No. 24 Canes Host Virginia Tech at The Light
No. 24 Miami (28-14, 11-10 ACC) vs. Virginia Tech (24-18, 7-14 ACC)
Roster | Coaches | Schedule | Game Notes
April 26-28, 2019 | 7 p.m. | 7 p.m. | 1 p.m.
Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field | Coral Gables, Fla. | Buy Tickets | Directions
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The Miami Hurricanes will continue an eight-game homestand with a weekend series against Virginia Tech.
The No. 24 Hurricanes (28-14, 11-10) welcome the Hokies to Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field for a three-game set between the two ACC Coastal foes. Friday and Saturday’s games are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., while Sunday’s finale is set for 1 p.m.
The Canes will wear the first-ever, special edition baseball jerseys utilizing repurposed and upcycled materials created in partnership with Parley for the Oceans. To raise awareness of marine plastic pollution and champion the Parley AIR Strategy for solutions (Avoid, Intercept, Redesign), the new, ocean-inspired adidas x Parley Miami baseball uniforms will be debuted on Friday night.
All Miami home games this season will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra. All baseball games, home and away, can be heard on WVUM 90.5 FM and WVUM.org. 790 The Ticket will broadcast all three games this weekend, while Sunday’s game will also be broadcasted in Spanish on 990 AM ESPN Deportes.
The Hurricanes lead the all-time series against Virginia Tech, 31-8, and have won eight straight meetings against the Hokies dating back to March 12, 2016. Freshman RHP Slade Cecconi (5-3, 4.44 ERA) will oppose VT sophomore LHP Ian Seymour (2-3, 4.15 ERA) on Friday. Right-hander Brian Van Belle (5-2, 3.83 ERA) will face off against LHP Chris Gerard (6-6, 4.38 ERA) on Saturday, while Miami is set to throw RHP Tyler Keysor (4-0, 4.97 ERA) on Sunday.
The Canes made their debut at No. 24 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and dropped one spot to No. 24 in the D1Baseball Top 25. Miami moved up two spots to No. 22 in the NCBWA Division I Poll and just missed another top 25, coming in 26th in Collegiate Baseball’s NCAA Div. I Baseball Poll.
After a two-homer game against FIU, the Canes have hit 55 home runs over 42 games in 2019. UM, which is tied for second in the ACC with 55 homers, matched its 2018 season total of 23 home runs after just 15 games in 2019. Miami ranks 10th nationally in home runs as a team.
First baseman Alex Toral leads the ACC with a team-best 17 home runs, while third baseman Raymond Gil is second on the team with nine homers. Ten different Hurricanes have hit at least one home run in 2019.
Toral’s 17 home runs make him tied for fifth-most by a single player in Division I this season. He had a huge weekend at then-No. 8 Louisville, hitting a home run in each of the three games against the Cardinals. Over the last 10 games, Toral is 10-for-32 (.313) with a double, four home runs, 11 RBI and nine runs scored.
Freshman Adrian Del Castillo opened his career with a 15-game hit streak and has reached base in 39 of 42 games in 2019. Del Castillo has been entrenched in the middle of Miami’s lineup, batting third three and cleanup 39 times.
Del Castillo’s 56 hits, 52 RBI and 17 doubles lead the Hurricanes. He has a team-high 17 multi-hit games and 12 multi-RBI outings. His 12 multi-RBI games are the most by a Hurricane freshman since Zack Collins posted 15 in 2014. A versatile player, Del Castillo has started double-digit games at catcher (11), right field (14) and designated hitter (16) and made one start at third base.
Miami added a recruiting class ranked eighth by D1Baseball and No. 10 nationwide by Baseball America to a group of 18 returning letterwinners from a 2018 team that finished 28-26 overall and 16-13 in ACC play.
Three members of Miami’s recruiting class were selected in the 2018 MLB First-Year Player Draft; Del Castillo (36th round, White Sox), Anthony Vilar (37th round, Cubs) and Cecconi (38th round, Orioles) all spurned professional overtures for a career at Miami after being selected in the 2018 MLB Draft.
Cecconi (#2), Del Castillo (#8) and Vilar (#48) were among the Top 50 Impact Freshmen in the ACC according to D1Baseball. Freshman LHP/UT JP Gates was ranked 10th among ACC freshmen. Baseball America rated Cecconi (No. 12), Gates (No. 16) and Del Castillo (No. 31) among the top 50 freshmen nationally.
The Hurricanes’ home schedule also includes series with Bethune-Cookman (May 3-5) and Duke (May 16-18), among others. Miami’s final road trip is scheduled for May 10-13 at Wake Forest.
