No. 8 Miami Takes Series Opener, 6-2

MIAMI, Fla. – No. 8 Miami (24-6, 11-2 ACC) scored six unanswered runs in a 6-2 series opening win over No. 3 Virginia (26-4, 9-4 ACC) on Friday (April 8). Five Hurricane pitchers limited the Cavaliers to a season-low, two hits.

Three Miami home runs proved to be the difference in the game. The Hurricanes cut Virginia’s 2-0 lead in half in the second on a solo homer by Maxwell Romero Jr. and took the lead for good on a two-run shot by Yohandy Morales in the third. Gaby Gutierrez added a solo home run in the fifth to make it a 4-2 ball game.

Freshman Justin Rubin recorded both of the Cavalier hits, going 2-for-3 with an RBI in the contest.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Cavaliers scored two unearned runs in the top of the second inning, capitalizing on a CJ Kayfus fielding error. Rubin plated the game’s first run on an RBI single up the middle that allowed Chris Newell to score from second. Colin Tuft came around to score on an RBI groundout by Griff O’Ferrall.

• After the three home runs, Miami made it a four-run game with two runs in the sixth, one an RBI double down the left field line by Jacob Burke and Romero Jr. scored on a double play induced by Cavalier reliever Paul Kosanovich.
• Kosanovich did not allow a hit over three innings of relief and struck out two batters. The righthander only needed to face two batters in the sixth, entering with the game with no outs and the bases loaded thanks to the double play and strikeout to end the inning. He served up another double play ball to end the seventh inning.

FROM HEAD COACH BRIAN O’CONNOR

“We had some opportunities early in the game and we just couldn’t get the big hit. That’s what this game was came down to. Miami had a handful of players that got some really big hits, the three home runs and the double down the line that ended up knocking (Nate) Savino out of the game. They pitched terrific. We knew this coming in that they had really, really excellent pitching and we’d have to play great baseball and unfortunately, we couldn’t match them but that’s to their credit. They stepped up, they were aggressive and got some big hits to drive in runs and we didn’t.”

UP NEXT: The ACC series continues on Saturday (April 9) with the middle game scheduled for a 7 p.m. first pitch. UVA will have lefty Brian Gursky on the mound (5-0) and he will be opposed by righthander Karson Ligon (4-1).

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• The last time Virginia was held to two or less hits also came against Miami, on March 27, 2021. Despite just one hit, the Cavaliers won the game 4-0. All four runs scored on one play, a three-run triple by Devin Ortiz who was awarded home on a Hurricane throwing error.
• With the victory, Miami has won 11 consecutive games, the second longest active streak in college baseball.
• Virginia turned a season-high three double plays in the contest, all turned in the middle infield by first years O’Ferrall and Rubin. The Cavaliers have turned multiple double plays in a game one other time this season – Feb. 26 vs. Cornell (2).
• Miami committed three errors in the contest, the most by a UVA opponent in a loss since Georgia Tech racked up four defensive miscues in a 6-5 series opening win over Virginia on April 1, 2021. The game proved to be a turning point in the 2021 season as UVA won 14 of its final 20 ACC games.
• Virginia dropped to 14-2 this season when an opponent commits multiple errors in a game.