The Miami baseball team won the final two games against Florida this weekend to take the season-opening series. The series victory by Miami elevated the Hurricanes from sixth to number one in the rankings by Collegiate Baseball. Miami rose from 11th to third in the Baseball America poll.
There are six collegiate baseball top 25 polls. The other four major polls have yet to update their ratings as of late on Friday afternoon. Following their first series victory in Gainesville since 2009, Miami will not play again until they host Virginia Tech in a three-game series this weekend. That also begins ACC play for Miami.
Miami will play a 50 game schedule this season with 11 non-conference games. The Hurricanes’ only non-conference series will May 7-9 at home against Appalachian State. Miami will play its first non-conference game of the season when they host Florida Atlantic on Tuesday, March 9
Miami had a comeback fall short in a 7-5 loss in the series opener on Friday night after a four-run ninth inning. The Hurricanes used a three-run ninth to force extra innings on Saturday and won the game with a two-run 13th. After taking an 8-0 lead on the Gators on Sunday, Miami held on for an 8-6 victory.
Beat No. 1 so you can be No. 1!
— Miami Hurricanes Baseball (@CanesBaseball) February 22, 2021
A lot more work to be done though!
See 🙌 at The Light! pic.twitter.com/WbDTxQTmrS
The victory over Florida was the first time Miami began the season on the road since a four-game series at Hawaii in 1997. A new star was born this weekend when Seton Hall transfer Christian Del Castillo was named the ACC Co-Player of Week after hitting .333 with six RBIs against Florida.
Del Castillo is the brother of Miami star catcher Adrian. Freshman Yohandy Morales also had an outstanding weekend for Miami culminating with three hits in the final game on Sunday. The Hurricanes earned victories in the final games game after freshman Alejandro Rosario and Victor Mederos started the final two games.
Miami is picked to win the ACC Coastal Divison but projected to be second in the conference behind Atlantic Division favorite Louisville. The Hurricanes will be a big favorite this weekend against Virginia Tech who is picked to finish sixth out of seven teams in the Coastal.