'Canes Hand 'Noles First Loss Of The Season

No. 14 Miami handed No. 2 Florida State its first loss of the season Friday night, toppling the previously undefeated Seminoles 3-1 at Dick Howser Stadium.

Junior lefthander Chris Diaz delivered seven strong innings for Miami (5-3), striking out six batters and scattering just four hits.

"He pitched great," said Morris of Diaz, who improved his personal record to 3-0 with the win. "He's one of those guys who goes right after people. He's got good sink, gets a lot of groundballs. If you play good defense behind him, you have a good chance to win. I thought he had the guys off-balance all night. He pitched extremely well."

Freshman righthander Bryan Garcia earned his third save of the season, pitching the final two innings in the close victory. The win marked Miami's third of the season against a team ranked in the top 25 and continued an impressive albeit brief trend; Miami handed then-No. 1 and undefeated North Carolina (16-0) its first loss of the season on March 15, 2013 at Boshamer Stadium.

It was the Seminoles (6-1) who struck first in Friday's opener, scoring a run on a two-out throwing error by sophomore David Thompson in the bottom of the first.

Miami loaded the bases and threatened to tie the game in the third, but FSU starter Luke Weaver (2-1) retired senior Brad Fieger on a groundout to end the inning. Junior catcher Garrett Kennedy and sophomore shortstop Brandon Lopez, making his first official start of 2014 after recovering from a knee injury, connected for back-to-back singles in the frame.

Diaz (3-0), who went a season long-tying seven innings in the outing, impressively worked his way out of a tough jam in the third to keep the visitors within one run. After allowing a double to Josh Delph and an infield single to Gonzalez to put runners on the corners with no outs, Diaz struck out DJ Stewart, fielded Brett Knief's attempted squeeze perfectly to get Delph at home, and struck out John Nogowski to end the inning.

"I was keeping the ball down and had a lot of sink on my ball," Diaz said. "They were hitting it into the ground a lot. My defense played great today, and they helped me win."

Diaz' work paid off, as a sacrifice fly from senior infielder Alex Hernandez off Weaver a half-inning later tied the game 1-1. Freshman sluggers Willie Abreu and Zack Collins reached on a single and walk respectively, and Abreu advanced to third on a passed ball charged to Seminoles catcher Danny De La Calle.

Hernandez then lifted a Weaver offering deep enough to center to plate Abreu, who scored standing up to knot the game 1-1.

Miami took its first lead of the game in the sixth, when back-to-back singles from Dale Carey and Tyler Palmer put the visitors in position to strike off Weaver. An infield single from Fieger looked to have loaded the bases, but an ill-advised throw from Justin Gonzalez at short made its way past the Seminoles first baseman Nogowski.

Carey scored from second and both Palmer and Fieger advanced a base. Another sacrifice fly - this one from sophomore David Thompson - plated Palmer from third to make it 3-1 in favor of the Hurricanes. Carey's run was the only earned allowed by Weaver, who was tagged with the loss after six innings of work.

"Our guys hustled and they took advantage of a couple of mistakes," Morris said. "That's normally what it comes down to. Just like in the first inning... they took an advantage of an error we made, and we took advantage of a couple they made."

Comments

[MDCane]

Blog!

[Ohio_Cane]

Dos

[Ohio_Cane]

I'm doing a pre and post-storm pic out my front door. This snow storm is gonna be INTERESTING. They're saying 10+ inches for my area! Can't wait to go outside and play in it!

[CaneRock]

Hester!

[BigWindyCane1]

Spring football is and the official start of next season is here! Go Canes!

[Terrance Sullivan]

Great job baseball team. It's always good to beat the Noles. Let's beat the Noles again today.Thanks Soup.

[IraqiCane]

Go Canes!!!

[CaneRock]

Manny:

17 thoughts and observations on the Canes heading into the start of spring football

### Dallas Crawford’s return to defense – likely at safety -- makes things interesting to me. We all know what a healthy Deon Bush can do (he finished 13th on the team with 31 tackles in 11 games). He and fellow junior Rayshawn Jenkins (46 tackles, 5th on the team) should be your starting safeties. But at least now if either of them get hurt you have a player in Crawford (6 tackles in 2013) who has 16 career tackles and knows how to deliver a hit back there. He’s shown it on special teams.

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/umiami/2014/02/16-thoughts-and-observations-on-the-canes-heading-into-the-start-of-spring-football.html#storylink=cpy

[SOUP]

Hurricanes Baseball ‏@CanesBaseball 14m
The best part about this beautiful game? We get to go out and do it all over again today. #BeatFSU

[Go Canes]

@ChrisYandle: Duke Johnson out for the spring as he recovers from last season's ankle injury. He's bulked up in offseason, adding 10 pounds. Looks good.

[BEERicane]

Let's just hope duke hasn't lost his juke or speed. He doesn't have much speed to spare.

[Rand Stevens]

How many errors for the Bball team vs FSU?

[Go Canes]

@PeterAriz: The scary thing about 2016 WR Cavin Ridley is that he might be better than his brother Calvin who is the #1 WR for 2015

[Go Canes]

@High_SchoolFB: RT “@ryanstan_: Out here junior day!! http://t.co/yMLaTQ685D”

[Go Canes]

@PeterAriz: Shawn Burgess-Becker is playing QB for the Fire right now!!

[Terrance Sullivan]

Go Canes! Beat the WolfPack and Noles!

