After Friday night's big win in Gainesville against the dreaded Florida Gators, I officially declared that the proverbial "monkey" was off of the UM baseball team's collective backs. It seemed that this team, this year, was very capable of taking the Gators out with one good, clean whack to the head.
I was feeling pretty confident, yes maybe even a little cocky, that this Miami team was going to sweep the series from the much hated in-State rivals.
Surely, this would be the year that UM would travel to Gainesville, take care of business, sweep the Gators make UM baseball fans very happy.
I was wrong.
On Sunday afternnon, the 20th ranked Hurricanes fell once again in its series finale with Florida Sunday afternoon at McKethan Stadium, dropping the afternoon contest by the score of 6-3.
The Hurricanes struck first for the third straight game of the series, but dropped their second consecutive contest to close out their weekend in Gainesville. With the loss, Miami moved to 10-2 overall on the season, with both losses coming at the hands of the Gators.
Miami opened the game's scoring on an RBI groundout from senior Chantz Mack that plated freshman Ricky Eusebio in the top of the first. The first-year outfielder, who ripped a lead-off single off Gators' righthander Eric Hanhold, stole second and then advanced to third on a flyout from junior Alex Hernandez. Mack, facing a 1-1 count, grounded out to shortstop Richie Martin, as Eusebio raced home from third for his first career run.
Florida responded with one of its own in the bottom of the frame. After sophomore lefthander Andrew Suarez (1-1) allowed back-to-back hits to give the Gators runners on second and third, an errant pick-off attempt to second base plated the tying run. Suarez would do well to limit the damage, however, inducing an inning-ending groundout from Gators' first baseman Vickash Ramjit to keep the game tied at 1-1.
The Hurricanes looked to be building a threat in the top half of the second, when junior Brad Fieger led off the frame with a walk. After advancing to third on a groundout from Alex San Juan and a wild pitch from Hanhold, Michael Broad was plunked to give the Hurricanes runners on the corners. Hanhold, on a fake pick-off move to third, caught Broad in a pickle near second. But the Gators fired home instead of tagging Broad, nailing Fieger with a tag from catcher Taylor Gushue in a rare 1-6-3-2 pick-off. A groundout from freshman shortstop Brandon Lopez would end the the half-inning.
Florida's four-run third guided the hosts to a commanding 5-1 early advantage. Another errant pick-off attempt plated Florida's second run, while a sacrifice fly from Gushue, an RBI single from Ramjit and an RBI triple from Harrison Bader saw Miami facing its biggest deficit of the series. In his shortest start of the season, Suarez was pulled after 2.2 innings of work, charged with all five runs. Senior Eric Whaley would allow another in his 1.1-inning relief stint, as Miami fell behind 6-1.
The Hurricanes looked to have something building in the top of the fifth, when a single from Lopez and a walk from Garrett Kennedy gave Miami two runners on base. An RBI single from Alex Hernandez, who successfully reached base for the 12th consecutive game, cut the deficit to 6-2. Mack was then hit by a pitch from reliever Jay Carmichael to load the bases for freshman David Thompson.
With two outs in the inning, the Miami, Fla., native looped a ball into the right side of the infield that forced a tough play from Gators' second baseman Casey Turgeon. The sophomore underhanded the ball to Ramjit, as Thompson slid in but was called out on an extremely close play at first to end
the inning.
Righthander Alex Fernandez did well in relief, continuing his personal scoreless streak to six innings to open his sophomore campaign. The Hurricanes were unable to generate much offense after the fifth, as Carmichael and Ryan Harris shut Miami out for most of the final stretch. Sophomore Garrett Kennedy connected on his first career homerun in the top of the ninth, but it wasn't enough, as Miami fell by a final margin of 6-3.
The Hurricanes return to the friendly confines of Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field for a pair of midweek games: Maine on Tue., March 5 (6 p.m.) and Wed., UCF on March 6 (6 p.m.)
First
Posted by: canedolfan386 | March 03, 2013 at 07:10 PM
I think in all my years following canespace its a first. Thats funny
Posted by: canedolfan386 | March 03, 2013 at 07:11 PM
CDF386...email me at: [email protected] for your obligatory prize.
