Baseball Continues Climbing in Top 25
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami baseball program climbed in the rankings in four polls and entered the top 25 in another, securing a third consecutive week ranked in polls released Monday.
The Hurricanes (31-14, 14-10 ACC) debuted at No. 23 in the Baseball America Top 25, marking the fifth different major publication to rank Miami in 2019. The Canes climbed three spots to No. 21 in both the USA Today Coaches Poll and the D1Baseball Top 25. Miami also moved up two spots to No. 24 in Collegiate Baseball’s NCAA Div. I Baseball Poll and two spots in the NCBWA Division I Poll to No. 20. The Canes are ranked in all five major polls for the first time since the final poll of the 2016 season.
Miami went 4-0 in the week, sweeping Virginia Tech in a three-game ACC series and outslugging crosstown foe FIU, 18-10, on Wednesday to kick off the four-game week.
The Canes had a different hero in each of their three games against the conference rival Hokies. Miami sophomore outfielder Gabe Rivera’s two-run single in the bottom of the eighth helped the Canes turn the series opener upside-down and earn a 4-3 win on Friday night.
Saturday’s star came on the mound, as redshirt junior Brian Van Belle threw a career-best 8.1 scoreless innings to help Miami shutout Virginia Tech, 1-0.
Freshman Adrian Del Castillo was the player of the game Sunday, belting a two-run homer and making two excellent defensive plays in Miami’s 2-0 win that secured a sweep over VT. The back-to-back shutouts against Virginia Tech marked the second time in 2019 that Miami has blanked an opponent on consecutive days. The Hurricanes threw shutouts in each of the first two games against Florida State this season, holding the Seminoles scoreless on April 5-6.
Wednesday’s slugfest against FIU featured bases-loaded triples by freshmen Anthony Vilar and JP Gates and a big game from redshirt sophomore Michael Amditis, going 3-for-4 with a home run. The victory gave Miami a season sweep over the Panthers.
The Canes enter the week ranked 11th in RPI and 10th in strength of schedule according to Warren Nolan.com
Miami will host Bethune-Cookman from this Friday through Sunday before closing their current eight-game homestand against UCF on May 8.
