Miami late collapse causes game and series loss at Virginia

Brian Walters had his worst performance since becoming the Miami closer as the Hurricanes lost 10-9 at Virginia on Saturday. The series loss is the first for Miami in six weeks as the Hurricanes fell to 30-20 overall and 14-11 in the ACC. Walters pitched 1.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on two hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

The two runs charged to Walters scored in the ninth inning. Walters entered the game in the seventh inning and inherited a runner on third base with two outs. Walters walked the first two batters and then hit Eric Becker with the bases loaded to force in the tying run for his first blown save. Walters got a strikeout to end the seventh.

Miami answered quickly. Dorian Gonzalez had an RBI single in the eighth to put Miami back in front 9-8. Miami had a chance to extend the lead, but Evan Taveras flied out to left with the bases loaded and two outs to end the inning. Walters retired Virginia in order to end the eighth inning.

Harrison Didawick hit the first pitch from Walters in the bottom of the ninth inning over the fence in right center field to tie the game at nine. Three batters later, Aidan Teel singled home James Nunnallee to give Virginia the comeback victory and Miami a heartbreaking loss.

Miami scored first as Daniel Cuvet stayed scorching hot with his 13th home run to give the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Virginia answered with a three-run double by Aidan Teel to put the Cavaliers ahead 3-1 in the bottom of the second inning.

Miami answered immediately. A Dorian Gonzalez single cut the Arizona deficit to 3-2. Evan Taveras walked with the bases loaded to tie the game at three. Renzo Gonzalez was the next batter and on a 3-2 pitch hit a grand slam to right field to put Miami ahead 7-3. That lead held until the seventh inning.

Virginia and Miami exchanged runs in the third and fourth innings as the Hurricanes extended their lead to 8-4. The Cavaliers had RBI singles in the fifth and sixth innings to cut the deficit to 7-5. A HR from Henry Godbout in the seventh for Virginia cut the Miami lead to 8-7 before Walters entered the game.

Tate DeRias will start for Miami on Sunday as the Hurricanes try and avoid the sweep against Tomas Valincius, who will start for Virginia. Miami enters Sunday a game behind fourth-place Georgia Tech to earn a double-bye in the ACC Tournament that begins on May 20 in Durham, North Carolina.