Miami Baseball Peaking In Postseason
May 30, 2000
By MARK LONG
AP Sports Writer
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) – The Miami Hurricanes briefly gathered nearthepitcher’s mound, exchanging high-fives and handshakes. Even after claimingtheir seventh consecutive regional championship Sunday, there was littlecausefor any elaborate celebration.
The Hurricanes expect to win. Always have, always will. And there areplentyof reasons for them to feel that way.
Miami, one of the most dominant programs over the past 25 years, haswon 12straight postseason games. The defending national champions went 9-0 enrouteto last year’s title. They are undefeated again as they head to Tallahasseefora best-of-three series beginning Friday against archrival Florida State.
“This is one of the best programs in the nations, and I don’t see itgoinginto a drought,” said Hurricanes right-hander David Gil, the staff ace.”We’ll be long gone and this program will still be on top.”
The ‘Canes hold the NCAA record for the most consecutive regionalappearances with 28. And if they beat the Seminoles (49-16) in the superregional, they would tie Oklahoma State (1981-87) for the most consecutiveCollege World Series appearances at seven.
It would be quite a feat considering this year’s Hurricanes (40-17-1)spentmuch of the season unranked and underestimated. It wasn’t until they went8-4over a four-series stretch against Florida State, North Carolina State, LongBeach State and Georgia Tech that they started getting noticed.
“We just got hot,” said Hurricanes coach Jim Morris, the only person toguide a team to six straight College World Series appearances in his firstsixseasons. “You’ve got to have a team get hot at the right time. I’m not surewhat the secret formula is, but we seem to do it in Miami.”
For just the second time in 13 years, Miami entered the postseason withlessthan 40 wins. The Hurricanes’ 37 wins were their fewest since 1993.
Still, the NCAA selection committee picked Miami to host one of the 16regionals. Some called it a gift. The ‘Canes took it as an opportunity.
They swept the bracket, outscoring their opponents 44-14 in threegames, andimproved to 63-10 all-time at home in regional play.
Now they are just two wins away from the ultimate goal – a return triptothe College World Series in Omaha, Neb.
“From Day 1 in our program, we’re gearing our goals toward Omaha,”Morrissaid. “That’s the only thing our guys have to think about. There’s noconference, there’s nothing else. Just Omaha.”
Miami has finished third or better in the College World Series in fiveofthe last eight years. Only LSU, with its four titles in the 1990s, has hadmoresuccess recently.
“Our teams have really come together in the postseason,” Miami firstbaseman Kevin Brown said. “We’ve just had people step up when we needed it.”
The Hurricanes, who won titles in 1982 and 1985 under coach Ron Fraser,wereone out away from another national championship in 1996 when LSU’s WarrenMorris hit a ninth-inning homer to end the game.
It was a heartbreaking loss for the Hurricanes, but it made last year’stitle that much more heartwarming.
Miami beat Florida State 6-5 in the championship game. Though therematch iscoming a little earlier than expected for the two rivals, it might beperfecttiming for the Hurricanes.
“We don’t have a great record in February, we don’t have a great recordinMarch and we don’t have a great record in April ever,” Morris said. “But wejust seem to play well late.”
