With two outs and a runner on second in the top of the ninth, Miami closer Brian Walters stood just one out away from sending his team to the Super Regionals, clinging to a 5-2 lead. Facing Southern Miss’s Carson Paetow, Walters looked to shut the door—but Paetow had other plans. On the very first pitch, he launched a two-run homer to left-center, cutting the deficit to one and breathing life into Southern Miss (47-16, 24-6 SBC). Now, with the tying run at the plate in Seth Smith, the pressure mounted. Walters, staying composed, got Smith to fly out to Max Galvin on a 2-1 count. Just like that, the Hurricanes erupted into celebration, dogpiling on the mound. For the first time since 2016, Miami is headed back to the Super Regionals with a nail-biting 5-4 victory.
In what has been a rollercoaster season for Miami, its hard work and belief in one another led to a triumphant return to the Super Regionals. Few expected the Hurricanes to succeed in Hattiesburg, but they proved people wrong and made a bold statement. In postseason baseball, the regular season records mean nothing—and Miami is living proof of that.
Miami’s midweek starter Reese Lumpkin got the call to start the game for the Hurricanes in a win-or-go home situation. Lumpkin, who has shown great moments in a Miami uniform put together a solid outing before running into some trouble. In his first three innings of work, he allowed only one hit while striking out one. He came back to work in the fourth inning but gave up two singles, a walk, and a run that took him out the game with one out in the inning.
The Hurricanes scored their first run of the game in the second inning. On a 1-0 pitch, senior Derek Williams hit a towering 411 ft blast to dead center field. It was his first home run since coming off injury.Â
The bats on Miami’s behalf woke up in the fifth and sixth innings, scoring two runs a piece.
In the fifth, Jake Ogden doubled to right center, scoring freshman Michael Torres who singled then reached second on a passed ball. Max Galvin, the two hole hitter, hit a base knock up the middle that brought home Ogden.
Amidst the offensive resurgence in the middle innings, star slugger Daniel Cuvet had a rare bad night. He went 0-4, striking out twice.
Going into the top of the sixth, Dorian Gonzalez Jr hit a solo shot to right field. He has been making a statement all Regional long. Torres picked up his second hit to score Williams. After six, Miami (34-25, 15-14 ACC) led 5-1.
After Miami head coach J.D. Arteaga pulled Lumpkin, in came a pumped-up Will Smith. He threw three innings of one-hit and one-run baseball, striking out four. When it mattered most, Smith came through for his most electric appearance of the season.
Through seven, the score was 5-2, and it stayed that way after a scoreless eighth. Despite some drama to close out the game, the Hurricanes won 5-4.
Miami is now just two wins away from its first trip to Omaha since 2008. They will now head to Kentucky to face ACC foe, Louisville. In the best-of-three series, first pitch is scheduled for Friday at 3 p.m. and will air on ESPN2.