ACC: LOUISVILLE

Miami getting hot at the right time taking game one 8-5. Daniel Cuvet accounted for Miami’s 6 of their 8 runs solidifying the victory in the 7th with a 413′ blast off the scoreboard. It was all Canes and they never looked better. Miami took the early lead never letting up behind vintage Rafe Schlesinger and defensive plays highlighted by Jacoby Long by the defensive play of the game.  Myles Caba in relief sealed the win with brilliance. The  Cardinals tried coming back with a late rally in the 9th but fell short as Miami continues to stay alive in their quest for the Golden Ring of Tournament Champions.

Taking the field was a retrograde Cane’s team that one hadn’t seen all season. they came to Charlotte on a mission and came out firing on all cylinders with Jacoby and Edgardo each singling in the first setting it up for #22 to right field (367′) authored by Daniel Cuvet. 

Rafe who had been struggling most of the season returned to early season form holding the Cardinals scoreless for the first two innings before Dylan Hoy’s RBI double in the 3rd broke through for Louisville’s first score. They would add another in the 5h on a solo HR also by Hoy to narrow the difference to a 1-run separation before the Canes responded with two in the 6th once again going long ball by Lucas Costello solo shot to left center and an RBI single by JD Urso bringing home Carlos Perez who singled earlier. Antonio Jimenez at first (W) tried taking advantage of Urso’s single to left-center but was caught trying to stretch it with a nasty collision at home. The Canes extended the lead to 5-2 but Louisville is still not ready to concede knowing the Canes’ history of holding onto a lead.

Louisville answers in the 6th with a lead-off HR by Zion Rose. That would mark the beginning of the end for Rafe’s tenure on the bump.  Hitting two batters was enough for JD to bring in Closer Myles Caba who needed two pitches to retire the side.

Miami with a 5-3 lead into the 7th went to the long ball for the third time and the bat of Daniel Cuvet which landed him into Miami’s history book of tying the season freshman HR record (23) alongside Hall of Fame legend Pat Burrell. Jacoby and Edgardo were on base (W,single) as Daniel delivered with a shot to left center to extend the lead to 8-3 as part of this history, all but ensuring a victory marring a major crash.

Miami is known for crunches but not today. Louisville answers the call with a one-out HR by PH Luke Napleton and a two-out double RBI double by Zion Rose but Myles holds off the determined Cardinal team to rally in the 9th to get his 4th save.

Offensively, Miami continued as it has all season ” Live or Die by the HR”. 6 of Miami’s 8 Runs were via the long ball. All of the rest of Miami’s hits(9) via scattered singles. 4 players in multiple numbers: Jacoby Long 2-4; Cucas Costello 2-5(HR RBI); Edgardo Villegas 2-3 and Daniel Cuvet 3-5 (2HR,6RBIs).

The next game for Miami is against Clemson at 11AM, on Thursday. Declaw the Tiger and Miami advances to the semi-finals on Saturday at 5PM and hopefully the finals Sunday at 1PM