Ace Rob Evans takes the mound as the Miami Hurricanes put aside rivalry distractions to battle Troy’s scrappy lineup, despite losing All-American Daniel Cuvet to a timely injury.
Miami, FL. – The quest for the College World Series in Omaha starts on Friday and for the Miami Hurricanes, the first step is getting past the Troy Trojans in the Gainesville Regional. Despite the excitement of a potential rematch against a historic in-state rival in the Florida Gators, coach J.D. Arteaga and the team are not concerned about them, at least for the moment.
Game Notes:
The Hurricanes will open Regionals with senior left-handed pitcher Rob Evans on the mound. He’s consistently maintained control against hitters, looking to do the same against the Trojans’ lineup. In 15 appearances, including 14 starts, Evans has a 3.16 ERA and became the first University of Miami pitcher to reach 10 wins since Michael Mediavilla in 2016.
Regardless of situations, including bases loaded, the 22-year-old manages to find a way of getting out of a jam.
Evans was part of the Hurricanes’ Super Regional run last year, but as a member of the bullpen. As the tone setter for the team, it’s up to him to continue that momentum in the NCAA Tournament. Similar to other players, including fifth-year senior right fielder Derek Williams, this will be Evans’ final trip to Regionals. He will look to make every opportunity count, with hopes of it not being the last.
The Trojans have the fourth-best batting average from the Sun Belt Conference, .285, which would tie for ninth in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Sophomore catcher Jimmy Janicki leads the team with a 1.087 OPS and 17 home runs. He’s usually batting fourth in the lineup.
Janicki will pose a serious threat to Evans, especially as a righty. Regardless, the Hurricanes’ ace isn’t taking the matchup lightly.
“[They are a] scrappy lineup, like any Sun Belt team you’ll face,” he said. “They’re going to find ways to get it done in many different aspects of the game. It’s like a lot of lineups we face in the ACC.”
On the opposite side of the field, the Trojans’ pitching hasn’t been sustainable among the Sun Belt programs. Senior lefty Benjamin Stubbs will start on the mound, who currently has a 5.13 ERA and a 4-3 record. The Hurricanes should have more than enough power to run the scoreboard up.
Injury Report:
Not yet officially submitted. Coach Arteaga mentioned before leaving Coral Gables for Gainesville that junior All-American third baseman Daniel Cuvet is likely to miss the entire Regional round. Freshman Gabriel Milano will continue to fill in.
How to Watch:
The time of the game starts at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time, streaming on the ACC Network.
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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
