No. 17 Baseball Clinches Series with Wake

Miami127Wake Forest

PLAYER OF THE GAME
Carl Chester | Fr. | OF The freshman speedster connected for his second career leadoff home run, and ended the game with three hits, two runs and two RBI in a solid all-around performance.

WINSTON-SALEM. N.C. – The red-hot Miami Hurricanes clinched their second straight ACC series victory Saturday, toppling host Wake Forest 12-7 in game two at Gene Hooks Field.

For the second straight day, Miami jumped out to an early lead and cruised through the middle innings. Despite a late Wake Forest comeback effort, Miami held on to secure its eighth straight victory.

A night after Miami’s offense struck for 15 runs on 15 hits, the Hurricanes lit up the scoreboard once again during an afternoon affair. The visitors struck for 12 runs on 15 hits, with every starter recording at least one hit and first baseman Christopher Barr recording the first three-hit game of his career.

Freshman Carl Chester finished 3-for-6 with two runs and two RBI, including a solo home run.

The Hurricanes (18-6, 6-2 ACC) plated eight runs over the game’s first three innings, and spotted redshirt junior lefthander Andy Suarez a 3-0 lead after just the first.

Chester recorded the second leadoff home run of his career to open the action, cracking the fourth pitch he saw from Wake Forest starting pitcher Will Craig deep to left field to put Miami up 1-0. Sophomore Ricky Eusebio followed by reaching on a hit-by-pitch, and a double from junior George Iskenderian hammered into the left-center gap plated the speedy Eusebio for a 2-0 Hurricane lead.

Junior David Thompson grounded into a double play two batters later, but Iskenderian scored on the play to bump Miami’s lead to 3-0.

After an RBI single from Chester pushed Miami’s lead to 4-0 in the second, Wake Forest (14-10, 3-5 ACC) responded with three runs off Suarez in the home half of the inning, including a solo home run from Craig, to cut Miami’s lead to 4-3.

Just as they did in Friday night’s opener, however, Miami padded to an early lead. A perfect hit-and-run executed by Iskenderian and Zack Collins put runners on the corners, and a sacrifice fly from Thompson made it 5-3.

After Craig (0-1) issued a walk to sophomore Willie Abreu, Wake Forest coaches decided to remove Craig in favor of sophomore righthander John McCarren. Despite the new look on the mound, senior Garrett Kennedy belted a monstrous three-run home run – his second blast in as many games – for a 8-3 lead.

Suarez battled his way to a five-inning outing, tossing 82 pitches while scattering seven hits and four runs. The benefactor of ample offensive support, Suarez (2-0) was replaced by sophomore Cooper Hammond to open the sixth inning.

Miami’s bullpen was tagged for three runs over the final four innings, including two charged to Hammond and one charged to freshman lefthander Michael Mediavilla.

After Hammond allowed a run in the bottom of the sixth, Miami responded with an RBI single from Iskenderian to move its lead back to six runs at 11-5.

The hosts would not go away quietly, however, as an RBI double in the seventh and a sacrifice fly from Nate Mondou in the eighth cut Miami’s lead close at 11-7.

But the Hurricanes added a key insurance run in the ninth , when Barr and sophomore Johnny Ruiz executed a hit-and-run to put runners on the corners to open the inning. Chester grounded into a double play with Ruiz out at second, but Barr raced home to put Miami ahead 12-7.

Sophomore Bryan Garcia recorded the final four outs of the game after entering in the eighth inning to clinch the series for Miami.

The Hurricanes return to Gene Hooks Field Sunday for their series finale against Wake Forest. First pitch for the game, slated for broadcast on ESPN 3 and WVUM 90.5 FM, is set for 1 p.m.