Posted by: 86Cane | March 03, 2013 at 07:13 PM
Congratulations, canedolfan386 !
Posted by: 2002nemo | March 03, 2013 at 07:14 PM
Per Dinich at ESPN
Why Miami will Win the Coastal Division in 2013
http://espn.go.com/blog/acc/post/_/id/52942/why-miami-will-win-the-coastal-division-in-2013
Posted by: BigWindyCane1 | March 03, 2013 at 07:15 PM
Smh well our Canes need to take care of business at home
Posted by: Terrance Sullivan | March 03, 2013 at 07:25 PM
“I think it’s important,” [James Coley] said, “especially here [in Miami], to create a vertical passing game, because you have a big offensive line and you can create a vertical running game — they go hand-in-hand — rather than dinking and dunking. There are places for a dink-and-dunk offense, but this offense needs to be an explosive offense.”
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/03/03/3263876/new-miami-hurricanes-coordinator.html#storylink=cpy
Posted by: BigWindyCane1 | March 03, 2013 at 07:32 PM
rats 8 spot.....
I have now doubt (barring injury to Morris) that the O can put up 25-30 points a game.
I also have no doubt the D will give up just as many....
When you finished ranked as badly as we were last year you have no where to go but up. Can't get much worse.
Posted by: Account Deleted | March 03, 2013 at 07:38 PM
Very creative on the monkeys Soup. Your style keeps improving.
Posted by: Old Skool | March 03, 2013 at 08:08 PM
Must be some major league bad blood for EJ not to have participated in anything team related over the last few months.
Posted by: Old Skool | March 03, 2013 at 08:12 PM
Must be some major league bad blood for EJ not to have participated in anything team related over the last few months.
Posted by: Old Skool | March 03, 2013 at 08:12 PM
Whatever transpired, sounds like AG wants the best for EJ. I think AG just told Him to take some time off...JMO.
Posted by: CaneRock | March 03, 2013 at 08:44 PM
As far as that last clip that I put up...I don't know if that was indicatative of that entire practice, but if it was, then that's PRECISELY! why we can't get no damn DTs in here, all that DAMN! stuntin'-n-slantin'. Get some DAMN! UPfield pressure, and let the chips fall where they may...
JETHRO!<-----YEAH YOU!
Posted by: CaneRock | March 03, 2013 at 08:52 PM
Sorry I missed out on blogtime over the weekend, but was away with the family and that was the deal! Got to see the hoops action last night, and I think the Canes actually played pretty dang well. Problem is that Kelly for Duke was on-fire. When a good team is making that high a % of 3s, it is almost impossible to defeat. The fact that this team didn't give up was quite impressive. I wasn't impressed with how poorly Duke fundamentally couldn't handle a basic 1-2-2 full-court press, and the Canes really didn't even execute it all that well (one time three guys went in on a trap instead of two, and another blown assignement created a wide open receiver up the court, but luckily the "qb" threw a bad pass!). I think if the U stays hungry on mostly neutral ground of the ACC tnmt, and if Duke doesn't play the game of its life again, along with the U not playing down to the level of their opponents like they've tended to do all season, they should win as the #1 seed. If, if, and if some more, and we know what this is worth.
Sucks to see the baseball team not at least take the weekend series from FU. Unfortunately kinda getting used to it. Yuck.... Still, a long season ahead for a pretty good ballclub.
Posted by: JCane | March 03, 2013 at 08:58 PM
For those that miss this on the last blog, this is a really good video:
"3 Penny Films remembers the Miami Hurricanes' 1987 National Championship team that went 12-0. Jimmy Johnson, Greg Mark, Art Kehoe, Michael Irvin and others look back at Miami's 1986 and 1987 teams."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEDVBJECWWE&list=UUt_bQWpCLU4080yFUVUriAA&index=3
Posted by: CaneRock | March 03, 2013 at 09:05 PM
Rock = doing work!
Posted by: 86Cane | March 03, 2013 at 09:10 PM
Whatever transpired, sounds like AG wants the best for EJ. I think AG just told Him to take some time off...JMO.
