Hurricanes fizzle (not sizzle) in home finale; set to travel for key ACC series
As energetic and inspired as the Miami Hurricanes seemed Sunday in mounting a late rally to win a crucial series against ACC rival Georgia Tech, they couldn’t muster anything Tuesday at Mark Light Field in their final home game of the season.
The result: a 3-0 shutout by FAU and the Hurricanes’ first mid-week loss of 2021 after going 7-0 in their first seven such games.
Miami (29-17, 17-15 ACC), held to six hits Tuesday, heads into its final three-game regularseason series, which begins Thursday at Louisville. The ACC Tournament then begins May 25 in Charlotte and runs through May 30. On May 31, the NCAA field of 64 for the Division I Baseball Tournament will be announced.
“Offensively, it was kind of anemic tonight,” UM coach Gino DiMare said. “Couldn’t get anything going. Couldn’t get leadoff hitters on base. When we did get guys on
base, or in scoring position — which wasn’t often — we couldn’t capitalize.
“It’s unfortunate we had to finish this way [at home] in our last game and the fact that we did so well on Sunday. But it’s been that year. Very hard to get it together and keep it rolling. Just when we think we got a little bit going, momentum gets taken back. We need to turn the page again and be ready to go at Louisville.”
After its final regularseason
game before the C-USA tournament, FAU finished 30-23 overall and 18-14 in its conference.
Down 2-0, the Canes threatened in the seventh, to no avail. With one out, Alex Toral began the would-be rally with a single to left. Freshman pinchhitter Chad Born followed with a single through the right side, which sent pinch-runner Jacoby Long to third. But Dominic Pitelli struck out and Born got nabbed at second on a fielder’s choice.
The Owls struck first in the third inning, when
Jalen DeBose doubled down the right-field line on the first pitch by Anthony Arguelles, who had replaced UM starter Alex McFarlane. Five pitches later, Jackson Wenstrom sliced an RBI-single and FAU led 1-0.
Then, on the first pitch in the seventh by UM reliever Jordan Dubberly — the Hurricanes’ fourth of six pitchers Tuesday — FAU’s Bobby Morgensen tripled to right-center. With one out and runners on the corners, DeBose laid down a pretty bunt-single toward first base to score Morgensen.
FAU got its third run on a full-count home run to left-center in the eighth by B.J. Murray off reliever Spencer Bodanza.
Left-handed starting junior pitcher Adrien Reese (3-1) gave up three hits and two walks in four innings for the victory.
Right-handed UM sophomore Anthony Arguelles (4-1) allowed one earned run on two hits in two innings for his first loss this season.