Hurricanes Explode in Fifth, Take Series Opener Over Louisville

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The Miami Hurricanes baseball team (34-14, 14-11 ACC) took the series opener over the Louisville Cardinals by a final score of 13-8 Thursday night at Mark Light Field. A nine-run fifth inning, paired with a 4-for-5, two-RBI night from Jake Ogden, helped propel the Hurricanes to the win.

Left-hander Rob Evans (9-3) turned in another solid outing for Miami, earning the win after allowing four runs, two earned, on five hits across six innings while striking out eight. Louisville reliever Ty Starke (1-1) was tagged with the loss after surrendering three runs on three hits and two walks in just one-third of an inning. 

Louisville capitalized on a pair of Miami miscues to strike first in the opening frame. After Evans recorded back-to-back strikeouts to begin the inning, Tague Davis singled to shallow center before Jimmy Nugent reached on a throwing error by Miami shortstop Vance Sheahan, allowing both runners to move into scoring position. 

Griffin Crain then lined a two-out double into left field, plating both Davis and Nugent to jump out to a quick 2-0 advantage.

Miami answered in their first trip to the plate on an RBI groundout from Max Galvin, plating Ogden, who got aboard on a leadoff double.

Miami exploded for nine runs in the bottom of the fifth, sending 14 batters to the plate and forcing three Louisville pitching changes. Freshman Gabriel Milano started the rally with a single before Fabio Peralta drew a walk.

With Louisville starter Wyatt Danilowicz taken out due to injury a third of the way through the fourth inning, Miami began to really launch their offensive attack.

Now against reliever Ty Starke, Ogden delivered an RBI single to right, scoring Milano, before Galvin worked another walk to load the bases. Louisville then turned to Peter Michael, but the Hurricanes kept the pressure on as Derek Williams drew a bases-loaded walk to force in a run and Alex Sosa followed with an RBI single to left-center to make it 4-2, Hurricanes.

Brylan West really broke the game open with a two-run single down the left field line, plating Galvin and Williams. After another walk by Alonzo Alvarez loaded the bases once again, as Louisville made its third pitching change of the inning, bringing in Jake Schweitzer. 

But the Hurricanes have done significant damage, plating five runs as the rally continued.

Sheahan took advantage of the new arm with an RBI single before Milano added another run-scoring hit to right field. Peralta later drove in a run with a groundout, and Miami capped the inning with a passed ball that allowed Sheahan to score, catapulting the Hurricanes to a 10-2 lead, scoring nine runs off six hits, and only stranding one on base in the process.

The Cardinals answered with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth. Zion Rose reached base to begin the inning before Jimmy Nugent ripped an RBI double down the line to score the Cardinals’ first run of the frame. Two batters later, Griffin Crain delivered again with a run-scoring double into the left-center gap, plating Nugent and trimming Miami’s lead to 10-4.

Miami added some insurance in the bottom of the seventh with a pair of runs to stretch its advantage to 13-4. Milano and Peralta reached to set up another Ogden RBI single into center field, scoring Milano and moving Peralta to third. Williams then ripped a two-run single back up the middle, bringing home both Peralta and Ogden.

Louisville mounted a late push in the top of the eighth after loading the bases against Miami’s bullpen. Following a walk and a single, Bayram Hot drew another free pass to fill the bases before Ben Slanker turned on a 0-2 pitch and launched a grand slam deep over the wall in right field, cutting Miami’s lead to 13-8.

Miami turned to Lyndon Glidewell to close things out in the ninth, and the right-hander slammed the door with a dominant inning. Glidewell allowed just one hit while striking out two Cardinals to secure the 13-8 Hurricanes victory, marking his 10th straight appearance without allowing a run.

The action continues Friday at Mark Light Field as the Hurricanes look to clinch the series against Louisville at 7 p.m. Live coverage will air on ACCNX and WVUM 90.5 FM, while Senior Day festivities will begin prior to first pitch.

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