Suarez Tosses Gem to Help Sweep Doubleheader
| LINESCORE | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| UM | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 13 | 1 |
| Pitt | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| PITCHING | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | |||||||
| W – A. Suarez (5-1) | 7.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | ||||||
| L – A. Sandefur (1-6) | 3.0 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | ||||||
| INDIVIDUAL LEADERS | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | R | H | RBI | BB | HR | |||||||
| UM – Collins | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| UM – Lopez | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||||||
| PLAYER OF THE GAME |
|---|
 Andrew Suarez | R-Jr. | LHP
Just one week after a disappointing performance against FSU, lefthander Andy Suarez rebounded with a dominant outing to clinch a doubleheader sweep vs. host Pittsburgh at Charles L. Cost Field. |
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Early offensive output and a dominant showing on the hill from ace lefthander Andy Suarez helped No. 14 Miami clinch a doubleheader sweep against Pitt Saturday afternoon.
The Hurricanes (33-13, 18-8 ACC), who came from behind in the eighth inning to capture a 9-5 win in Game 1 earlier in the day, scored runs in each of the first three innings and cruised to a 12-0 decision at Charles L. Cost Field.
Just a week after being tagged for a career-high 12 runs against Florida State, Suarez rebounded with one of his most dominant performances of the season to clinch another series victory for the Hurricanes.
Suarez (5-1) faced just two batters over the minimum in his seven innings, keeping Pittsburgh (16-28, 6-17 ACC) off balance for the entire performance.
A one-out single from Pittsburgh’s Boo Vazquez in the seventh marked the Panthers’ first hit since the third inning – also a single. The lefthander struck out four and walked two in the 96-pitch outing.
Leading 6-0 with one out in the ninth, Miami got a boost when sophomore Zack Collins connected on his second career grand slam to bump the Hurricanes lead to double digits.
An RBI single from Garrett Kennedy put Miami on the board in the first, as the senior cracked a pitch from Pitt starter Aaron Sandefur (1-6) into rightfield to score the speedy Ricky Eusebio (walk) from second base.
Collins and junior Brandon Lopez, who played key roles in Miami’s Game 1 comeback, drew back-to-back walks in the second and both advanced on an infield single from freshman Carl Chester.
Eusebio cracked an RBI single to right and redshirt sophomore Christopher Barr recorded an RBI groundout to bump Miami’s lead to 3-0.
The Hurricanes (33-13, 18-8 ACC) chased Sandefur with two more runs in the third. Collins and Lopez each drove in a run via RBI single, as Miami pushed its lead to 5-0.
That was more than enough for Suarez, who was in cruise control for most of the afternoon. With help from Collins, who threw out one batter at each base, Suarez escaped any damage and worked his way out of some tough situations.
Miami outhit Pitt 13-5 in the game, and scored six runs in the ninth – thanks in large part to Collins’ grand slam that hit off the scoreboard over the high wall in left.
After the second leg of their doubleheader, the Hurricanes will wrap up their series with Pittsburgh on Sunday at Cost Field. First pitch for the finale, slated for broadcast on WVUM 90.5 FM, is set for 1 p.m.
