Daniel Cuvet hit a three-run home run in the first inning and scored after doubling in the third and Miami held on for a 5-3 win to advance to the winners bracket tomorrow in the NCAA Tournament. Leading 5-3 with two outs and two runners on for Alabama, Miami centerfielder Michael Torres caught the ball at the wall for the final out.
The third-place hitter for Alabama, Kade Snell, who leads the Crimson Tide with a .364 batting average, hit the ball to the wall in right center field with runners on first and second and two outs. It appeared to be gone off the bat. Miami closer Brian Walters got the first two outs before getting in trouble.
Walters struck out the eighth-place batter Brennen Norton looking and ninth-place hitter, Coleman Mizzell on a ground out to second base. Leadoff hitter Bryce Fowler hit a sharp ground ball to first base and got on a play that was ruled an error by Renzo Gonzalez.
Walter hit Justin Lebron with a pitch to bring up the winning run for Alabama. On taking a ball, Snell hit what looked like the game-winning three-run HR, but Torres was underneath just in front of the wall in right center field. The Miami bullpen shut down Alabama after A.J. Ciscar kept Miami ahead.
Ciscar started and pitched 7.0 innings, allowing three earned runs, all in the fourth inning, on six hits with a walk and eight strikeouts on 97 pitches. Carson Fischer got in trouble in the eighth inning allowing a hit and a walk while getting two outs before being pulled for Rob Evans.
With runners on first and second and two outs, Evans struck out the only batter he faced to end the threat. That was the most important out for Miami until the final one. Max Galvin hit a HR in the fifth inning after Alabama cut the deficit to 4-3 in the bottom of the fourth.
Alabama scored on a groundout by Neal and a two-run double by Norton. Miami pitchers combined for nine strikeouts and stranded nine Alabama runners. Ciscar got strikeouts to end the first three innings for Alabama that stranded three Crimson Tide runners.
Miami will play in the winners bracket game against the winner of tonight's game between Hattiesburg Regional host Southern Mississippi and Ivy League Champion Columbia. The win on Friday guarantees Miami is playing through at least Sunday.