The Miami Hurricanes were in a familiar situation Saturday and a familiar name helped the Canes take the lead for good inside Doak Field at Dail Park.
Christian Del Castillo’s RBI groundout in the top of the eighth gave Miami (4-4, 2-3 ACC) its third and final lead of the day, helping the Hurricanes even the series at NC State (4-5, 1-4 ACC) with a 6-4 victory.
“The season has got so many ups and downs, you’d have to get to the end to see if this is a turning point for us,” head coach Gino DiMare said. “We certainly hope it is in a positive manner because that means the rest of the season is going to go well and we’ve learned and we’ve grown and we’ve matured. Bottom line is it’s one game. It feels a lot better because we played a lot better than yesterday, but we’ve got to be ready to play tomorrow. This means nothing if we come out and don’t play well tomorrow.”
With the game tied at 4, Yohandy Morales led off the top of the eighth with a ground-rule double to right. The true freshman advanced to third on a wild pitch and Miami had runners at the corners when lefty Canaan Smith walked Alex Toral with one out in the inning.
After an incredible play by first baseman Austin Murr to retire Del Castillo, Morales evaded the tag at the plate to snap the stalemate and out Miami ahead, 5-4.
“I was just staying confident up in the box, trying to hit the ball hard,” Del Castillo said. “I was pumped up when I saw Yoyo scored. That was a huge run to get ahead and brought some more energy to the team.”
Miami turned to closer Carson Palmquist to protect the one-run lead and the lefty pitched out of a jam, stranding a pair of base runners after snaring a J.T. Jarrett line drive up the middle to end the eighth.
“I’m just going out there and being confident and believing in myself and the eight other guys on the field with me,” Palmquist said. “It was a huge win for us. We were down bad yesterday and this team battled back We never call it quits and that showed today.”
True freshman CJ Kayfus picked a great time to get his first career hit, smoking a leadoff solo homer to left-center off Wolfpack reliever Dalton Feeney that gave the Hurricanes some breathing room, 6-4, and Palmquist retired the side in order to earn his third save of the season.
“I was trying to stay within myself and let everything happen on its own,” Kayfus said. “I was planning on attacking early on in the at-bat, so I got excited seeing the first pitch fastball. After hitting it I thought, ‘This might have a chance to get out’ and it did.”
Much like Friday’s series opener, Jordan Lala led off the game with a hit-by-pitch and came around to score to get the Hurricanes on the scoreboard in the first inning for the sixth consecutive game. After Lala scored on a Morales groundout, Adrian Del Castillo had an RBI single to right that sent home Anthony Vilar to make it 2-0 in favor of the Hurricanes.
“Yoyo is hitting in an obviously important spot for us there in the three hole,” DiMare said. “That was a big at-bat where he battled and it went to two strikes there and he put the ball in play up the middle, and it not only knocked in the run but it moved the runner over for Del coming up and then he gets the line drive hit. That was great situational hitting, good job by the guys in front of them to get on base. We’ve been great out of the gate in the first inning. I wish we could duplicate the first inning every inning, that’d be great.”
“I thought Jake did a solid job,” DiMare said. “He should have gotten out of the inning there. He got the ground ball for a double play. Anthony [Arguelles] did a great job because he’s had a couple iffy outings and that was a great job to come out and do that. That’s what we need from those guys. Let’s see if we can get some consistency. The whole thing in our sport is being consistent, get a consistent team out there that can play every day and be consistent.”
Miami and NC State will close out the weekend series Sunday, beginning at 1 p.m. True freshman Victor Mederos will make his third collegiate start for the Canes opposite NC State right-hander Matt Willadsen.
From hurricanesports.com. Read more there on UM baseball.
Let's Go CANES!🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
Take the series!
Posted by: roachcane77 | March 07, 2021 at 03:26 PM
Canes win 6-4
Morales with 2 HR’s
Posted by: AeroCane | March 07, 2021 at 04:48 PM
Aero...I was just going to post that. Great job on the baseball call BTW. Thanks!
Posted by: 86Cane | March 07, 2021 at 04:54 PM
Thx 86! At least someone cares! Lol
Posted by: AeroCane | March 07, 2021 at 08:09 PM
The blog is dead. I will end it at the end of the baseball season. Only 250 people per day are logging on. There is no need for this dinosaur to continue.
Posted by: 86Cane | March 08, 2021 at 12:15 AM
Not again!! Spring getting practice getting ready to crank up. Baseball season, is in the early stages. Looks like the starting pitching is going to be an albetros for a while.
