Well, they would both smoke me [laughs]. But I would have to say Hester because it’s just crazy how he run away from people.

TH: Which do you like better: relays or individuals?

Harris: Individuals. In high school I was the guy everyone counted on. In the state championship, I got the stick in seventh place and had to run like crazy to catch up. I ended up wasting all my energy before the 800m.

TH: What do you need to improve on most?

Harris: I think my sprints. If I get that down, I’ll be one of the top guys professionally. Period.

Chris Hamilton can be contacted at c.hamilton2@umiami.edu.

The University of Miami men’s tennis team record does not reflect how the Hurricanes view themselves as a team. On the year, the team is 11-9 overall and 2-7 in the ACC.

“We expect to be better, but we lost a lot of 4-3 matches,” said first-year Head Coach Mario Rincon.

Despite an early run of bad luck, the Hurricanes have come back and won two out of the last three ACC match ups and played fifth ranked Duke tightly, losing another 4-3 match. The team is not focused on negatives but rather the positives of its improvement. Only one senior remained on the team this year, leaving many of these players to mature on the court this season. The youthfulness of the team may have hurt the early season success, but it leaves the ceiling open with regards to possible improvement.

For example, the Hurricanes scored a huge upset from ACC Men’s Tennis Performer of the Week Josh Cohen against Duke in their last match. Cohen was ranked 120th and beat third-ranked Ludovic Walter in straight sets 7-6(3), 6-4. Cohen had a combined 4-0 record in singles and doubles action against North Carolina State and Duke in the Hurricanes last week of action.

“Josh will be an All American someday. He has all the heart,” Rincon said.

All of that aside, the team has the biggest match saved for the end of the year against Florida State.

“Florida State is an important match-up,” Rincon said. “They always have great crowds when they play Miami. We have been improving in the last part of the season, but this is really a do or die situation for our team.”

A win against Florida State can validate any UM sports team’s season. Florida State is currently 15-6 overall and 6-2 in conference play. Florida State is highlighted by two very strong doubles teams, Mat Cloer and Ytai Abougzir and Jeff Groslimond and Chris Westerhof, ranked in the top 50 nationally.

It will be no easy task to defeat Florida State but a strong outing could springboard UM into a successful postseason.

After Florida State, the Hurricanes will play in their first-ever ACC Tournament. This year’s championship will take place April 21 to 24 at the Cary Tennis Center in Cary, N.C.

“We expect a tough first round match, but we have the talent to beat any team,” Rincon said.

Denis Brown can be contacted at dbrown@umsis.miami.edu.

From the moment Miami sophomore catcher Eddy Rodriguez attended his first Hurricanes baseball game when he was eight years old, he knew he wanted to play for the green and orange. After moving from Cuba when he was young, Rodriguez grew up in Coral Gables and is living a dream playing behind the plate as a Miami Hurricane.

A year ago as a freshman, Rodriguez was the understudy to one of the best catchers in the country, Erick San Pedro. San Pedro opted to leave after last season and was selected in the second round by the Washington Nationals. That meant it was Rodriguez’s turn to step up and move behind the plate.

San Pedro has let Rodriguez know what to expect.

“He taught me a lot about the mental aspects of the game,” Rodriguez said. “He told me to be ready for the next level because the mental part of the game gets a lot tougher.”

After appearing in 23 games last season and hitting .241, Rodriguez began this season with a bit of competition for that starting job. Freshman Alex Garabedian came to Coral Gables after being drafted in the seventh round by the New York Yankees. With both catchers struggling at the plate through the first 20 games, Rodriguez snapped out of it.

“I was doing horrible the first couple weeks or so,” Rodriguez said. “I just kept working at it in the cages and going crazy wondering why I wasn’t hitting the ball, but I got a new mental approach and it’s worked out.”

Through the first 30 games, Rodriguez is hitting .302 with four homeruns and 18 RBI. Those numbers do not include the stellar defense he supplies while behind the plate, which is one of the main reasons why he’s in a Miami uniform today. Rodriguez has been a catcher now for the last 11 years and it’s been his defense that has caught the attention of a lot of people. At Coral Gables Senior High School, Rodriguez hit .250 his senior season yet still made second team All-Dade County. He loves being behind the plate.

“I always like to be in the action of the game,” Rodriguez said. “I can’t see myself playing any other position because I wouldn’t be in every play. Behind the plate I get to do that, and that’s what I like to do.”

With two pivotal ACC series coming up for the Hurricanes, it is going to be guys like Rodriguez who will need to step up and continue to swing a hot bat. Rodriguez knows the road to winning the conference title in their first season is a tough one.

“Virginia Tech and North Carolina are two good teams and will be tough to beat on the road,” Rodriguez said. “But our goal is to win the ACC and to guarantee us a national seed.”

After sweeping Virginia Tech on the road last weekend, Miami travels to North Carolina this week and then will play host to rival Florida State the weekend after.

Douglas C. Kroll can be contacted at d.kroll@umiami.edu.

The baseball team is once again performing to its pre-season expectations as the Hurricanes swept Virginia Tech last weekend.

Hokie forces were no match for UM, despite Miami being was forced to play out of state in a bit colder weather than what the team is accustomed to playing in.

“We feel good about the wins because anytime you go on the road and are able to sweep the opponent, you’ve got something to feel good about,” said Head Coach Jim Morris. “It’s always harder to win on the road than it is at home because of our fans and the environment of our own field.”

Players excelled in all areas of the game, showing vast improvements over the mediocre display that caused a split in the four-game series against Oral Roberts the previous week.

Sophomore Danny Valencia had eight RBIs, junior Cesar Carrillo pitched a peak performance and sophomore Chris Perez threw at the conclusion of the third game of the series to add another win to his record. Senior Brian Katin’s stellar performance led to the award of ACC player of the week.

“He’s a guy with great potential and when he puts all of his skill together he’s very powerful at bat and on the field,” Morris said. “He can single-handedly wreck an entire game with the RBIs he accumulates.”

With spirits high, the ‘Canes will venture north once again to Chapel Hill, N.C., where they will take on the Tar Heels in a pivotal series beginning Friday evening. According to the latest ACC rankings, UM fell to the No. 5 position with 11 wins and four losses. The University of North Carolina currently holds the second spot, recording 11 wins and two losses. The series winner would gain a profound advantage that could possibly turn the tide of the season.

The team is altering its usual practice structure to incorporate more scrimmage games and to increase the amount of work on the pitchers’ strengths and weaknesses.

“We have to secure our bullpen if we’re going to make it to the promised land in Omaha,” Morris said.

The coaching staff has identified the largest obstacle for the upcoming weekend as UNC’s pitching strength. The Tar Heels’ left-handed pitcher, Andrew Miller, will start Friday night against the ‘Canes. Miller is believed to be one of the most outstanding pitchers in college baseball and will prove to be a challenge for the Hurricanes, while certainly making for an interesting meeting with the equally gifted Carrillo.

Morris, who grew up as a Tar Heels fan, knows well the importance of winning this series and assures that there are no personal feelings involved.

“I admire the school for their academics and athletics, but at the same time I just want to beat them like anyone else.”

Stacey Arnold can be contacted s.arnold@umiami.edu.