Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
One last run for Coach Morris
UM team begins season with urgency for NCAA tourney return
CORAL GABLES — In the weeks and months since Miami’s baseball team saw its streak of 44 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances end last May, Romy Gonzalez has seen a shift in his teammates.
Offseason workouts were filled with a sense of urgency. Veterans worked to mentor their new teammates who weren’t in Coral Gables when Miami’s dominant tournament run ended. And a decision was made: when the new season began, so would a new streak.
For the Hurricanes, that new season begins Friday as Miami — which posted a 31-27 record last year — hosts a three-game series against Rutgers.
When that series begins, there will be no lack of motivation for the Hurricanes. They have stressed that not only do they want to ensure Miami makes another tournament run, but they also want to make sure coach Jim Morris’ 25th and final season in Coral Gables ends differently than last year.
“It’s definitely going to be a fun year, especially being his last year and all the opponents we’ll be playing and especially, going back to Georgia Tech where he started coaching. It’s really exciting,” said Gonzalez who had a team-high 38 RBI and 11 home runs last season. “And in my three years, there’s never been a team that’s worked harder than this team and it definitely has to do with last year. It wasn’t a fun one. I’ll say that. But we’ve turned the page and we’re ready for this year.”
Added pitcher Jeb Bargfeldt, who is expected to be one of the team’s regular starters, “That day, when we found out we weren’t going [to the tournament], that’s the day that’s going to stick with me forever … I think
this year, we don’t want any of those reminders. We want people to be able to watch us and be proud of the program, be proud of the team we’re putting out there. … I think that’s the goal, obviously, to play the best we can play every game and start our own streak.”
Part of ensuring that happens, the Hurricanes say, is to make sure the season starts on a positive note. While Miami played well late in the year and made itself a bubble team before the tournament field was announced, the Hurricanes lost eight of their first 12 games.
They were swept by eventual national champion Florida, lost two of three to Dartmouth and dropped two straight to FIU. By the time conference play began in March against Georgia Tech, the Hurricanes had a sub-.500 record that put them behind several rivals in the competitive Atlantic Coast Conference, a conference that has five teams ranked in Baseball America’s preseason Top 25 going into the year.
Miami will also have to make sure some of its young players adapt to the rigors of college baseball quickly, particularly with the Gators scheduled to visit Mark Light Field for a three-game series starting Feb. 23.
Morris says he expects that for the first time in his career, he’ll likely have five freshmen all around the infield. That group could include former Archbishop McCarthy standout Alex Toral at first base and former Flanagan High standout Michael Amditis, a redshirt freshman, behind the plate.
“We’re working very, very hard, but we have freshmen. And when you have a bunch of them, then you make some mental mistakes along the way,” Morris said. “But I think they can make up for a lot of it with talent and I’m excited about that. … We can do it with those guys. But they’ve got to mature. … I’m fine with [playing freshmen]. If our pitching can hold it down, which I think it can, and these guys mature, we’ve got a good combination of speed and power now. I’m looking forward to the season.”
Entering the season, Morris said he expects the Hurricanes pitchers will lead the way. Bargfeldt, who was 7-3 last season with a 2.28 ERA and 61 strikeouts, is expected to be Miami’s No. 1 starter, with Greg Veliz (6-4, 3.38 ERA), Evan McKendry (4-2, 4.10 ERA) and Michael Mediavilla (4-5, 4.45 ERA) behind him. Reliever Andrew Cabezaz (5-3, 2.15 ERA, 80 strikeouts) will lead the bullpen with Frankie Bartow (12 saves).
Offensively, Gonzalez — who hit .265 last season — is Miami’s returning leading hitter. Also back are Michael Burns (32 RBI) and Hunter Tackett (17 RBI). Junior transfer Danny Reyes, who hit .269 in his lone season at Florida, will also provide a boost.