Posted by: HerbieIbis | March 08, 2021 at 02:04 AM
Herb
Not true - our 2 freshmen SP can hold their own against all competition - federman is a weakness and not sure of our middle relief; hitting still has a ways to go- there’s no reason we should be shut out by an unranked team’s 3rd pitcher into the 6th
As for the blog, 86, the numbers will go WAY up once football starts again
Posted by: AeroCane | March 08, 2021 at 06:55 AM
AERO
I get it, but the fact remains. They are freshmen and will be up and down.
We are giving up to many gofer balls. Once they start spotting better they will be okay. It's early and we are struggling at the plate some. Losing 2 out of 3 to Va Tech ain't cutting it.
Posted by: HerbieIbis | March 08, 2021 at 01:05 PM
Did this go unnoticed?
https://miamihurricanes.com/news/2021/03/01/jess-simpson-back-for-more-at-miami/
Posted by: 86Cane | March 08, 2021 at 01:14 PM
I like what he says about the game....I have not seen it here for a long time. Actually when he was here, the D line was pretty good. It has to be good all the time to win. We need to really turn the flame up. I dont mind a late hit now or then to send a message. Not a headshot, but a hit to the ribs of a WR never hurts....well it needs to hurt the WR....
Posted by: VA Cane | March 08, 2021 at 01:21 PM
The Miami Hurricanes will begin the month of spring football on March 13, according to Manny Diaz during a media session on Wednesday afternoon.
Miami is expected to hold the 15 practices that are allowed during the offseason.
The date and location of the spring game is yet to be determined, according to Diaz.
This spring will be an important time for Miami to try and take a step forward going into 2021 after a solid 2020 season.
The Hurricanes are set to return 19 of 22 starters from a 2020 team that finished the season with an 8-3 record.
Posted by: 86Cane | March 08, 2021 at 01:23 PM
I guess that I was just dreaming of Football all this time. The blog will go crazy once football season gets closer.
Posted by: MLALUMNI1970 | March 08, 2021 at 02:26 PM
FYI
Just got a commitment from Cody brown the #10 RB in the 2021 class. He signed with Tennessee but was released due to UT’s coaching change. I think he goes against our 2022 numbers but I’m not sure. 6’0, 217
Posted by: AeroCane | March 08, 2021 at 09:47 PM
He counts towards the 22 class.
Posted by: The Herb | March 09, 2021 at 12:58 AM
19 of 22 sounds good....but they are decent players...to me King is a really good player but coming off injury time will tell. Schedules are made far in advance...but I would recommend finding a low level game....cause we aint gonna beat Bama...we aint even gonna play with them. Bad opening loss with King...and if he cannot play or get re injured its a AlPa blowout....UNC is a loss...the rest is up in the air. No sense in poking the bear...still time to get out of the opener....make something up....Covid breakout works for me!
Posted by: VA Cane | March 09, 2021 at 12:36 PM
Miami will beat Bama 34-13.
That is all.
Posted by: 86Cane | March 09, 2021 at 01:02 PM
Would you believe? Miami beat PITT today in the ACC tournament.
Posted by: nemo2020 | March 09, 2021 at 04:16 PM
Gritty performance with a former walk on in the rotation today by the men's basketball team to put together their two best halves of play in months when it matters.
Clemson has had their number this season but UM has played them tough in both losses so maybe they put it together one more day in a row to stay alive another round? Stranger things have happened . . .
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | March 09, 2021 at 04:17 PM
Miami beat PITT today in the ACC tournament.
Posted by: nemo2020 | March 09, 2021 at 04:16 PM
Impressive win. I like it!
Posted by: 86Cane | March 09, 2021 at 04:54 PM
Nice to win a hoops game eh?Alpine will be happy!
Posted by: VA Cane | March 09, 2021 at 05:16 PM
Enjoy it for 24 hours.
If King plays against Bama, we have a slight chance, if he doesn't. Zilch, nada, zero, none.
Bama has maybe 4 to 5 starters back on offense.
Their defense on the other hand should be ruthless. 7 or 8 starters back.
If King plays and we don't get stage fright, we will give them a game.
Posted by: The Herb | March 09, 2021 at 07:37 PM
Canes beat # 20 FAU today 11-2
Weekend series at home against wake forest
Posted by: AeroCane | March 09, 2021 at 08:44 PM
They didn't beat them, they smashed them. We finally hit tonite.
Posted by: The Herb | March 09, 2021 at 09:19 PM
They didn't beat them, they smashed them.
Posted by: The Herb | March 09, 2021 at 09:19 PM
TWSS
Posted by: 86Cane | March 09, 2021 at 09:49 PM
NEW BLOG IS UP!
Posted by: 86Cane | March 09, 2021 at 10:03 PM