Riding a postseason offensive explosion, the Miami Hurricanes' surging freshmen and lights-out bullpen face a massive test against the ACC’s top-seeded Yellow Jackets for a spot in the final.
Miami, FL. – After a full day of rest on Friday, the Miami Hurricanes are set to face the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Atlantic Coast Conference semifinals. It is the team’s first big test in the postseason, with a chance of competing for a title on the line. Despite not facing off in the regular season, coach J.D. Arteaga is phased by the challenge.
Game Notes:
The Hurricanes’ offense has exploded in Charlotte, North Carolina, averaging 13.5 hits and 9.5 runs against the Stanford Cardinal and Boston College Eagles. Coach Arteaga has received significant contributions from freshmen catcher Alonzo Alvarez, third baseman Gabriel Milano, and designated hitter Dylan Dubovik. They have made the most of every opportunity, carving out impactful plays.
Alvarez set the tone early against Stanford, logging four hits in five at-bats, two doubles, three runs scored, two home runs, and three runs batted in. The 20-year-old has filled in behind the plate while junior Alex Sosa takes over at first base. He’s caught 10 opponents stealing in 19 attempts, including a runner against the Eagles.
Dubovik and Milano have combined for seven hits in 16 at-bats and three runs batted in. They have provided a much-needed spark for the Hurricanes, giving them a fighting chance against the Yellow Jackets.
Despite the inconsistencies throughout the regular season, the pitching staff appears to be coming together. Both senior lefty Rob Evans and sophomore righty Lazaro Collera gave up early leads, then finished with strong performances. Plus, the bullpen hasn’t given up a run in the ACC Tournament.
Sophomore righty AJ Ciscar will start on the mound against Georgia Tech. Following an unstable performance against the Louisville Cardinals, the Weston native finished the regular season on a strong note against the Florida State Seminoles: seven innings pitched, giving up six hits and one run, and four strikeouts in 89 total pitches.
The Yellow Jackets finished as the best regular-season team in the ACC. They’re the only program to finish top five in both batting average (.358) and ERA (4.58). Junior catcher Vahn Lackey was named the 2026 ACC Defensive Player of the Year. He has a .992 fielding percentage, but caught just seven runners stealing out of 31 attempts this season.
The Hurricanes could look to apply extra pressure on the Yellow Jackets’ pitching and backstop.
It’s a matchup that could go back-and-forth.
Injury Report:
The Hurricanes ruled out junior All-American third baseman Daniel Cuvet and junior right-handed pitcher TJ Coats.
The Yellow Jackets had no injuries to report.
How to Watch:
You can catch the game on the ACC Network and the ESPN app, but the time has been moved up to 11:00 a.m. from its original 1:00 p.m. start.
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Anthony Aguirre is the Miami Hurricanes beat writer for Roundtable Sports. Contact info: [email protected] | 305-987-3290 | Follow on Instagram/X: @AnthonyA_Sports
