Daniel Cuvet powers Miami baseball to 8-5 ACC Tournament win over Louisville

Freshman third-baseman Daniel Cuvet got the Miami baseball team going with a three-run home run in the top of the first inning and added another one to extend the lead as the Hurricanes won their ACC Tournament opener 8-5 over Louisville on Tuesday.

Miami can advance to the ACC Tournament semifinals with a win over second-seeded Clemson on Thursday. Cuvet had three hits in five at-bats with six runs batted in. Lucas Costello hit a solo HR and J.D. Urso had an RBI single in the sixth inning to plate the other two Miami runs.

Rafe Schlesinger kept Miami ahead the entire game. Schlesinger pitched 5.2 innings, allowing six hits, three runs, three earned with no walks and six strikeouts. Myles Caba shutdown Louisville in relief of Schlesinger. Caba pitched 3.1 innings, allowing five hits, two runs, two earned with one walk and five strikeouts for his fourth save.

The top of the Louisville order had X of the Cardinals X hits. Leadoff hitter J.T. Benson had XXX hits in XXX at-bats. The three-run home run in the top of the first by Cuvet knocked Louisville starter 27 Evan Webster out of the game after just one inning. Three Louisville relievers combined to allow the other five Miami runs.

Costello, Jacoby Long and Edgardo Villegas all had two hits for Miami. The Hurricanes out hit Louisville 12-11. Louisville scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to cut their deficit to 8-5. Caba got the last out with the tying run in the on-deck circle. Luke Napleton led off the ninth for Louisville with a pinch-hit HR.

Miami improves to 25-29 this season with the win. Louisville falls to 32-23. The Cardinals are on the NCAA Tournament bubble and play Clemson on Friday. A win over the Tigers would be a huge boost for Louisville. Miami must win the ACC Tournament to earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.