The Miami Hurricanes falter in extra innings. Missed opportunities and a struggling offense cost them, despite a breakout freshman performance.
Coral Gables, Fla. - The No. 24 Miami Hurricanes baseball squad suffered a late 8–7 meltdown in extra innings against the Boston College Eagles on Friday night. It was the first ACC series for both programs. Despite being ahead for the most part, the lack of execution down the stretch became the difference-maker.
Key takeaways from the game:
- Hurricanes; Young rising star: Lately, freshmen have found ways to make an immediate impact on campus. In football, it was star wide receiver Malachi Toney and five-star forward Shelton Henderson for basketball. For baseball, right outfielder Dylan Dubovik has provided a spark. He's played in the previous 11 games, including six starts.
On Friday night, the 18-year-old finished with three hits in five at-bats, six total bases, scoring a run, four runs batted-in, a home run in the first inning, and a 1.200 slugging percentage. However, in the 11th inning and down a score, coach J.D. Arteaga decided to go with pitch-hitter Cian Copeland instead of Dubovik. He wound up grounding out to first base.
After the game, coach Arteaga explained it was a righty-lefty decision going up against Eagles right-handed pitcher Sean Hard.
"If a different righty with a different repertoire, then [I] probably would not have done it," he told MiamiRoundtable. "He [Hard] was going to his slider a lot. I felt that it was a better matchup there with Copeland."
- Hurricanes; Lack of capitalizing on opportunities: Despite having 22 runners in scoring position, only four managed to reach home plate. They left 15 players on base overall. The Hurricanes averaged 15.5 runs in the first 10 games of the season. However, over the last four games, the offense has cooled off, averaging 4.5 runs.
Despite finishing with 16 total hits compared to the Eagles' nine, getting on base alone doesn't affect the scoreboard.
The Hurricanes fall to an 11-3 record, losing three of the last four games, and 0-1 in ACC play. They will host the Eagles at Mark Light Field on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. Despite a sloppy start, the team still has an opportunity to win the series.
However, there certainly needs to be a stronger sense of urgency around the clubhouse. It will be nearly two months since the season began. These are the most important moments to establish winning habits.
Left-handed pitcher Evan Roberts will start on the mound in Saturday night's game, looking to lead the Hurricanes towards a bounce-back victory.
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