A great win by the Miami Hurricanes against the North Carolina Tar Heels at the ACC Tournament today. The Canes found themselves down 5-0 entering the top of the sixth inning and went on to score six runs over the next two innings, reclaiming a lead they’d never lose en route to a 7-5 victory.
UNC jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after one as UM starting pitcher Brian Radziewski struggled early, surrendering a walk, hitting a batter, giving up three hits and three runs. Radziewski settled down over the next three innings, only giving up two hits. Radziewski gave up three hits and two more runs in the bottom of the fifth and was relieved by A.J. Salcines top of the six.
Miami bats remained silent for five innings, but in the bottom of the sixth finally came alive.
Harold Martinez started it off with a single up the middle. Brad Feiger flied out, Chris Palaez walked, Stephen Perez struck out swinging and Dale Carey drove a two-out single to center, scoring Martinez and moving Palaez to third.
After a pitching change, Cade Kreuter was walked and with bases loaded, Zeke DeVoss doubled to left center, drove in three and was tagged out at third when over-sliding the base.
Miami’s offense added two in the top of the seventh thanks to a fielding error, a walk, a fielder’s choice and another two-out hit – this time a single by Perez – to give the Canes the 6-4 lead. A top of the ninth insurance run when Corey Janson drove in Perez, who advanced to third after a Carey double. Perez started the rally with a one-out single.
The Tar Heels looked for a bottom of the ninth rally when Jesse Wierzbicki walked and advanced to second after a Tommy Coyle single, but the Canes’ defense held strong, picking off Wierzbicki was picked off at second and Jacob Stallings grounded into a double play.
You can’t hang too much on one game, but if there was a ‘type’ of opening game Miami needed, this was it. Overcoming an early deficit, strong pitching down the stretch, bats coming alive (to the tune of fourteen hits), good defense (one error) and big plays when it counted.
An opening round loss and ice cold bats would’ve felt like nothing more than extension of the past few weeks, but seven unanswered runs and a comeback victory can breathe new life into a team. When Jim Morris and this coaching staff remind these kids that it’s a brand new season and that everyone was 0-0 entering the conference tourney, they can now deliver that message with conviction.
Miami is now 1-0 with second-ranked Virginia looming and having just beat a top-ranked North Carolina team, hopefully that brings some much-needed confidence and mojo on Friday. A stagnant offense got a shot in the arm today and a good run in the talent-heavy ACC could go a long way in determining where Miami spends the next few weekends when the regionals are underway.
Great (and honestly, unexpected) win yesterday. Following the game on Twitter (thanks for the updates!) it looked like it was going to be yet another poor performance against a quality opponent.
That being said, UNC is the ONLY quality opponent that Miami dominated this year (4-0 overall I think) so beating them again – despite the heroics – is not as impressive. If UM goes on to beat UVA today and WFU tomorrow, then perhaps I'll entertain hopes of a "hot streak" that Miami can carry into Regional play. While it is easy to talk about the post-season as a "fresh start" and "everyone is 0-0" the reality is that the team's regular season performance is a good predictor of post season play. Mediocre regular season teams (like Miami, quite honestly) rarely shine in the post season.
Still great win and let's hope Miami can overcome poor play all year and put together a great streak!
Go Canes!
Great (and honestly, unexpected) win yesterday. Following the game on Twitter (thanks for the updates!) it looked like it was going to be yet another poor performance against a quality opponent.
That being said, UNC is the ONLY quality opponent that Miami dominated this year (4-0 overall I think) so beating them again – despite the heroics – is not as impressive. If UM goes on to beat UVA today and WFU tomorrow, then perhaps I'll entertain hopes of a "hot streak" that Miami can carry into Regional play. While it is easy to talk about the post-season as a "fresh start" and "everyone is 0-0" the reality is that the team's regular season performance is a good predictor of post season play. Mediocre regular season teams (like Miami, quite honestly) rarely shine in the post season.
Still great win and let's hope Miami can overcome poor play all year and put together a great streak!
Go Canes!
Well, the game against UVA lived up true to form. Errors, runners stranded and poor defense led to yet another loss against a quality opponent. The Canes fought back in the end, but it was not enough. I had a feeling that the rain delay would kill the momentum when UM was up 2-0 in the 2nd. Some might say this was a "moral victory" by fighting back with an opportunity to win in the 8th, but "moral victories" still count as losses in the post-season.
Unfortunately I don't see good things happening today against Wake. The Canes were up all night against UVA so I expect them to be tired and lethargic. Game against Wake was moved to 5:30 pm and Wake still has to finish up their game against UNC (they were down 5-0). Both teams will probably be sloppy.
Good luck today Canes!
After losing to Virginia again (in a game Miami should have won) they came back and beat a below-average Wake team. Jumping out to a 4-0 lead, Miami had a chance to put WF away several time, but once again got into the habit of leaving runners in scoring position stranded. Wake's bats came alive as Miami's pitching started to falter and let them back in the game. A better team would have come back to score more runs, as Miami continues to give opponents opportunities. Fortunately for UM, Wake is still a young and inexperienced team.
Coach Morris was interviewed early in the game and made the comment that he was excited to get out to Regional play, "for the 'real' championship" or something to that effect. I found that comment mildly bewildering, given UM's season. The competition in the ACC is down this year and Miami's success against quality ACC opponents (FSU, UVA and UNC) has been … poor. What makes him think that the competition elsewhere is going to be any less challenging? I suppose that's "coach-speak" but when I watch post-season play and still see players making fundamental errors (i.e., getting picked off at first during the Wake game), I would be less than confident.
Either way, UM came out 2-1 and heads to Regional play in Houston (I think). Hopefully, they have better luck because at this point in the season, I doubt play is going to improve.
Happy Memorial Day to everyone and Go Canes!
The guys played well overall this weekend. It's unfortunate they didn't pull out the UVA victory. Situational hitting and defense did them in. It seemed like the rain delay killed their momentum after they had the early lead against the Hoos. Momentum definitely means something in the postseason, especially if you have a somewhat fragile team. Regardless, you always have to bring your A-game against an opponent of UVA's caliber. Let's hope they continue to play well and shore up that defense in the Regionals.
This baseball program has become an embarassment and a joke. FSU and UF own Morris these days. Sad to see such a pround program become so feeble.