Posted by: CaneRock | March 03, 2013 at 08:44 PM
Canerock. I don't doubt what you say, but take time off from spring practice...??? That hurts the team and the player's advancement.
I can only imagine his very presence, his attitude, or the transgression that Golden believes he must atone for would somehow harm the team or lessen the discipline that Golden seeks to inspire.
Posted by: Old Skool | March 03, 2013 at 09:31 PM
I pray to God & every religous diety in existance that the DB's aren't still 10 yards off the LOS in the spring game. If they are, I'm not watching any games this year. Ijs
Posted by: CoCane | March 04, 2013 at 12:04 AM
I will get a job at D'Onofrio's favorite coffee shop & slip heavy bleach in his cup. Then bytch slap him with a new defensive play book to study, break Sandusky out of prison, inject him with my ram antler spray, a side of extasy & threaten Golden's azzhole with a Sandusky anal attack if he doesn't follow the gameplan...
Posted by: CoCane | March 04, 2013 at 12:13 AM
As an aside in near Ocala there is a group of Monkeys that have maintained a breeding population of Rhesus Monkeys since the Filming of Tarzan in 1938 in Silver Springs
Posted by: Hassan | March 04, 2013 at 01:43 AM
Today confirmed that Morris needs to be removed. The comedy of errors continues now for the 4th year. Poor fielding, horrendous pitching management, his bizarre base running philosophy and stubborn, inexplicable insistance in bunting his clean up hitters confirms that Jim Morris is done at Miami.
This season will be a replica of the last four years.
Blake James needs to turn his attention to looking for a new Canes baseball manger and staff.
Posted by: Reggie | March 04, 2013 at 02:33 AM
Great article in blog by manny. Im excited about next year. I wish they would have kept mccord at de but oh well. Gotta trust al no matter what. Its awesome to hear howard is starting we fixing to have straight beasts at cb, with burns coming in. Big things happening down south. http://miamiherald.typepad.com/umiami/2013/03/day-2-of-um-hurricanes-spring-football-practice-tyriq-mccord-deon-bush-phillip-dorsett-and-tracy-how.html
Posted by: canedolfan386 | March 04, 2013 at 06:02 AM
break Sandusky out of prison, inject him with my ram antler spray, a side of extasy & threaten Golden's azzhole with a Sandusky anal attack if he doesn't follow the gameplan...
Posted by: CoCane | March 04, 2013 at 12:13 AM
LOL I CAN JUST SEE SANDUSKY ON THE SIDELINE CHAINED UP WITH THAT LOOK IN IN HIS EYE.
Posted by: canezilla | March 04, 2013 at 06:53 AM
Feel sick every time someone sticks A-Rod's name on the ball field. Someday, the school will come to its senses and take it off and put Coach Fraser's name on there.
Posted by: KiriJax | March 04, 2013 at 07:17 AM
For film fans, big news:
http://latino-review.com/2013/03/03/exclusive-dcu-takeover-huge-developments-justice-league/
Posted by: LB | March 04, 2013 at 08:15 AM
What could have been a great weekend, maybe one of the biggest in a long, long time, turned out to be, well, not so much.
Basketball lost to Duke and baseball lost 2 of 3 to da Gatahs. That is NOT what the doctor ordered.
Posted by: 86Cane | March 04, 2013 at 08:25 AM
Wednesday I will be in Miami for a baseball (6 PM) and basketball (9 PM) double-header.
Miami will win both and all will be right in the world at least for one day.
Posted by: SOUP | March 04, 2013 at 08:41 AM
Alabama continues to lap the field in college football. The Crimson Tide dominates in the regular season, in the postseason and in recruiting.
And when it comes to scholarship numbers, nobody touches Alabama.
Reports surfaced last week that the defending national champion is an indefensible 10 over the scholarship limit, based on current players and recent signees.
The numbers are courtesy of CBSSports.com blogger Matt Hinton. He takes the number of players who were on scholarship in the 2012 season, subtracts graduating seniors and underclassmen who have declared for the NFL draft plus any others who have exited, and adds the number of signees in this recruiting class.