[Rand Stevens]

As bad as Canes Bball has played this year, they are fun as hell to watch and have overachieved X20. I thought they would be lucky to win 10 games this year. Terrific performance in the first half vs. NC State. Very, very entertaining game.

A very impressive coaching job by L and his staff. Next year is going to be a blast when the cavalry arrives.

[Go Canes]

@mattyports: One guy who wasn't at spring practice today: freshman Artie Burns, new ACC men's 60m hurdles champ. RT @MiamiTrack http://t.co/KDl5b26Be7

[Canesteeler]

Rand Stevens I agree they are a fun team to watch and coach L and his staff have coached their asses off this year. Canes Baseball let's get win #2 against Noles!

[Rand Stevens]

Incredible response by Canes after going down by 1 on the the road. A 9-0 run! Wow. Swoope is BEASTING!

[Rand Stevens]

The wheels came off the cart when NC State turned up the pressure but the guys pulled it together bigtime and responded with a vengeance. Really one of the most entertaining games of the year.

6 ACC wins on the road for this team? Wow.....talk about overachieving.

[Go Canes]

@CanesInSight: Quick thoughts on the first spring practice http://t.co/517oQ2sVWS

[Terrance Sullivan]

Agreed Rand and CS. My dude Rion Brown is doing his thing again. 40 minutes of L baby! Now need the baseball team to lay the smackdown on the Noles. Go Canes!

[Go Canes]

@flasportsbuzz: Link to blog --- Ten nuggets from UM's football spring practice opener Saturday; UM hoops win http://t.co/aavyOMoSS0

[Go Canes]

@smillerdegnan: First spring #UM #Canes practice in the books: great day, says Al Golden (& news on Hunter) http://t.co/PIC1JxSj62

[CaneRock]

I guess this answers it.

### Golden said Dallas Crawford wanted to move from running back to safety. “He’s physical, smart, tough, great on special teams,” Golden said, adding that people internally view him as one of UM’s top 22 players.

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/2014/03/ten-nuggets-from-ums-spring-practice-opener-saturday.html#storylink=cpy

[CaneRock]

And GREAT! to hear that Knighton is doing better.

[Rand Stevens]

Yup. Coach L is building something very special at Miami; you can feel it the way he's got even a mediocre team like this years Bball team playing.

[4-Real]

4-3 defense? ^^^^ Now we MIGHT see some progress!!

[Account Deleted]

any truth to the rumor the D gave up 500 yds in the first practice???

[LA3]

Who is this kid?
Ponte Vedra High QB decides to become Cane?

[SOUP]

GRAY CROW!

[CaneRock]

I REALLY! hope Rayshawn Scott gets it together this year. Kid has too much upside to be holding HIMSELF back.

[Ohio_Cane]

Who is this kid?
Ponte Vedra High QB decides to become Cane?

Posted by: LA3 | March 01, 2014 at 03:35 PM
----------------------------

Colin Feller. 2014 QB. Preferred walk-on

[4-Real]

LA3, his name is Colin Feller. Walk-on
qb. 6'4 200lbs. Interest from east carolina, georgia st, north texas & va tech.

[Terrance Sullivan]

Any truth to the rumor the offense showed a pulse.

[Terrance Sullivan]

One thing this team has too improve on is converting more 3rd downs on offense, and getting defensive stops on 3rd downs. That's all.

[BEERicane]

Any truth to the rumor the offense showed a pulse.

Posted by: Terrance Sullivan | March 01, 2014 at 04:47 PM

Yes. But it was against the worst defense in the history of man. Keep that in mind.

[Terrance Sullivan]

So if the defense shows a pulse is because they are trying to stop the worst offense in the history known to man. Keep that in mind as well. IJS.

[Go Canes]

@mattyports: #Canes kick off spring practice with QB Ryan Williams the clear-cut starter, and other observations: http://t.co/gXa3X7bcQX

[AfriCane]

Came down to Miami for the weekend to avoid the snow storm in NYC. Was @ cameo last night. Saw Bryant McKinne celebrating his birthday. Now @ the Schwartz center to see the building live for the 1st time. Took a picture @ the big U sign. Have to head back tomorrow to the snow storm NYC. FML!

[CaneRock]

One thing this team has too improve on is converting more 3rd downs on offense, and getting defensive stops on 3rd downs. That's all.

Posted by: Terrance Sullivan | March 01, 2014 at 04:49 PM

Terrance, I feel ya'...but at the end of the day, football starts with personnel, and ends with personnel. And let's keep it real, it wasn't the same offense without Duke & PD4. Now I agree Coley has to get better, but He needs talent to work with also.

[jcane]

Nice day on the hardwood, but not on the diamond today. Yuck. I hate losing to FSU, let alone losing ugly.

[Terrance Sullivan]

Rock yes sir I agree.

[Lurker]

No offense, but I'm still weak at the knees from the Lance Leggett/Andre Johnson comparison.

Never laughed so hard in my life.

[BEERicane]

I don't think anyone would argue that the offense was that terrible, TS. The canes offense put some points in the board, unfortunately the D couldn't keep points off of it.

[Go Canes]

That LL AJ comparison was very funny.

[Old Skool]

When I read how D'No deflects hard questions about the D, why do I think of Chris Christie?

[BEERicane]

OS, no clue. Must be a comparison of opposites. Christy at least can keep people from getting to their destination.

[Dude on a Pale Horse]

BEER, lol.