Canes Warning
Fansided

Late comeback keeps Miami baseball alive in ACC Tournament

By Alan Rubenstein

7 Jun 1995: Infielder Wes Rachels of USC slides into base as Miami shortstop Alex Cora and second baseman Rick Gama look on during a College World Series game at Rosenblatt Stadium in Nebraska. Mandatory Credit: Andy Lyons /Allsport
7 Jun 1995: Infielder Wes Rachels of USC slides into base as Miami shortstop Alex Cora and second baseman Rick Gama look on during a College World Series game at Rosenblatt Stadium in Nebraska. Mandatory Credit: Andy Lyons /Allsport /
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The Miami baseball team scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to erase a 2-1 deficit and stay alive in the ACC Tournament with a 6-2 win over Notre Dame on Tuesday night.

After taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, the Miami baseball team was unable to generate any offense until the decisive bottom of the eighth. Willy Escala’s single drove in Raymond Gil in the bottom of the second to get Miami on the board first in the second inning. The win was Miami’s 11 straight.

Notre Dame answered immediately. Jake Johnson had an RBI single and Nick Podkul grounded into a double play that scored Cole Daily to give Notre Dame the lead in the top of the third. That was all the scoring for the next five and a half innings.

Tony Jenkins got the Miami rally started in the bottom of the eighth inning when he was hit by a by Notre Dame’s Andrew Belcik. Romy Gonzalez followed with a walk. Danny Reyes’ double scored Jenkins and moved Gonzalez to third. That was all for Belcik who pitched a scoreless seventh inning.

Cole Kmet replaced him. The Hurricanes were not intimidated by the 6’5 256-pound Freshman. Kmet is also a tight end on the Notre Dame football team. Michael Burns continued the rally with a single that scored Gonzalez to give Miami their first lead since the second inning, 3-2. Reyes advanced to third.

After Isaac Quinones and Dylan Cloonan struck out it looked like the Miami rally would settle with taking a one-run lead into the ninth.

Raymond Gil’s single scored Reyes and advanced Burns to third. After an Escala walk, Freddy Zamora’s single gave the Miami baseball team a pair of huge insurance runs. Gil and Burns scored, Escala was out at third to end the inning.

It was a miraculous comeback and gave the Miami baseball team at least one more meaningful game in the Jim Morris era.

The Hurricanes will play Clemson on Thursday night for the right to advance out of pool B. Even if Clemson loses to Notre Dame today they would win the tiebreaker with a win over the Hurricanes by being the higher seed.

Frankie Bartow pitched the final two innings for his fifth win of the season. Andrew Cabezas was brilliant aside from the two-run third inning. He kept the Hurricanes in the game that allowed the comeback.

The Junior right-hander from Coral Gables High School pitched six innings allowed two earned runs on six hits with four walks and five strikeouts. Bartow allowed only one hit and struck out one in his two innings. Belcik took the loss for Notre Dame.

Scott Tully started for the Fighting Irish and shut Miami down over six innings. He exited after throwing 115 pitches. Tully allowed five hits, walked two and struck out four with the one earned run allowed. After the second, the Hurricanes couldn’t get much going off of the left-hander.

Next: Miami baseball to face Clemson and Notre Dame in ACC Tournament

Next game: Miami next faces Clemson at Durham Athletic Park on Thursday night after having Wednesday night off. Jeb Bargfeldt is expected to start for Miami. The Hurricanes took two of three from the Tigers on the road earlier this season.

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