Baseball Opens Five-Game Homestand with FGCU
Miami (15-20) vs. FGCU (25-9)
Roster | Coaches | Schedule | Game Notes
April 18, 2018 | 6 p.m.
Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field | Coral Gables, Fla.
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Freshman righthander Chris McMahon and the Miami Hurricanes will look to continue their momentum when they host FGCU at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field Wednesday in the opener of a five-game homestand.
McMahon will be making the second collegiate start of his career vs. the Eagles opposite righthander Peyton Grey. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
Miami is riding momentum from a series win over No. 8 Clemson on the road from April 13-14. The Hurricanes won two of three games against the Tigers, including a miraculous Game 1 comeback that saw Miami plate eight ninth-inning runs to erase an 11-3 deficit; UM would go on to win, 12-11, in 12 innings.
Freshman Freddy Zamora was Miami’s top hitter against the Tigers, batting .400 with a team-best six hits (6-for-15) with four RBI. Freshman Alex Toral, who started the final two games of the series, also batted .400 (4-for-10) against the Tigers.
The Hurricanes batted .292 for the weekend against one of the top statistical pitching staffs in the ACC. Miami plated 21 runs over the weekend, including a season-high 12 runs in a thrilling series opener.
Not to be outdone, sophomore righthander Evan McKendry returned to the brilliant form that marked his first half of the season. McKendry, who struggled in his previous two starts, tossed the first complete game of his career in a 6-1 win. The Pembroke Pines, Fla., native struck out five and allowed just one run in one of the most dominant performances of his budding career.
Junior Frankie Bartow was dominant out of the bullpen Friday night to earn the win. He tossed four scoreless innings of relief, a career-best, to seal the victory over the Tigers in front of more than 5,000 fans.
The series win was Miami’s fourth straight over Clemson dating back to 2013; the Hurricanes swept the Tigers in 2014 and 2016 and won two of three games in 2013 and 2018. Dating to 2012, Miami is 12-3 in its last 15 regular-season games against the Tigers.
McMahon went a career-long 4.2 innings in his first collegiate start last Wednesday against UCF. The Pennsylvania native struck out two and threw 73 pitches before being relieved. He exited with a no decision in an eventual 4-0 loss to UCF.
First pitch for Wednesday’s contest, slated for broadcast on ACC Network Extra and WVUM 90.5 FM, is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday from Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.
