After enduring a blowout loss to Georgia Tech on Friday night, Canes baseball rebounded on Saturday with a blowout win of their own, celebrating Senior Night with a pre-game ceremony and a dominant 10-3 win over the Yellow Jackets.
With the regular season winding down to its final games, every game – especially against conference rivals – is crucial as the 2021 ACC Baseball Championship draws ever closer.
Going into Saturday night’s action, Georgia Tech led the Coastal Division with a 19-12 conference record, and the Hurricanes were positioned a few spots lower in the division standings at 15-15. At an improved 16-15 conference record, Miami has climbed to third place in the division. They now only trail Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech, and are a half-game above Virginia Tech and North Carolina.
Sophomore Anthony Vilar follows through on a hit in Miami s win over Appalachian State on Sunday May 9 at Mark Light Field. Vilar registered one hit, two walks, and scored three times in the Canes 10-2 victory on Sunday. Photo credit: Josh Halper
On Sunday afternoon, the only Hurricanes to pass through Mark Light Field were donning pink uniforms in honor of Mother’s Day, but May showers drenched Coral Gables shortly after the series finale between UM and Appalachian State had begun.
Inclement weather in the area early in the ballgame forced an unusual, strange set of circumstances for the Hurricanes and the Mountaineers. The two were scheduled for a start time of 1 p.m. and were able to complete a full inning of baseball before the game was delayed for nearly two and a half hours.
Freshman third baseman Yohandy Morales bats during Miami s 16-1 win over Appalachian State on May 8 at Mark Light Field. Photo credit: Tessa Mortensen
Hurricanes right-handed pitcher Jake Smith took the mound against Appalachian State on Saturday hoping to help lead his team to its first series win in three weeks.
After having garnered his first win as a Hurricane versus Florida Gulf Coast on April 27, the junior college transfer picked up where he left off, striking out six batters while allowing only two hits.
Backing him up was a lineup that came out swinging, as Miami (26-15, 15-14 Atlantic Coast Conference) sparked a 10-run second inning to run away with the ball game 16-1 at Mark Light Field.
Alex Toral awaits a throw to first base as a BC player runs to first base. The Canes lost the series 2-1 to the Eagles. Photo credit: John Quackenbos/BC Athletics
The Boston College Eagles welcomed the Hurricanes to the Harrington Athletics Village on Friday night and gave them a rude awakening, blowing them out 13-0 in what proved to be an uncharacteristic loss for Miami.
However, the Canes bounced back in Saturday afternoon’s action to even the series with a tightly contested battle that favored UM with a final score of 2-1.
Miami’s win was strongly backed by a strong, steady start from pitcher Alex McFarlane, who did what no other Hurricane was able to do Friday night: keep the Eagles off the scoreboard.
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