Canes Unable to Overcome Gators Again

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Miami got out to an early lead, made a highlight defensive play and received several strong individual performances, but all that was not enough as the Canes dropped a pressure-packed regional game to the University of Florida, 5-4, on Saturday evening at McKethan Stadium.

The loss puts the No. 2 seed Hurricanes (37-22) in the loser’s bracket of the draw, needing three wins over the next two days to advance to the Super Regionals. Miami faces No. 3 seed Jacksonville in an elimination game on Sunday at Noon. Jim Morris has announced that freshman Bryan Radziewski (9-2) will make the start on the mound for the Hurricanes. The winner of the game will play No. 1 seed and No. 2 national seed Florida (47-16) at 4 p.m.

Heartbreak occurred once again for Miami in Gainesville on Saturday, as the Canes have now dropped seven-consecutive games to the Gators, and ten of the last eleven ballgames.

An unconventional rally aided by miscues in the bottom of the ninth led the Canes to their downfall on this night.

A Stephen Perez error on a groundball allowed Florida’s Daniel Pigott to reach safely to start the rally. After Canes’ pitcher Travis Miller was called for a balk and walked Vickash Ramjit, Jim Morris brought in closer Daniel Miranda. The lefty proceeded to walk third baseman Cody Dent to set up a walk-off single by shortstop Nolan Fontana, sending the crowd home happy in Gainesville.

The beginning of the game looked promising for the Hurricanes as they jumped out to a 2-0 lead, and received a spectacular catch from right fielder Dale Carey in the first inning. Preston Tucker ripped a liner deep to right, but Carey dove back and to his right to make a sprawling grab to keep Florida from scoring in the first. It was another play to add to Carey’s growing outfield highlight reel.

The Hurricanes manufactured a run to start the scoring in the third inning. Brad Fieger drilled a double to left center and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Shane Rowland. After Zeke DeVoss worked a walk after falling behind 0-2, Nathan Melendres lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to bring in Fieger for the first run of the game.

Miami kept the momentum going with another run in the fourth.

Harold Martinez worked a tough at-bat into a single, and scored two batters later on a double by Perez to give Miami an early 2-0 lead after 3 1/2 innings of play.

The usually raucous McKethan Stadium crowd was hushed at this time, as Miami starter Eric Whaley was cruising – and Miami was getting to Florida star pitcher Hudson Randall who dominated the Canes back in March.

However, the partisans came to life in the bottom of the fourth inning after the Gators roped three doubles to tie to the score at two. One of the runs was unearned, as third baseman Brad Fieger dropped a foul pop to allow Florida an extra out in the inning.

Florida took its first lead in the fifth with a leadoff double from Vickash Ramjit, scoring on a single from Fontana and an error by Rony Rodriguez in left field. The play was made worse when DeVoss made an errant throw attempting to catch Fontana rounding first base. After a single from Bryson Smith, Tucker roped his second double of the game to give the Gators the 4-2 lead. Whaley limited the damage by recording a strikeout and a fly-out to end the inning to give the Canes a chance to come back.

The Hurricanes added their third run with a two-out rally in the sixth inning on a Dale Carey double down the left field line and a RBI single from Fieger to bring the Canes to within 4-3.

Whaley left the game for Adam Sargent in the sixth inning. In five innings of work, Whaley allowed nine hits, three earned runs, while striking out three and not surrendering a walk. Sargent went one scoreless inning.

Randall went six innings for the Gators, giving up six hits and three earned runs. He threw a season-high 96 pitches.

The Hurricanes tied the game in the seventh inning off reliever Greg Larson. DeVoss led off the inning with his second hit of the game, and advanced to second on Nathan Melendres’ third sacrifice bunt of the regional to set up an RBI hit from Rodriguez. Miami threatened for more, but Fontana made a diving play at shortstop on a pinch-hitter Cade Kreuter grounder to force the runner at second to end the inning.

The game became a battle of the bullpens from there, with Sam Robinson pitching 2 1/3 perfect innings for Miami, and Nick Maronde and Tommy Toledo keeping the Canes off the scoreboard for the Gators in the final innings.

The Hurricanes had chances to score in the top of the eighth and ninth innings, but came away unsuccessful each time. DeVoss struck out with runners on the corners and two outs in the eighth after Carey and Rowland singled. Moreover, after Melendres doubled to start the ninth, Toledo retired the next three batters in succession to end the threat and set up the heroics in the bottom of the ninth inning for the homestanding Gators.

Toledo (5-3) earned the win for Florida, while Travis Miller (2-2) took the loss for Miami.

DeVoss and Fieger each recorded two hits and Rowland caught two runners stealing for the Canes. However, four errors led to two unearned runs for the Gators and the downfall of the Hurricanes in Gainesville once again.

In order to get another shot at the Gators, Miami will need to beat Jacksonville on Sunday. The Canes defeated the Dolphins on Friday, 7-2.

For ticket information and further information on the Gainesville [Fla.] Regional, please visit Gatorzone.com.

For more information on the University of Miami baseball team, please log on to HurricaneSports.com. To follow the UM Baseball Team via twitter, please navigate to Twitter.com/CanesBaseball. You can also access the official UMiami Baseball blog at TheUBaseball.com.

Fans can keep up-to-date with all UM Athletics via twitter at Twitter.com/HurricaneSports.  You can also become a fan of the Canes on Facebook at Facebook.com/MiamiHurricanes.