After dropping a close game in the opening game against the No. 10 ranked Florida State Seminoles (29-5, 9-5 ACC), the Miami Hurricanes (16-18, 6-11 ACC) looked to even the series up Friday night at Mike Martin Field in Tallahassee.
Despite another strong effort from Daniel Cuvet, Rafe Schlesinger and the Hurricanes pitching staff were outclassed by the Seminole offense, dropping the second game of the series 11-7.
The Canes offense started scoring early in the game. At the top of the first, Dorian Gonzalez Jr. laced a double down the left field line, bringing Cuvet home from the first.
The Seminoles responded minutes later, as Jaime Ferrer lasered an RBI double to left field to even the score at one. Two batters later, Marco Dinges brought FSU in front with a single down the right-field line.
Down three in the top of the third inning, Cuvet was due up with runners on first and second against FSU’s Brady Louck. On a 2-2 count, Cuvet took Louck deep over the wall in right field, hitting his 11th bomb of the year to tie the score at four.
In the fifth inning, Cuvet’s offensive clinic continued, where he deposited another home run deep into left-center field.
Cuvet’s 12th long ball of the season places him well in front of UM’s home run leaders, with Jason Torres behind him at eight.
Following an RBI groundout in the bottom of the third, Florida State brought the lead back to three in the fourth.
With a runner on first, Florida State junior James Tibbs III hit his team-leading 16th home run of the season off Schlesinger, bringing the score to 7-4.
Tibbs finished the day with four of the team’s 11 RBIs, solidifying himself as one of the best players in the ACC.
The lefty Schlesinger struggled in Tallahassee this evening, forcing Miami’s bullpen to come out early. His troubles started on the first pitch of his start, where he plunked Jordan Williams.
Schlesinger allowed seven runs on nine hits in just 3.1 innings of work. The lefty’s ERA has now ballooned to 6.19.
Apart from Schlesinger, the UM bullpen had its troubles with control.
Sophomore Chris Scinta and freshman JT Caruso each allowed runs on wild pitches, and freshman Chris Diaz walked in a run of his own.
Despite being down six with two innings remaining, the Hurricanes offense threatened the ‘Noles.
In the top of the eighth, with the bases loaded and two outs, Edgardo Villegas smacked a two-run single up the middle, cutting the deficit to four.
The next batter, Cuvet, grounded into a fielder’s choice, keeping FSU in front for the rest of the game.
Miami looks to salvage the series in the final game against the rival No. 10 ranked Florida State Seminoles on Saturday, April 13. Miami-Dade transfer Herrick Hernandez will toe the slab at Mike Miller Field in Tallahassee. The first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.