The Miami Hurricanes opened up ACC play against a veteran-filled Boston College side at home Friday night.
And in the face of such experience, it was Miami freshman left fielder Dylan Dubovik who pushed Miami to an early 5-0 lead over the Eagles. Everything looked perfect for the Canes heading into the ninth with a 7-5 lead, but all the momentum flipped.
Miami closer Ryan Bilka came into the game to close out the night but was unable to record the save, allowing two runs which allowed the Eagles to claw back at 7-7. And in the eleventh, a communication mix-up between Lazaro Collera and catcher Alex Sosa resulted in a dropped strike three with the bases loaded, allowing Boston College to take an 8-7 lead they would hold onto to secure their first ACC win.
The Friday night showdown saw Miami ace AJ Ciscar square off against BC southpaw AJ Colarusso. Through 13.2 innings prior to tonight’s matchup, Colarusso boasted a perfect 3-0 record alongside a sub-two ERA. In his start against the Canes last year, he pitched eight innings, allowing two earned in a 2-1 loss.
However those stats wouldn’t look as pretty after facing the potent Miami bats, as the Canes jumped to an early 5-0 lead.
Standout UM third-baseman Daniel Cuvet started the scoring early with a two-run single in the first. The Fort Lauderdale native racked up his 18th and 19th RBI’s.
The second inning spelled just as much trouble for Colarusso.
Miami’s Brylan West and Vance Sheahan recorded consecutive singles into right field before the red-hot Dubovik blasted a three-run shot into dead center to extend the lead to 5-0.
With the early five spot, it looked like Miami would coast to its first ACC win of the season, but in the third, the Eagles struck back.
After a strikeout swinging, BC’s Owen Deshazo and Julio Solier hit back-to-back singles to get two men on. Second-baseman Ty Mainolfi drove in the first run for Boston College with a double down the third base line.
And with two runs in scoring position, first baseman Nick Wang went yard off Ciscar, rocketing a 406 foot homer into deep center to cut the Miami lead 5-4.
In the bottom of the frame Miami would get one of those runs back thanks to some help from BC.
With one out and Alonzo Alvarez on first, West grounded into what should’ve been a double play ball. But Luke Gallo’s throw dragged Malofini wide, keeping the inning alive as both runners reached safely. Sheahan would capitalize with his second single of the night, driving home Alvarez to increase the Hurricane lead to two.
The top of the fourth was Ciscar’s bounce back inning – three up, three down, two groundouts and a strikeout. He would ride the momentum for the next five innings which included retiring 12 straight batters.
BC elected to replace Colarusso with Venezuelan righty Cesar Gonzalez for his fourth appearance of the year in the bottom of the inning. Despite giving up doubles to Cuvet and Williams in two of his three innings pitched, Gonzalez would work around those setbacks to put up three scoreless innings in relief thanks to six strikeouts.
In the bottom of the seventh, Gonzalez was replaced by freshman righty Chase Hartsell. Immediately, West doubled to center. Shehan walked, then Dubovik drilled a single to center for a key insurance run as West scored. After Ogden popped out, John Kwiatkowski relieved Hartsell to close out the inning, immediately getting a double play for the last two outs
Despite the insurance, BC just kept fighting back.
Solier started the eighth off with a double to center off of Ciscar, brought home by Wang’s fourth RBI of the night on a sac fly. Ciscar maintained his composure, wrapping up his eighth and final inning of action with a fly-out to right, holding the lead at 7-5.
To close the game for Miami was Ryan Bilka, was unable to record the save. He allowed two earned which allowed the Eagles to claw back at 7-7.
The Canes could not respond as Cuvet, with the winning run on first, struck out to send the game to extras.
The tenth was scoreless from both sides as BC pitcher Sean Hard recorded a crucial double play and strikeout to walk down the side in order.
In the eleventh, relief pitcher Lazaro Collera was brought in for the Canes but allowed a walk, hit, and a walk to load the bases. In a game changing-play Collera struck out Solier, but Sosa got crossed up, allowing the ball to roll to the backstop, scoring the runner from third.
Down to their last out with the tying run on third, Jake Ogden with three hits on the night grounded out to second to end the game 8-7.
Miami (11-3, 0-1 ACC) will return to the light tomorrow night, aiming for their first win in conference play over Boston College (8-5, 1-0 ACC).
Coverage will begin at 6 p.m. on ACCNX.