Sophomore Carl Chester capped a three-hit day with the go-ahead single in the top of the 11th inning, as the No. 1 seed Hurricanes topped No. 3 seed Long Beach State 4-3 in a winners’ bracket game at the NCAA Coral Gables Regional.
Miami (47-11) was one strike away from securing a place in the Coral Gables Regional Championship Game two innings earlier, but an unlikely, pinch-hit home run by Dirtbags infielder Jeff Nellis with two outs in the bottom of the ninth forced extra innings.
Chester’s single to left off LBSU reliever Austin McGeorge was just the second two-out hit of the night for the Hurricanes, and scored junior Jacob Heyward to put Miami ahead. Heyward walked to open the 11th, took second on a sacrifice bunt, and then beat the throw from left fielder Garrett Nelson, sliding in safe at home and sending 2,530 fans into an early celebration.
Freshman Andrew Cabezas (3-1) tossed the game’s final 1.2 innings, needing just 23 pitches to finish off the win.
LBSU plays FAU in an elimination game Sunday at 1 p.m. The Hurricanes will play the winner of that game Sunday night at 7 p.m. with a chance to advance to the NCAA Super Regional round for the second straight season.
Squaring off against 2016 Big West Pitcher of the Year Darren McCaughan of LBSU, Miami All-ACC lefthander Michael Mediavilla delivered a seven-inning, 104-pitch gem.
Mediavilla proved himself a worthy competitor to McCaughan, as he scattered seven hits and allowed just two runs in one of his strongest outings of the season.
The Hurricanes trailed for the early parts of the game and didn’t take their first lead until the seventh inning, when a botched defensive play by the Dirtbags (37-21) put Miami ahead 3-2.
Freshman Frankie Bartow pitched a scoreless eighth before the late dramatics from Nellis.
Go Nova Sharks and Go Canes!!!
Posted by: Mr. Moneymaker | June 05, 2016 at 09:36 AM
dos
Posted by: tjl3909 | June 05, 2016 at 09:59 AM
DEM CANES!!!
Posted by: IraqiCane | June 05, 2016 at 10:04 AM
4 more
Posted by: nemo2002 | June 05, 2016 at 10:11 AM
Edge.
Posted by: The Dude | June 05, 2016 at 10:49 AM
Great tough win against LBSU last night. Go Canes!
Posted by: BigWindyCane1 | June 05, 2016 at 11:04 AM
Go Canes!
Posted by: Tsully76 | June 05, 2016 at 11:18 AM
I still think the Canes and Collins miss David Thompson. He was good protection for making sure Collins saw more pitches. Still, Collins and the rest of the O needs to put something together, and fast.
Still, it ended up a W...
Posted by: JCane | June 05, 2016 at 12:36 PM
Canes lead the NCAA in fielding percentage.
As far as hitting categories, they're in the 40's, more or less.
Except for HR's where they're in the 100's
ERA is in the 30's
As we've seen all season, a lot of close games, and they manufacture a lot of runs. Not a lot of big innings, with 2 or three run homers, just not a lot of beginnings at all, in terms of hitting.
It's been great defense, a little clutch hitting, manufacturing runs, and a lot of close games.
They are what they are.
Now if they get hot hitting for the next few games, something we really haven't had in a bunch of games this season. Then something special will happen this year. But they can't get too far behind, they just don't have the hating to catch up
Zach is in a slump for the last few games, but this hasn't been a big hitting team to begin with. So I would suggest since he's such trash, we bench him or kick him off the team. After all, he's just a catcher, they're not that important anyway. Especially to a team that plays a lot of close games. What trash
Posted by: Lur-ker | June 05, 2016 at 03:02 PM
"beginnings" should be big innings
Posted by: Lur-ker | June 05, 2016 at 03:03 PM
hating = hitting
Should proof before I hit send
Posted by: Lur-ker | June 05, 2016 at 03:04 PM
MLB draft coming up certainly doesn't help Collins.
Baseball has the most poorly scheduled one of all the sports.
