On a picture-perfect day, the Hurricanes looked to avoid the sweep in Charlottesville, Virginia. After falling behind in the early innings, Miami dropped the Mother’s Day matinee by a score of 8-6.
Taking the mound for the Hurricanes was the freshman Tate DeRias. In his first registered start in two weeks due to last Sunday’s cancellation against NC State, DeRias looked to have a quality outing and help his team leave Charlottesville with a win. However, Virginia’s offense had other plans.
With one out in the bottom of the first, Virginia’s Harry Ford blasted a two run home run to left center field to take an early 2-0 lead. Ford, the right fielder, had a team high three hits in Sunday’s game. They would go on to score two runs in the third via a single to left field with two runners in scoring position.
DeRias’s afternoon was done one out into the fourth after allowing three runs on two hits. DeRias, in his shortest start of the season, threw 3.1 innings, allowed six hits and seven runs.
Virginia’s (36-16, 14-10 ACC) starter freshman Tomas Valincius kept Miami off the board through six innings.
Miami (30-21, 14-12 ACC) down 7-0, rallied in the top of the seventh.
With no outs and runners on first and second, senior Gaby Gutierrez looked to make the most of his start in right field. On a 3-1 pitch he doubled to right center field allowing Renzo Gonzalez to score from second. After a strikeout of Michael Torres, Valincius’s afternoon was done.
The Cavaliers new pitcher, right hander Drew Koenen ran into trouble right away. Junior Jake Ogden singled to center field to plate Tanner Smith. With two runners on and two outs after Max Galvin fouled out the dangerous Daniel Cuvet looked to do damage. On a 2-1 pitch, Cuvet hit a 377 foot blast to right center for three RBIs.
After Cuvet’s three run blast he now enters top 10 on the all-time Miami Hurricanes home run list with 39 home runs in under two seasons of play. He now has 15 home runs on the season including three in the past four games.
With six outs to work with, Miami was down 7-5. Despite relief pitcher Jackson Cleveland allowing a solo shot in the bottom of the seventh, Miami’s bullpen did its job. In a combined 4.2 innings pitched from Cleveland, Alex Giroux, and Jake Dorn, they only gave up one run.
Down 8-5 in the top of the ninth, Miami looked to pull off a comeback for the ages. With runners on the corners and no outs, Cuvet came in clutch again with a single to right field, scoring Ogden. Within two runs, the bats fell asleep as Miami went on to lose 8-6.
In a disappointing series after an incredible April and the first week of May, next week’s matchup against Notre Dame becomes even more important. First pitch of the three-game set will be Thursday at 7 p.m. at Mark Light Field.