Top ranked Miami baseball team hosts Kent State

The Miami baseball team will play its first game as the top-ranked team in the country for the first time since 2016 when the Hurricanes host Kent State on Wednesday night.

The Miami baseball team will host its first game as the nation’s top-ranked team since 2016 when they host Kent State on Wednesday night. Miami advanced to the College World Series following the 2016 season. The Hurricanes began 2020 by sweeping Rutgers at Mark Light Field this weekend.

Kent State lost to Iowa in their season opener in Port Charlotte. The Golden Flashes defeated Indiana State on Saturday and St. Joseph’s on Sunday. Miami swept their three-game series with Rutgers by outscoring the Scarlet Knights 23-9 over the weekend. Kent State finished 30-24 in 2019.

Miami enters the game against Kent State after catcher Adrian Del Castillo was named the ACC Player of the Week. DelCastillo hit .556 against Rutgers with two home runs, six RBIs and three runs scored. The starting pitching for Miami was stellar as expected over the weekend.

Brian VanBelle, Slade Cecconi and Chris McMahon combined for a 1.50 earned run average as they each pitched six innings in their first starts of the season. Alex McFarlane is scheduled to start for the Miami baseball team on Wednesday night against Kent State.

"GAME 4 CORAL GABLES, Fla. (Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field)KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES (2-1, 0-0 MAC)Head Coach: Jeff Duncan (Arizona State, 2000)Career Division I Record: 220-120 (8th season) | Record at Kent State: 220-120 (8th season)1 MIAMI HURRICANES (3-0, 0-0 ACC)Head Coach: Gino DiMare (Miami, 1992)Career Division I Record: 44-20 (second season) | Record at Miami: 44-20 (second season)Courtesy HurricaneSports"

The game against Kent State will have a bit earlier of a starting time with first pitch at 6:00 PM ET. That will allow fans of the Miami baseball and basketball teams to watch both games. The Miami basketball team tips-off at 9 PM ET at Virginia Tech.

"Date: Wednesday, February 19, 2020Game Time (ET): 6:00 p.m.Site: Coral Gables, Fla. | Mark Light Field (3,771)TV: ACC Network Extra (all home games)Student Radio: WVUM 90.5 FM | WVUM.org (all games)Series History: Miami leads, 2-0Coral Gables: Miami leads, 1-0Neutral Site: Miami leads, 1-0First Meeting: May 28, 1994 – Miami won, 4-1Last Meeting: June 2, 2007 – Miami won, 8-7Streak: Miami, two wins#1 MIAMI 0-0, 0-0 ACCHead Coach: Gino DiMare (Miami, 1992)DI Career: 44-20 (second season)at Miami: 44-20 (first season)vs. Kent State: 0-0Proj. Starter: FR RHP Alex McFarlane (0-0, 0.00 ERA)KENT STATE 2-1, 0-0 MACHead Coach: Jeff Duncan (Arizona State, 2000)DI Career: 220-120 (8th season)at Kent State: 220-120 (8th season)Proj. Starter: SR RHP Zach Schultz (0-0, 0.00 ERA)"

Miami cannot overlook Kent State with number two Florida traveling South on the turnpike this weekend. The Golden Flashes are one of the better mid-major programs in the country. Kent State advanced to the College World Series in 2012 under current Georgia head coach Scott Stricklin.

Florida is 4-0 after defeating Jacksonville on Tuesday night. The Gators have scored 47 runs in their first four games. Kent State has scored 16 in three games with 11 coming in the victory over St. Joseph’s on Sunday.