Posted by: Mr. Moneymaker | June 05, 2016 at 03:24 PM
LBSU comes through, scoring 2 in the first and 3 in the 3rd to take down FAU, 5-1, with the game ending just a bit ago.
Assuming the weather holds, we have a rematch from last night. I'm impressed with how LBSU has held together.
Lur-ker: This hasn't been a big-hitting team all season, but Collins and most of the team haven't been hitting at the most important time of the season. This isn't a team that has typically been outhit by the likes of Stetson, let alone at home. Clearly this team has won more this season with good fielding and pitching, but the hitting hasn't been this bad for this many games, for the most part. However, the way you phrased your comments made it clear you weren't interested in just normal discussion but wanting to fight with someone. Not my style....sorry. Have a good night, and hope the U takes down the Dirtbags!
Interestingly, 3 #1s have already gone down, that I've seen anyway, of the 16 seeds. One of them was UVa, from the ACC obviously, and the NCAA champion from last year. They destroyed William and Mary early in the regional, only to lose by a run in their last game. All that matters is winning at this stage.
Posted by: JCane | June 05, 2016 at 03:59 PM
However, the way you phrased your comments made it clear you weren't interested in just normal discussion but wanting to fight with someone. Not my style....sorry.
Posted by: JCane | June 05, 2016 at 03:59 PM
Not interested in your interpretation of my state of mind. More interested in the analysis part. Which I provided plenty of. Sounds like you're the one that got all confrontational. Why? That little bit of sarcasm about Zachary was just that: a little sarcasm. If it bothers you, then scroll on, especially if it has nothing to do with you.
Posted by: Lur-ker | June 05, 2016 at 04:37 PM
Collins back!!! Monster solo shot in the bottom of the first.
Posted by: BEERicane | June 05, 2016 at 07:27 PM
2-0 canes!
Posted by: BEERicane | June 05, 2016 at 07:50 PM
Heard Collins gave Soup the double finger salute as he rounded the bases?
Posted by: Mr Moneymaker | June 05, 2016 at 07:59 PM
Abreuuuuuu!
Posted by: 1canesfan | June 05, 2016 at 08:53 PM
8-1 Miami going to Top of 5th. Both Zach Collins and Willie Abreu hit Bombas that landed on Broward Blvd LOL.
Posted by: Tsully76 | June 05, 2016 at 08:56 PM
Heard Collins gave Soup the double finger salute as he rounded the bases?
Posted by: Mr Moneymaker | June 05, 2016 at 07:59 PM
Anytime the guys need a motivational speech.
Anything I can do to help the cause!
Posted by: SOUP | June 05, 2016 at 09:18 PM
Looks like we are going to play Boston College if we win tonight. #1 seed Ole Miss got knocked out today. Boston College is up 6-3 against Tulane which would advance them. Very favorable match up for us!
Posted by: thirstybuzzardcane | June 05, 2016 at 09:20 PM
Yup. Should be a very favorable super-Reg
Posted by: BEERicane | June 05, 2016 at 09:22 PM
Heard Collins gave Soup the double finger salute as he rounded the bases?
Posted by: Mr Moneymaker | June 05, 2016 at 07:59 PM
Thank God I kept reading, I thought Soup was getting his yearly prostate exam!
Posted by: thirstybuzzardcane | June 05, 2016 at 09:24 PM
Posted by: SOUP | June 05, 2016 at 09:18 PM
Seen you do that a time or two on here with the same result!
Posted by: Mr. Moneymaker | June 05, 2016 at 09:27 PM
8-4 Miami Top of 6th Inning?
Posted by: Tsully76 | June 05, 2016 at 09:29 PM
IMO, this baseball team is good, but not great. They'll have to play their best ball from here on out! Hopefully, this is a sign we'll be peaking at the right time. We've haven't played well offensively the past couple weeks, so we're due.
Posted by: thirstybuzzardcane | June 05, 2016 at 09:32 PM
The Boston College game was in the 9th inning by btw.
Posted by: thirstybuzzardcane | June 05, 2016 at 09:33 PM
I'll shut up now!!!!!
