No. 19 Canes Head to Wake for Final ACC Road Trip
No. 19 Miami (34-15, 14-10 ACC) vs. Wake Forest (28-20, 12-12 ACC)
Roster | Coaches | Schedule | Game Notes
May 10, 11, 13 2019 | 6 p.m. | 4 p.m. | 7 p.m.
David F. Couch Ballpark | Winston-Salem, N.C.
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The Miami Hurricanes hit the road for the final time in the 2019 regular season, traveling to Wake Forest for their final three-game road series in ACC play.
The No. 19 Hurricanes (34-15, 14-10 ACC) are back in conference play after sweeping Bethune-Cookman last weekend. Wake Forest (28-20, 12-12 ACC) is returning to ACC play for the first time since dropping two-of-three at Florida State in the final weekend of April.
Friday and Saturday’s games will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra, beginning at 6 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively. Monday’s game will be carried on ESPN U and first pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. All baseball games, home and away, can be heard on WVUM 90.5 FM and WVUM.org.
The Hurricanes lead the all-time series against Wake Forest, 34-10, and hold a 13-5 advantage in games played in Winston-Salem. Right-hander Brian Van Belle (7-2, 3.25 ERA) will face Wake Forest ace right-hander Colin Peluse (3-5, 5.37 ERA) in Friday’s series opener. Freshman RHP Slade Cecconi (5-3, 4.10 ERA) will oppose Wake LHP Jared Shuster (4-3, 6.34 ERA) on Saturday. Miami sophomore RHP Chris McMahon (2-2, 4.10 ERA) will make his first start since April 13, taking the mound Monday against freshman RHP Ryan Cusick (6-3, 6.43 ERA) on Monday.
The Canes jumped up five spots to No. 18 in the Baseball America Top 25 and climbed two spots to No. 19 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The Canes moved up one spot in the D1Baseball Top 25 to No. 20. Miami also moved up two spots for the second consecutive week in Collegiate Baseball’s NCAA Div. I Baseball Poll, landing at No. 22.
After a four-homer game vs. UCF, the Canes have hit 63 home runs over 49 games in 2019. UM, which is third in the ACC with 63 homers, matched its 2018 season total of 23 home runs after just 15 games in 2019. First baseman Alex Toral is second in the ACC with a team-best 17 home runs, while third baseman Raymond Gil is second on the team with 10 homers. Eleven different Hurricanes have hit at least one home run in 2019.
Freshman Adrian Del Castillo opened his career with a 15-game hit streak and has reached base in 44 of 49 games in 2019. Del Castillo has been entrenched in the middle of Miami’s lineup, batting third 10 times and cleanup 39 times.
Del Castillo’s 65 hits, 60 RBI and 19 doubles lead the Hurricanes.He has a team-high 19 multi-hit games and 15 multi-RBI outings.His 60 RBI are the most by any Hurricane since Zack Collins had 59 in 2016 and are the most by a UM freshman since Yonder Alonso’s 69 in 2006. Del Castillo’s 15 multi-RBI games are tied for 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 (12), right field (20) 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 a midweek game vs. UCF on Wednesday and series with Duke (May 16-18). Miami’s final road trip is scheduled for May 10-13 at Wake Forest.
