Following back-to-back losses last weekend, Miami entered another conference matchup looking to reaffirm their ACC standing, matched up against the Louisville Cardinals on Thursday night.
Both teams came into the matchup on a losing streak, as the Cardinals lost five in a row — giving up 44 runs in the process.
The Hurricanes capitalized on those pitching woes, spurred on by a nine run fifth inning to take down Louisville 13-8.
Jake Ogden led the way with four hits for Miami, while Alex Sosa and Gabriel Milano tallied multi-hit nights themselves.
Hurricane ace Rob Evans also had a strong performance on the mound, going six strong innings of four-run baseball, striking out eight in the process.
It didn’t start perfect for Evans after a two out single and subsequent throwing error on a ground ball put runners on second and third — both scoring on an RBI double as Louisville took the early lead.
Miami immediately looked to strike back.
Second baseman Ogden led the charge with a leadoff triple, quickly scoring on the back end of a groundout from left fielder Max Galvin.
After allowing an early single, Evans retired two consecutive batters, and Ogden wrapped up the inning with a rundown assisted by catcher Alonzo Alvarez.
Both Evans and Louisville starter Wyatt Danilowicz settled into the game, preserving the score at 2-1 for the next three innings.
This would change in the fifth, however.
Third baseman Milano smoked a line drive single into center, sparking the Cardinals to make their first pitching change of the night.
This would kick off a colossal rally, as Miami tacked on nine runs against four pitchers
Miami jumped on the new arm, where after a walk from center fielder Fabio Peralta, Ogden continued his stellar line at the plate with a single against the shift, driving in Milano.
Louisville issued its second change, but the story stayed much the same as Ogden scored after right fielder Derek Williams four straight balls.
With the bases still loaded, designated hitter Alex Sosa drove in another on an RBI single.
First baseman Brylan broke open the game, driving in two with an RBI double.
The Canes continued to trade off RBI opportunities, with four scoring over back-to-back singles off the bats of shortstop Vance Sheahan and Milano and another scoring on a groundout from Peralta.
A passed ball scored Sheahan, putting the Hurricanes up eight and clearing all but one on the bases.
Evans allowed two in the sixth, ending his quality start after the inning.
At 85 total strikeouts for the year, Evans sits in the top five of the ACC for that metric.
Nick Robert took over on the bump looking to ice the Cardinals in the seventh, making his first appearance at home in more than a year’s time after Tommy John surgery. Assisted by a running snag at the wall by Peralta in center, Robert threw a scoreless seventh.
Miami added another three runs on back-to-back RBI singles off the bats of Ogden and Williams.
Robert’s appearance ended at 1.1 innings with a strikeout after allowing two baserunners, with Jake Dorn taking over for him on the mound.
After walking a batter, the Cardinals found some life as Ben Slanker drove a grand slam deep into the Coral Gables night to bring the game to 13-8
Packy Bradley-Cooney came in after Dorn’s 0.1 inning appearance, retiring two straight to end the inning.
Lyndon Glidewell took over to close out the game in the ninth, icing the Cardinals in the final frame.
Miami (34-14, 14-11 ACC) will look to clinch the series tomorrow night against Louisville (26-24, 10-15 ACC) at 7 p.m.