Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Michelangeli strokes a win
Walk-off homer keeps UM in tournament picture
Miami Hurricanes third baseman Edgar Michelangeli had no choice but to come out and take a final bow.
After hitting a 3-run walk-off homer in the 10th inning of UM’s 7-5 victory against Virginia Tech on Saturday, Michelangeli made his way to fans standing behind home plate. He posed and waved to the crowd for the final game this season at Mark Light Field.
“What a tremendous win, to come back there,” UM coach Jim Morris said. “So many great at-bats right there in the 10th inning to put us in a position. … A great finish for our team. It’s great to see a guy like Edgar hit that home run. It’s a great way to finish your last game at this ballpark.”
The Hurricanes needed the victory to keep alive hopes of extending their string of 44 consecutive NCAA Tournaments. Their chances would have faded had Michelangeli not delivered. He slammed a 2-1 pitch over the center field fence, bouncing and fistpumping while rounding the bases. As he reached home plate, he was mobbed by teammates and doused with Gatorade.
“I just tried to get on base,” Michelangeli said. “I know that we were battling hard that inning. I just wanted to keep the inning rolling. I got a pitch I could handle and I put a good swing on it.”
Hurricanes pitcher Frankie Bartow gave up a 3-run homer to Virginia Tech’s Rahiem Cooper in the top half of the inning, but all that did was set up another of the many magical moments at the ballpark.
The inning started with James Davison drawing a walk. That was followed by center fielder Carl Chester’s double to right. Shortstop Johnny Ruiz then had a 2-RBI single after fouling four consecutive pitches to keep the at-bat alive.
After Nico Baldor drew a walk on a full count, the stage was set for Michelangeli.
“I’ve known Edgar my whole life,” said Ruiz, a senior who went 2 for 5 with 4 RBIs. “It was a cool moment for him and for me. It was awesome. It’s been a great four years, and at Mark Light, there’s no better way to end it with some magic at the end.”
The Hurricanes have little time to celebrate because there is more work needed to make the postseason. At 29-26, they likely need at least two victories at the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament to earn attention from the selection committee. UM is the No. 6 seed for the ACC tournament, which starts Tuesday in Louisville.
Losses in their opening two games would eliminate them from consideration because only teams with a record above .500 are eligible for the NCAA Tournament. The Hurricanes would fall one short because their win against St. Thomas, an NAIA school, doesn’t count toward the requirements.
What the Hurricanes have on their side is momentum. They closed with a season-best four-game winning streak. They also finished 5-1-1 in weekend series the second half of the season.
“This win is huge for us,” Michelangeli said. “Knowing that we’re pretty much on the [bubble], we just have to continue playing good all-round team baseball. We just got to continue on and we know what we can do. I think we’re clicking right now.”