Miami Takes Series Opener Win Over Wake Forest
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The Miami Hurricanes baseball team (26-8, 7-6 ACC) secured a gritty 3-1 win over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (23-12, 8-8 ACC) Friday night at Mark Light Field. Miami’s pitching staff and defense held the Deacons in check, allowing only one run in the seventh inning.
Miami left-hander Rob Evans (7-1) earned the win for Miami, tossing 6.2 innings with one unearned run on seven hits with five strikeouts and 110 pitches, a career high. Wake Forest starter Chris Levonas (4-1) took the loss after giving up three runs on three hits over 5.1 innings with eight strikeouts. Ryan Bilka came on in the ninth and shut the door for Miami, earning his third save of the season by retiring the final hitters and stranding the tying run opportunity.
Miami, after being kept off the bases through four innings, found the series’ first run in the bottom of the fifth, thanks to junior Vance Sheahan.
Derek Williams started the inning with a single to shallow right on a 2-0 count. Williams was then able to move to second on a wild pitch. Brylan West followed with a walk and Max Galvin reached on a fielder’s choice that put runners on the corners with only one out. In a prime opportunity, Sheahan delivered, reaching on a fielder’s choice to shortstop that brought Williams home for the run, putting Miami ahead, 1-0.
The Hurricanes started their next trip to the plate with Daniel Cuvet leading the charge on a double on the first pitch he saw, and with Alex Sosa in the next at bat, Miami started to threaten. Williams, on a full count, delivered a clutch two run double to put Miami 3-0.
Wake Forest got on the board in the top of the seventh, capitalizing on a Miami error to find their first run of the game. After reaching base off a fielding error from Miami pitcher Rob Evans, Boston Torres came around to score on a single to shallow center by JD Stein, moving the score to 3-1.
But Miami’s bullpen showed resilience down the stretch, as Lyndon Glidewell, Frank Menendez and Ryan Bilka combined for 2.1 scoreless innings without allowing a hit to lock down the victory.
In the top of the ninth, Wake Forest put the tying run on base with back-to-back walks to open the inning, prompting a pitching change as Bilka entered out of the bullpen to replace lefty Menendez. Bilka settled in and got JD Stein to pop up on a bunt attempt for the first out. He then induced a ground ball up the middle that turned into a 1-6-3 double play, erasing any opposing threat from the Deacons and securing the series opener.
Miami will look for the series win on Saturday at 6 p.m., with live coverage on ACCNX and 90.5 FM. Right-hander Lazaro Collera will make the start for Miami opposite of Wake Forest righty Troy Dressler.
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