Celebrating the 2001 national championship team on a beautiful Saturday night, Miami faced the Creighton Blue Jays in game two of the mid-March series.
Carrying the momentum of last night’s victory, the Canes mercy ruled Creighton 11-1 in eight innings to clinch the series win.
On the bump for the Canes was senior lefty Rob Evans, making his fifth start of the year. Evans was coming off back-to-back wins after impressive starts against Boston College and Duke across the past two weekends.
His opposition: senior right-hander Ian Koosman. The righty came into this matchup allowing a run in all six of his appearances this season, with an ERA north of seven.
Evans racked up his 100th career strikeout to start the game, closing out the inning with another strikeout and a flyout. Koosman responded strongly, putting down Jake Ogden, Daniel Cuvet, and Alex Sosa in order.
But, the Blue Jays opened the scoring in the top of the second from Connor Capece who ripped a solo home run into left field. This was his first home run of the year, and his fourth in his career.
Miami immediately responded after Fabio Peralta gave Miami the lead in the bottom of the inning.
The South Florida native launched a two-run double into center field, bringing home Dylan Dubovik and Vance Sheahan who blew through a third base stop sign, narrowly avoiding the tag at home to give the Canes a 2-1 lead.
UM kept tacking on runs as in the third Cuvet blasted a solo shot 430 feet into deep left field for his tenth home run this season and 52nd in his career, tying for third most all time in Canes history with Yonder Alonso.
After an uneventful fourth, Michael Torres unleashed a triple off the right field wall to lead off the inning. Ogden drove him in, from a blooper into right hitting off the right-fielder’s glove, which was scored as an E9. Cuvet was subsequently walked, leading to Creighton calling the bullpen and bringing in reliever Jacob Ruhl. With runners on the corners, he registered a double play to keep the score at 4-1.
Miami made up for squandering that opportunity by adding on two runs in the bottom of the sixth when Peralta drove in Brylan West on an RBI single into left field and Michael Torres scored Peralta.
All the while Miami’s offense was extending the lead, Evans maintained his dominance over the Creighton lineup.
Before being pulled in the seventh, Evans only allowed one earned and three hits, recording seven punchouts on 102 pitches en route to his fifth win of the season
Senior Lyndon Gildewell was brought in relief and closed the top out of the inning without allowing any extra damage, as lefty Jake Dorn navigated the eighth inning.
After a pair of sac flies in the seventh and eighth innings, Miami led 8-1 while eyeing a mercy rule over Creighton.
Cuvet moved the needle closer with an RBI single before a Sosa double down the left field line scored him to put the Canes one run away from achieving the mercy rule.
West would step up to the plate with the opportunity to call game and did just that, walking off the game with an RBI single.
Four Canes recorded multi hit games: Cuvet, Sosa, Peralta and Torres. Six Canes recorded an RBI. The pitching staff allowed six hits, one earned, while striking out ten in eight innings.
The win clinches the series against Creighton (9-10) as the Canes (17-6, 2-4 ACC), aim to notch their first sweep since Lafayette in February.
Miami closes out the series tomorrow, Mar. 22 at 1 p.m., and can be watched on ACCNX or heard on WVUM 90.5 FM.