FLORIDA INTERNATIONALUNIVERSITY: GAME 1

Another Magical Night at the Light as the Cardiac Canes pulls another one out of the hat in Mark Light Fashion to take Game 1 of the Cross Town Rivalry to earn the bragging rights as King of the 305. Dorian Gonzalez, in textbook fashion, executed the perfect squeeze bunt, to the amazement of everyone for the winning run as the Canes won 4-3 as Blake Cyr slid home to seal the victory.

When it comes to cross-town rivals forget about one’s record. These are players who have known each other all their lives and have gone to the same schools growing up. Nick Pitelli, brother of Dominic is a catcher for the Panther.  To them, this is more than a game, this is everything.

The long-awaited return of Drew Dwyer got the starting call for tonight’s contest. His last appearance was against Long Island University on 24 Feb. The appearance was short-lived lasting one inning before Ashton Crowther came in to start the second inning. Ashton faced a similar fate last week against FAU on his seasonal return getting blown out after 3.1 inning. Tonight was a different story pitching 5 complete innings and holding the Panthers scoreless on just two hits. Brian Walters, set-up, came in relief to start the 7th. Brian cruised through the first two batters on just 6 pitches. He had an 0-2 count on Austin Dearing and the next pitch Brian wished he could take back as Dearing sent one to right to break the deadlock which had been 2-2 since the first inning. Whether this rattled Brian brought concern to the fans when the next batter Ryne Guida on the second pitch sent a deep fly to LF looking at back-to-back HRs. Instead, Blake Cyr literally climbs the wall in left, and reaches over the top of the wall to rob Ryne of the HR, preventing the Panthers from taking a two-run lead. This wasn’t Blake’s only breathtaking catch of the day. In the second, he made a diving catch running in on the ball at the start of the second inning. Miami responded in the 8th to tie the score which resulted from a throwing error to first. Nick Robert, closer, came in the 9th with the score tied at 3 and needed ten pitches to set up another Hollywood Finish. As scripted, The Cardiac Canes do it one more time in walk-off fashion, repeating Saturday night not with a HR but with a squeeze bunt.

It looked like the mid-week woos that have plagued the Canes all season, was heading down the same road as Drew Dwyer struggled to get through the first. Two runs on 5 hits, with 2 walks leaving BL as he finally gets out of this disappointing return having thrown 29 pitches.

Miami used to playing catch-up went to work in the bottom half getting back the two to tie the game at two. Blake started the comeback with a one-out double to left-center. Daniel Cuvet finally got out of his slump where he went 0-10 against Carolina with a RBI double down the RF line to cut the lead in half. Dorian leveled the playing field at two with an RBI single to even the score at two.

For the next five innings, neither team could get the upper hand. Ashton dominated on the mound allowing three runners to reach base (2 singles,walk) for the next 5 innings. Miami had an opportunity to put runs on the board in the 4th with BL nobody out. Torres and Scanlon opened with singles with Carrier walking to load the bases. Long on a checked swing back to the pitcher, Torres was thrown out at home. Jimenez strikes out and opportunity is lost with Edgardo flying out deep to center.

The 2-2 tie was finally broken in the 7th with a Panther HR only to have the Canes even the score in the 8th resulting from an error. Jason Torres opened the 8th with a lead-off single to right-center and advanced to second on Scanlon getting hit. Carrier hits a grounder to short setting up a DP but the relay from second to first gets by the first baseman scoring Torres to tie the game at 3.

The Hollywood scriptwriters had their pens ready to create another Mark Light Miracle. Dorian Gonzalez is set to play the main role for the second time in a matter of days. Blake Cyr walks on a full count becoming the winning run on first. Daniel singles up the middle putting runners on the corners with Dorian coming to bat. Catching everyone by surprise, Dorian executes the perfect squeeze bunt to the left of the pitcher who couldn’t respond quickly enough to make the play at home as Blake slides home before the pitcher could even get to the ball. The dugout empties and another chapter is written as the Cardiac Canes complete the comeback with another Mark Light Magical Moment

Offensively it was a dead zone between the 2nd and 8th inning. the Canes were able to muster 4 hits and once again with runners on base failed to move the line. 0-3 with BL and just 3-13 with RISP. They had 9 runners left on base. Tonight’s hitting came through 1-6 in the batting order with Carrier, Long, and Jimenez going 0-6. Carrier had 3 walks. Three with multiple hits: Daniel Cuvet 3-5(double,RBI); Dorian Gonzalez 2-5(2RBIs); Jason Torres 2-3(RBI). Blake Cyr recorded the other extra-base hit (double). Tonight the Long Ball, our bread and butter, was never even in the mix. The short-ball (bunt) was tonight’s different maker.

Drew Dryer is not the start JD wanted to see but hopefully like Ashton will rebound next week when he will probably meet the Panthers again but this time in relief. After Ashton’s showing tonight he has earned the start next week. Only 3 walks were issued tonight compared to the 10 on Sunday. FIU is not a NC but it is a rival and expect the unexpected.

This weekend, the Canes travel to the tundra of Indiana to exchange snowballs with the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. They are expecting 46 degrees with 45% chance for precipitation. Saturday dropping to 36 degrees and Sunday a bit warmer at 39 degrees. They better be packing their warm underwear. No Palm trees and balmy weather this weekend. Friday’s scheduled to start 430PM