Miami dusts Dirtbags

Hurricane batters hit four home runs Saturday to hand Long Beach State its sixth-consecutive loss, a 12-2 rout in Miami.

Miami freshman third baseman Kevin Howard led the No. 11 Hurricanes (30-14-1) at the plate with a 4-for-5 performance with two homers and seven RBIs.

Miami pitchers limited the Dirtbags (25-19) to five hits on the day, with starter Brian Walker (8-2) getting the win. LBSU starter Matt Paz's record dropped to 7-3.

LBSU right fielder Chuck Lopez collected two of the team's five hits. His career hits total is now 229, one short of the Dirtbags' record established by Jeff Liefer (1993-95).
 

The Hurricanes scored three runs in the seventh inning Friday to break a 3-3 tie and eventually win the game, 6-3. Miami's Lale Esquivel two-run home run, his 15th of the year, did most of the damage.

The Dirtbags out-hit the Hurricanes 8-7, with Lopez and shortstop Bobby Crosby both going 2-for-4. Crosby hit a solo homer in the third inning, his team-leading eighth of the season.