Top-ranked Gators rally for win over ’Canes

CORAL GABLES — After dropping the finale of their opening-weekend series against Rutgers and struggling in an ugly midweek loss to Missouri, the Hurricanes entered the second weekend of their season looking to get back on track.

That challenge was made all the more daunting by the fact their opponent — Florida — is the defending College World Series champion and the nation’s top-ranked team.

And while Miami managed some offensive fireworks early, the hard-hitting Gators not only matched the Hurricanes, but outslugged them in what was ultimately a 7-3 win.

For Florida, it was the Gators sixthstraight victory and their ninth dating back to last summer in Omaha. And for Miami, it was another frustrating night, one in which an early lead wasn’t nearly enough against their hard-hitting in-state rivals.

Making things even tougher for the Hurricanes to swallow? The fact that two of the players that did the most damage Friday night both have South Florida ties, Nick Horvath and JJ Schwarz both playing high school ball at Palm Beach Gardens in Jupiter, about an hour north of Coral Gables.

Horvath, Florida’s senior centerfielder, finished with a career-high four RBI, two of those coming on a fourth-inning double that gave Florida a 4-3 lead that proved to be enough for starting pitcher Brady Singer and the Gators bullpen. Schwarz, meanwhile, added three hits, including a towering solo home run to left in the fifth that pushed the lead to 5-3.

Before that, though, it looked as if Miami (2-3) was on its way to a blistering offensive performance, something the Hurricanes needed after managing just six hits and being held scoreless against Missouri on Wednesday.

The Hurricanes jumped to a quick 3-0 lead in the first on the strength of a Michael Burns leadoff double, a Michael Perez homer that hit the top of the left-field scoreboard and an RBI double from former Boca Raton High standout Michael Amditis.

An inning later, though, Florida (6-0) cut into that lead after Horvath homered to left scoring Keenan Bell, who had reached earlier on an error.

Florida took the lead in the fourth and added runs in the fifth and two more in the eighth. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, managed a total of nine hits against the Gators pitchers, but they stranded nine baserunners and struck out seven times.

The Hurricanes and Gators will play the second game of their series tonight before closing out the weekend Sunday at noon.

ccabrera@sun-sentinel .com, Twitter @ChristyChirinos