Posted by: 86Cane | March 04, 2013 at 09:35 AM
Miami track will have representation on the international level this summer.
Amy Deem, Miami's Director of Track and Field and Cross Country, was named a Team USA relay coach for the 14th IAAF World Outdoor Championships this summer in Moscow, USA Track & Field announced Monday. The 2013 World Championships will be held August 10-18 in Moscow, Russia.
Deem will be joined by Andrew Valmon at the World Outdoor Championships. The two reunite to lead the Americans after guiding them at the 2012 London Olympics.
Posted by: 86Cane | March 04, 2013 at 09:47 AM
McCord at LB? Frustrated deep breath. So now our best returning young pass rusher is a LB. You can say I'm being negative but I have a feeling the defense will suck again. I just don't believe Golden & D'No know what they're doing. McCord was the only DE with elite speed coming off of the edge. Smh. We'll see...
Posted by: CoCane | March 04, 2013 at 10:27 AM
Reggie I said the same thing about bunting the clanup hitter and the former Matt in NY thought I was crazy. Paul Maneri and Mike Martin would not have there cleanup hitters bunting and giving away outs. The Gators suck this year and we still lose 2 out of 3!
Posted by: canesteeler | March 04, 2013 at 10:33 AM
WOW!!..Just saw a pic of Kirby at practice..kid is HUGE!!!
Posted by: UMike | March 04, 2013 at 10:45 AM
Kirby - http://i.imgur.com/ZwVj5yV.jpg
Posted by: UMike | March 04, 2013 at 10:45 AM
Perrymen - http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/yy77/leftyslook/perryman_zps5f8a8f96.jpg
Posted by: UMike | March 04, 2013 at 10:46 AM
McCord - http://i.imgur.com/tj2Kti8.jpg
Posted by: UMike | March 04, 2013 at 10:47 AM
Alabama continues to lap the field in college football. The Crimson Tide dominates in the regular season, in the postseason and in recruiting.
Posted by: 86Cane | March 04, 2013 at 09:35 AM
I don't think this current run of Alabama guys stacks up against the great recent 'Canes teams in terms of superstar quotient (they've got no Andre Johnsons, Vince Wilforks, Ed Reeds...), but at every single position they have a great player, and are probably two deep everywhere. When the dust has settled, I think there's a legitimate possibilty that the consensus view in the sportswriters' world is that this Saban-led Alabama dynasty is, if not the greatest ever, the greatest since Wilkinson at Oklahoma.
Posted by: dj moonbat | March 04, 2013 at 10:47 AM
Wow, Corey King threw up 225 40 times. Only guy on the team to top 40 reps.
Sheesh
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | March 04, 2013 at 10:50 AM
For the first time in a LONG time, we are going to have HUGE LB's
Posted by: UMike | March 04, 2013 at 10:50 AM
UMike, U ain't kiddin. Kirby is HUGE
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | March 04, 2013 at 10:53 AM
Canes site says Kirby is 230. Perryman in at 236
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | March 04, 2013 at 10:56 AM
Oh, and Alex Figeroua in at 6'3, 231 as a Freshman? LIKE!
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | March 04, 2013 at 10:59 AM
Let's hope the added size equates to making plays on the field.
Posted by: canesteeler | March 04, 2013 at 11:00 AM
LB,
If that's true the Justice League will be sick if they get the right female to play wonder woman...
Posted by: CoCane | March 04, 2013 at 11:12 AM
I don't wish unemployment on anyone however I am rejoicing Dan Sileo has been terminated!
Posted by: canesteeler | March 04, 2013 at 11:26 AM
Dan Sileo is no longer at 560 WQAM. We wish him well. In the interim, Kevin Rogers and Brandon Guzio @KRogGuzio will host 10am-1pm.
Posted by: Hassan | March 04, 2013 at 11:43 AM
Lt. Philip Nolan @TheStateOfTheU
#CORN RT @JNGerhart: "@jerrymeyer247: Elder went for 41 pts 8 asts, 6 rbs & 7 steals n state champ win. Tournament MVP for 3rd year n row"
Posted by: Hassan | March 04, 2013 at 11:51 AM
I don't wish unemployment on anyone however I am rejoicing Dan Sileo has been terminated!
