The Miami Hurricanes have smashed 22 home runs since the start of the season, but on Sunday at Mark Light Field, they showed they could win another way — with contact hitting.
Miami smacked a season-high 21 hits to down Dartmouth, 20-2, for its seventh straight win and first series sweep of the year.
Additionally, Miami drew six walks and four hit-by-pitches for a total of 31 baserunners.
“Any time you get 20 runs and 21 hits, that doesn’t happen very often, so it’s a good way to finish the series,” head coach Gino DiMare said. “We were able to complete the sweep, which is never easy in college baseball.”
By the time the ‘Canes launched their first home run in the sixth, Miami had already built an 8-2 lead.
Six Hurricanes had multi-hit games, and third baseman Yohandy Morales, designated hitter Blake Cyr and shortstop Dominic Pitelli each tied for a team-high three RBI.
“We want to have nine guys in the lineup that are really tough for the pitcher, make it difficult on the pitcher,” DiMare said. “If a pitcher’s got to really work hard to get guys out, it’s going to takes its toll on him … our outs were hard [today].”
The Big Green took a 2-0 lead in the third, but the Hurricanes scored 20 unanswered runs to put the game away, which included a four-run third and a five-run sixth.
Dartmouth cycled through seven pitchers, and starter Eddie Albert (0-1) was tagged with the loss. He allowed four runs off six hits in two innings.
Starting pitcher Alejandro Rosario (1-0) did not face much pressure from Dartmouth. Apart from the third, the Big Green had just one other runner in scoring position against Miami’s ace.
Rosario finished the day with seven strikeouts and one walk, allowing just two runs off three hits in six innings of work. He picked up the win.
“I think [Rosario] looked very good, just like he did last week,” Pitelli said. “He was very composed … He’s definitely matured, and he’s bearing down on hitters now, so we are confident in him.”
Reliever Chris Scinta replaced Rosario in the seventh and struck out the side.
The Hurricanes showcased their ability to hit for contact with a five-hit, four-run third. Morales drilled a two-RBI single through the left side to tie the ballgame, before Zach Levenson and Cyr each added an RBI single to give Miami its first lead of the day at 4-2.
DiMare was ejected for arguing in the fourth after a pitch clock violation penalized Levenson with a third strike to end the inning. Two runners were left on base as a result of the call.
Without its skipper, Miami still scored three runs in the fifth, and second baseman Dorian Gonzalez, Jr. lifted a three-run, 350-foot homer to left field in the sixth. Pitelli followed with a solo shot moments later. The ‘Canes held a 12-2 lead by the end of the inning.
“I was just thinking, ‘Put some good barrel on the ball,’” Gonzalez said of his home run. “I made a good swing, and the rest is history.”
Miami added eight runs in the seventh with its backups in, including freshman Jason Torres’ first home run as a Hurricane.
The ‘Canes are now 6-1 all-time against Dartmouth, which they last faced in the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
Miami will be on the road for the first time this season when it takes on FAU in Boca Raton, Fla. First pitch is at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 28.