Are ‘U’ Ready For Some Baseball?

The 2012 season for Miami baseball officially kicks off tonight at Mark Light Field at Alex Rodriguez Park. First pitch is at 7pm and the Canes will again welcome the Rutgers Scarlet Knights for the first home-stand of the season.

Miami opens the year ranked No. 13 in the official polls and has its sights set on Omaha. The Canes got a shot in the arm weeks back when sixth-year starter Eric Erickson and senior catcher Peter O’Brien were cleared by the NCAA for the 2012 season.

Erickson sat out the 2011 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and was named tonight’s started by head coach Jim Morris on Wednesday, while O’Brien, one of the best catchers in the nation, hit .304 last season, with fourteen home runs and 69 RBI for Bethune-Cookman.

O’Brien, a Miami native, spent three seasons with the Wildcats and was named to five preseason All-America teams entering 2011. He’s a welcomed addition to the UM roster.

While O’Brien was named second team All-American entering this season, right-hander Eric Whaley and outfielder Rony Rodriguez both earned Honorable Mention accolades.

Pitching will again be a strength for the Canes. Besides Erickson and Whaley, Miami also returns Bryan Radziewski, Steven Ewing and closer EJ Encinosa. UM also welcomes back veteran infielder Stephen Perez.

Miami finished the 2011 regular season 34-20 (19-10 in the ACC) and went 2-1 in the ACC Championship, beating North Carolina, falling to Virginia and bouncing back with a win over Wake Forest.

The Canes were then shipped to the Gainesville Regional, beating Jacksonville twice and dropping two to Florida – a 5-4 heartbreaker in game two and an 11-4 beat down in what turned out to be a season-ending loss that left a bad taste in UM’s collective mouth.

Can the Canes channel the disappointment of 2011 into a stellar run in 2012? Tune in tonight for game one and to see Miami in action.

Can’t make the game? Click here to stream all tonight’s action live.

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