Should it prove to be the last game of the 2013 season for the Miami Hurricanes, at least this squad went out with a bang, shutting out Clemson, 7-0 in the third game of the ACC Tournament in Durham.
Miami was thumped by North Carolina, 10-0 on Thursday and fell 7-1 to North Carolina State a day later, but came to play in a loser’s bracket-type game against the Tigers.
Bryan Radziewski got the win for the Canes, going eight innings, allowing four hits and striking out five in the process.
After falling behind early the past two days, Miami struck first and took some momentum, picking up two in the first inning and another in the second. Chantz Mack started the action drawings a two-out walk and David Thompson was hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second – both of whom would score after Brad Fieger doubled to left field.
In the second, Chris Barr drew a walk and advanced to second on a Brandon Lopez single. Dale Carey popped out on a bunt attempt, but Barr reached third after a Tyler Palmer single and came home on an Alex Hernandez sacrifice fly. UM would up leaving two on base, but picked up a run and held the early, 3-0 lead.
The Canes extended the lead to 4-0 when Thompson drove in Mack, who drew a walk and stole second. Miami then added one run in the seventh, eighth and ninth for the 7-0 win.
Head coach Jim Morris was not with the team today, having become ill this morning and under doctors’ care. The issue remains unknown, but it was serious enough to sideline him for the day.
Next up for the Canes, a return to South Florida and the waiting game as Monday will bring seedings for the first round of the NCAA Tournament and Miami, a bubble team, will hope for what would be the program’s forty-first straight post-season appearance.