Posted by: canesteeler | March 04, 2013 at 11:26 AM
Not a shocker, this was already predicted by someone on the blog (don't remember who?), but GOOD news for Canes fans nonetheless.
Posted by: 86Cane | March 04, 2013 at 12:06 PM
Wow sounds like Corn is a freakish athlete.
Can he steal bases?
Posted by: Old Skool | March 04, 2013 at 12:14 PM
Interesting Tidbits from SOTU blog:
●The word on the new James Coley offense is that he integrated a lot of what Fisch left behind, including terminology. This means the existing offensive staff was able to just keep on plugging, learn a few new things, and basically just slip right into the new offense without any trouble at all.
●Coach Golden seems pretty set in the belief that David Thompson will, in fact, join the football team after baseball is done. While many of us seem to think he needs to stick with the diamond, it's going to be interesting to see how this one plays out.
●It looks like Hunter Knighton will be getting a lot of looks at the center position, at least based off of what Golden has put out there. With McDermott hurt, and Wheeler the only real backup at the moment, building depth there is crucial.
●Shayon Green continues to impress in the weight room as well as on the field, finishing in the top 3 of the defensive line group (out of like, 18 guys, in other words). He was a pretty big force for us last year, and seems to be setting up for another productive, although weirdly quiet year.
●The more players and coaches talk, the greater the chances of Alex Figueroa actually starting seem to be. They rave about his work ethic, and the fact that he came in an absolute horse. If he winds up being as good as they seem to think he can be, he may be one of the steals of the recruiting season.
Posted by: 86Cane | March 04, 2013 at 12:31 PM
●It looks like Hunter Knighton will be getting a lot of looks at the center position, at least based off of what Golden has put out there. With McDermott hurt, and Wheeler the only real backup at the moment, building depth there is crucial.
## I like Wheeler, don't know if He'll take McDermott's spot, but He needs to be in that O-Line rotation...some how,some way.
●The more players and coaches talk, the greater the chances of Alex Figueroa actually starting seem to be. They rave about his work ethic, and the fact that he came in an absolute horse. If he winds up being as good as they seem to think he can be, he may be one of the steals of the recruiting season.
## Mmmmm Hmmmm. As I browse the LOF section, with my hands crossed behind my back...whistling.
Posted by: CaneRock | March 04, 2013 at 01:27 PM
"Posted by: CoCane | March 04, 2013 at 12:13 AM"
I have all the money I'll be saving from not going to the Savannah State game this year to invest in your, very logical and not doomed to fail at all, plan Coke. You'll need some hologram technology projecting an adolescent Al Golden's face onto the current Al Golden to peak Jerry's interest though. Just let me know to where the money order gets mailed.
The consistent lust for a Groh style 3-4 to be seamlessly deployed out of a 4-3 personnel package without substitutions by this staff gets all the more puzzling when their four down linemen can never get more than a sack and a 1/12 a game at a time. How about showing any of you actually can coordinate a defense out of one front consistently first? Oh that's right, they don't care what fans say and only care what their family thinks since their families obviously don't know sh!t about football from the head of them down except to say, "Look what dad did at Temple." I bet there's a children book in both D'No and Golden's kids room titled just that, "Look what dad did at Temple," and neither of those two will read any other title to their kids until they suggest that exact one for bedtime.
"But I want you to read Treasure Island to me tonight!"
"Look kid, don't you want dad to read your favorite story, about Oliver the Owl and his football team that dad did great things with at Temple?"
"Treasure Island has pirates in it though."
"Look what dad did at Temple has bobcats, zips, rockets, bulls, falcons, redhawks, golden flashes, cardinals, chippewas, eagles, huskies and broncos, dad never played ECU while people were looking at what he did at Temple. Just listen to the story kid."
Who knew that Six was really a Reggie all along?
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | March 04, 2013 at 01:31 PM