Cuvet’s Big Night Lifts Hurricanes to Victory Over FIU
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami baseball team (30-18, 14-9 ACC) took down the FIU Panthers by a final score of 10-6 Wednesday night at Mark Light Field. Daniel Cuvet led the Hurricanes with an electric performance at the plate as the sophomore went 4-for-5 with five RBI and a crucial three-run home run in the eighth inning to give Miami its sixth-straight win.
Right-hander Reese Lumpkin earned the win for Miami, improving to 4-2 after allowing two runs over six innings while striking out seven. FIU (26-23, 9-11 CUSA) starter Ryan Reyerson took the loss, falling to 0-2 after giving up two runs in the first inning. Brian Walters secured his eighth save of the season, recording the final four outs without allowing a run.
Miami got off to a scorching start as Jake Ogden and Max Galvin launched back-to-back home runs to ignite the Hurricanes’ offense in the top of the first inning. Ogden set the tone with a solo shot to left, followed immediately by Galvin’s blast to right center, giving Miami an early 2-0 lead.
Designated hitter Bobby Marsh kept the momentum rolling for Miami in the bottom of the third, delivering a two-out RBI triple to center field. The Penn State transfer drove in Daniel Cuvet from first, extending the Hurricanes’ lead to 3-0.
FIU chipped away at the deficit in the top of the fourth. Adonys Velez grounded out to second base, allowing Javier Crespo to score and put the Panthers on the board. Later in the inning, Cole Cleveland beat out an infield single, driving in Alex Ulloa to make it a one-run game at 3-2.
Miami answered quickly in the next half inning, tacking on three runs to regain control. Daniel Cuvet, the ACC leader in RBI, delivered a two-run single to give the Hurricanes some breathing room. Senior Dorian Gonzalez Jr. followed with an RBI single of his own, bringing home Cuvet and stretching Miami’s lead to 6-2.
Two innings later, Gonzalez Jr. came through again, lining an RBI single to left field that brought in Max Galvin and extended Miami’s lead to 7-2.
FIU responded in the top of the seventh when Cole Cleveland led off the frame with a solo home run, the first batter faced by reliever Alex Giroux. Crespo would then lace a two-out double to deep left-center, driving in two runs and cutting the Hurricanes’ lead to 7-5.
With Miami’s offense cooling off, FIU capitalized in the eighth inning as Brylan West delivered an RBI single, trimming the Hurricanes’ lead to 7-6 and bringing the Panthers within one run.
With pressure mounting from their crosstown foe, Daniel Cuvet provided a crucial cushion for Miami, launching his 13th home run of the season—a three-run blast that extended the Hurricanes’ lead to 10-6.
Brian Walters shut the door for the Hurricanes, tossing 1 1/3 scoreless innings to earn his eighth save of the season. The veteran right-hander allowed three hits but kept FIU off the scoreboard, striking out one and stranding a pair of baserunners to preserve Miami’s victory.
Next up for the Hurricanes is a road trip to Charlottesville, Virginia, where they’ll take on the Virginia Cavaliers in a pivotal three-game ACC series. Miami enters the weekend looking to lock down its sixth straight conference series win. First pitch for Friday’s opener is set for 6 p.m., with live coverage available on ACCNX and WVUM 90.5 FM.
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