Baseball Drops Game Two to No. 3 Virginia 8-3

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — No. 25 Miami battled its way to extra innings against No. 3 Virginia, but fell to the visiting Cavaliers by a final score of 8-3 in game two at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.

With the score tied 2-2 after 10 innings, sophomore reliever Enrique Sosa (0-1) loaded the bases with no outs on a single, an error, and a hit-by-pitch. The Cavaliers (18-4, 6-2 ACC) capitalized on the opportunity, striking for six runs in the 11th and forcing a rubber match to be played Monday at 7 p.m. on ESPNU.

Redshirt sophomore Andrew Suarez delivered an efficient outing in his start for the Hurricanes (13-11, 5-3 ACC), scattering nine hits and zero walks across 6.2 innings of work. The lefthander tossed his third straight quality start against a talented Cavaliers offense, allowing just two extra-base hits and two earned runs in the outing.

Freshman Johnny Ruiz broke a scoreless deadlock in the fifth, belting his career-first double into the right-center gap to plate the first two runs of the game. The hit was Miami’s first on the night off Virginia starter Josh Sborz, and scored both Zack Collins and Alex Hernandez, who drew back-to-back walks with one out.

Sborz was dominant in his outing, retiring the first 13 Miami batters he faced before walking Collins on four pitches. After a lengthy battle with Hernandez that resulted in a walk, Sborz allowed his first hit of the night to Ruiz – who cracked a 2-2 pitch deep into the outfield. Collins scored standing up, while Hernandez slid in safely to give Miami its first lead of the night at 2-0. The hit was the only one on the night allowed by Sborz.

Virginia got on the board with a solo home run from Brandon Downes off Suarez in the seventh, and wasn’t done there. Nate Irving followed Downes’ blast with a single to right and advanced into scoring position via passed ball from Miami catcher Garrett Kennedy. Brandon Cogswell came through in the scoring chance, tying the game 2-2 with a single through the rightside to plate Irving.

After allowing a two-out single to Daniel Pinero, Suarez was pulled after 6.2 innings. The Miami, Fla., native struck out three batters and walked none across another strong outing, and left with a no decision.

Entering the game with two runners on base, sophomore lefthander Thomas Woodrey induced a groundout from Virginia slugger Mike Papi for the final out of the seventh. Woodrey would allow back-to-back singles in the eighth, and Morris called upon freshman Cooper Hammond in the midst of a tough jam. Hammond came through for the Hurricanes, retiring Virginia third baseman Kevin Towns on a liner to second to end the inning.

Senior AJ Salcines came on for the ninth and worked himself into another difficult situation after allowing a leadoff single to Cogswell. Pinero’s sacrifice bunt advanced the Virginia leadoff man into scoring position, while a groundout from Papi saw Cogswell take third. Salcines intentionally walked Nick Howard before retiring Joe McCarthy on a strikeout to keep the score knotted 2-2.

Miami could not generate much offense in extra innings, and fell behind 8-2 when the Cavaliers struck for four runs off Enrique Sosa and two more off Danny Garcia. The Hurricanes staged a rally in the bottom of the 11th, getting a bases-loaded walk from Brad Fieger to score a run. But a strikeout from Collins and a double play from Hernandez ended the comeback threat.

The Hurricanes and Cavaliers will return to Mark Light Field for the series finale Monday at 7 p.m. in the opening “ACC Monday” match on ESPNU.

Season tickets to Miami’s 2014 season at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field start for as low as $99, with a Family Plan option (two adult tickets, three youth tickets) covering all home games available for just $199. For more information, visit CanesTix.com or call (305) 284-2263.