A ninth-inning bullpen implosion from the Miami Hurricanes erased a commanding lead in Tallahassee, allowing the Florida State Seminoles to steal a 7-6 extra-innings victory and secure a crucial ACC Tournament double-bye.
Miami, FL. – The Miami Hurricanes entered a hostile environment in Tallahassee, taking on the No. 11 Florida State Seminoles. The batters were preparing to face arguably the most challenging pitching staff of the season. Junior lefty Wes Mendes was set to start on the mound on Thursday night, arranged to have an early first meeting with senior second baseman and leadoff hitter Jake Ogden, since the viral comments from Monday’s media availability.
In the lineup, junior catcher Alex Sosa remained at first base for a second consecutive game, and Brylan West was available but not starting. Freshman Alonzo Alvarez would be behind home plate at catcher.
After a scoreless first inning, sophomore designated hitter Hunter Carns hit a home run deep to right field to give the Seminoles the first run and lead of the game. The Hurricanes had an opportunity to respond with Ogden hitting a double to left field and a runner [freshman third baseman Gabriel Milano] in scoring position.
There was only one out on the board until redshirt senior Max Galvin hit the baseball directly into Mendes’ glove, then Milano was picked off after not getting back to third base immediately. A missed opportunity for the Hurricanes to tie the game.
However, redemption came shortly after, when Alvarez hit a three-run homer deep to center field, clearing Sosa and fifth-year senior right fielder Derek Williams off the bases. The baseball went a distance of 394 feet and had a 104 exit velocity. Designated hitter Dylan Dubovik, another freshman, kept the momentum going after hitting a double to center field and scoring an extra run off a Milano hit.
The Hurricanes scored a couple more runs in the seventh to take a commanding lead. They were sitting comfortably until senior righty reliever Lyndon Glidewell gave up three home runs in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings. The Seminoles completed the comeback at the top of the 11th on a walk-off walk on loaded bases, securing a 7-6 victory.
Despite getting eight hits against Mendes and Evans finishing with another strong performance, the Hurricanes’ bullpen issues crept up again, as they have throughout the season, allowing the game to slip away. The Seminoles clinched a double-bye in the ACC Tournament. However, the opportunity to finish in the top four of the standings remains open the Hurricanes after the Boston College Eagles suffered a 9-0 loss to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
Regardless, the Hurricanes need to take care of business on the road, with another matchup set for Saturday at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
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