Baseball Falls to Bethune-Cookman 5-3

April 3, 2013

CORAL GABLES, Fla. —  Miami fell for only the third time in midweek play this season, dropping its Wednesday matchup with visiting Bethune-Cookman by a final score of 5-3.

The Hurricanes struggled to string together any early offense against Wildcats starter Montana Durapau (4-3), who held Miami to three runs in seven innings.

The visitors struck for five runs in the middle innings, plating two each in the fourth and fifth while tacking on another in the sixth. A two-out single from Eric Sams misplayed by outfielder Dale Carey saw the Wildcats (15-17) plate their first two runs, while a double from Shaun McCarty and a groundout from Brandon Turner plated two more an inning later.

Catcher Chris Biocic’s RBI single in the sixth would cap the Wildcats’ scoring. Miami starter Javi Salas (2-4) scattered five runs (three earned) on eight hits through seven innings of work, striking out three batters while walking just one.

Miami (20-12) connected on three of its hits in the second inning off Durapau. Senior Michael Broad led off the frame with a single, but was thrown out one batter later by Biocic. The baserunning error would prove key, however, as back-to-back singles from sophomore Garrett Kennedy and junior Dale Carey later in the frame would fail to plate a run. Freshman Ricky Eusebio, starting at second for the first time in his career, struck out to end the threat.

The Hurricanes would get one back in the fifth, cutting the Bethune-Cookman lead to 4-1. Carey (2-for-3) registered his second hit of the night on a single ripped off the glove of third baseman Matt Noble. After stealing his team-leading ninth base of the year, the Marietta, Ga., native scored on a two-out single from junior Alex Hernandez through the left side of the infield.

In the very next inning, Broad’s first homerun of the season, a monster two-run shot, helped Miami cut the deficit to 5-3. With Chantz Mack on third after an error charged to Noble, the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native belted a two-out offering from Durapau into the leftfield netting. The homerun, which came on a 2-1 count, was the team-leading 15th career dinger for the senior.

That was as close as Miami would get, however, as Durapau and reliever Jordan Dailey combined to keep Miami off the board over the final three innings.

The Hurricanes will return to Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field for an Atlantic Coast Conference series with No. 8 Florida State. First pitch for Friday’s series opener, scheduled to be televised on CSS and ESPN 3, is set for 7:30 p.m.