Posted by: thirstybuzzardcane | June 05, 2016 at 09:34 PM
Jesus! 8-4 and LBS has the bases loaded with 0 outs! This might be one of the biggest choke jobs ever!
Posted by: thirstybuzzardcane | June 05, 2016 at 09:37 PM
Finally!!
Posted by: Sarasota 'cane | June 05, 2016 at 09:44 PM
Dammit! The score is 8-7 now!
Posted by: thirstybuzzardcane | June 05, 2016 at 09:45 PM
Cleveland is going to get smoked these finals, wake up the next day and realize the real nightmare is they're buried under some of the worst big money contracts in the NBA.
Tristan Thompson, Shumper, Frye and Love are total anchors dragging that franchise's future down the toilet.
LeBron ain't getting any younger, none of those cats are getting any better and that front office doesn't have anyone with Riley's magical ability to get someone to take all that dead weight off their books.
Ouch.
Posted by: Mr. Moneymaker | June 05, 2016 at 10:26 PM
R U kidding me?
Grrrrrrrrr 'canes!
Posted by: Sarasota 'cane | June 05, 2016 at 10:30 PM
Nothing like checking on scores while out and watching a lead fade away. Wow! BEAUTIFULL throw by the pitcher to nail the lead runner, which is huge given the next batter getting a hit and putting runners on the corners. Crap..bad throw to first, runner scores, now tied. Next guy out, so to the bottom of the 8th tied at 8. Time to put it behind and get some o going again. Missed early, but if the u has 8 runs on 7 hits, there must have been some creative scoring.
Posted by: jcane | June 05, 2016 at 10:32 PM
Pick-off error with 2 outs. How stupid can you get?! Focus on the batter!!!
Posted by: BEERicane | June 05, 2016 at 10:35 PM
Lead runner on, now takes second. No outs. Collins up with full count.
Posted by: jcane | June 05, 2016 at 10:38 PM
Collins with the walk. Right, Beer. Good team on d, but that was just not keeping his head in the game.
Two walks, lopez up, bunt. Dropped at first, bases loaded. Big inning possible..
Posted by: jcane | June 05, 2016 at 10:40 PM
Bases loaded, no outs, bottom 8th!! Now it's our turn!!
Go 'canes!!
Posted by: Sarasota 'cane | June 05, 2016 at 10:41 PM
New pitcher warmed up. Ruiz coming up. Ball 1.
Posted by: jcane | June 05, 2016 at 10:44 PM
Knocked to first. Force out at home. Now 1 out with bases juiced and abreu up. 0-1
Posted by: jcane | June 05, 2016 at 10:46 PM
O-2 , now 1-2 count.
Posted by: jcane | June 05, 2016 at 10:47 PM
Strike 3 swinging on a fast ball. Now 2 out, and lbsu in one batter away from killing the big inning. Up to heyward.
Posted by: jcane | June 05, 2016 at 10:48 PM
Damn! All 3 runners stranded!!
Posted by: Sarasota 'cane | June 05, 2016 at 10:51 PM
That's pathetic! Bases loaded with 0 outs and we can't even get a run! They don't deserve to advance.
Posted by: thirstybuzzardcane | June 05, 2016 at 10:51 PM
1-2 count. Flyout to right field. 8th inning done still tied. Gotta get clutch hits, or at least sacs, when bases are loaded with no outs. Hope the d holds in the 9th.
Posted by: jcane | June 05, 2016 at 10:52 PM
Leadoff walk. Great way to start the 9th.
Posted by: jcane | June 05, 2016 at 10:57 PM
Strike 3. Guerra gets his first out.
Posted by: jcane | June 05, 2016 at 10:58 PM
Strike 3 on a wild pitch. 2 down, but runner moves to 2nd.
Posted by: jcane | June 05, 2016 at 11:01 PM
Guerra strikes out the side! Maybe this will get the juices flowing again. How about walking off in the bottom 9th so i can get some sleep?!
Posted by: jcane | June 05, 2016 at 11:03 PM
Barr sacrificed to 2nd, one down with man in scoring position and the star from last n8ght, chester, up.
Posted by: jcane | June 05, 2016 at 11:10 PM