No. 17 Canes Set for Crosstown Showdown with FIU

CANES MAKE CROSSTOWN TRIP TO PLAY FIU

• The No. 17 Miami Hurricanes will play their first midweek game of the season Wednesday, Feb. 22 against crosstown foe FIU. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m. from FIU Baseball Stadium on WVUM 90.5.
• The matchup is the first between the two schools in the regular season since 2008; Miami topped the Panthers 6-2 in an NCAA Coral Gables Regional matchup at Mark Light Field in 2015.

• Miami carries a commanding 92-24 all-time series lead, including a 26-7 advantage in games played on the road. Freshman righthander Greg Veliz will make his first college start on the hill.
LAST TIME OUT: OPENING SERIES WIN

• Miami opened its season by taking two of three games against visiting Rutgers from Feb. 17-19 for its first series victory of 2017; Miami won Game 1 (3-0) & Game 2 (8-4) but fell in Game 3 (6-17).

• Junior righthander Jesse Lepore tossed six shutout innings in the first weekend start of his career in Game 1, striking out seven and allowing just two hits. Sophomore Romy Gonzalez hit a two-run home run in the victory. Frankie Bartow earned his first career save.

• Making his first start as a Hurricane, Jeb Bargfeldt tossed 5.2 strong innings to pick up the win. Miami scored five runs over its final three trips to the plate to clinch the opening series.
NEW CANES MAKE DEBUTS AGAINST RUTGERS

• There were a number of debuts and firsts in Miami’s opening series victory over visiting Rutgers from Feb. 17-19.

• Head coach Jim Morris started five rookies in Miami’s 3-0 Opening Day win; junior Michael Burns (right field), freshman Greg Veliz (first base), freshman Michael Amditis (catcher), junior Hunter Tackett (left field) and junior Brandon Gali (shortstop). Junior Jeb Bargfeldt started Game 2 on the mound for Miami.
• Freshmen Nico Baldor, Albert Maury, Jr., Evan McKendry, Daniel Rivero, Mason Studstill and juniors James Davison and Michael Perez all made their Miami debuts against the Scarlet Knights, with Davison starting Game 3 in left field.

• Amditis, Davison, Gali and Tackett all recorded the first hits of their Miami careers in the series victory over Rutgers.
DESTINATION: OMAHA
•  Miami made its second straight trip to the College World Series in 2016, marking the program’s 25th all-time trip to Omaha, Neb.
•  Miami’s 25 College World Series trips are the second-most of any program in the country. The Hurricanes have won 48 games in the College World Series, the fourth-most of any program; Miami’s four national championships  rank fifth-most.
•  Since the NCAA began award national seeds prior to the 1999 season, Miami has been among the top eight seven seasons: 1999 (#1), 2001 (#2), 2003 (#8), 2004 (#3), 2008 (#1), 2015 (#5) and 2016 (#3).