On a picturesque Friday evening at Mark Light Field, Hurricanes baseball honored ten of its seniors pregame.
The cinematic pregame ceremony was matched in the drama of the game itself, but with Louisville at the forefront as the Cardinals took down the Canes 16-9 in eleven innings.
A clutch game-tying single from freshman Alonzo Alvarez to send the game into extras went unrewarded as Louisville exploded for nine runs in the eleventh — spearheaded by the Cardinals red-hot duo of Zion Rose and Tague Davis.
The pair drove in seven runs single handedly as Rose lined a two-run double to give Louisville the lead in the eleventh before Davis put a dagger into the hearts of Canes fans with his second homer of the night to ice the game.
For Davis, his two homers marked his 31st and 32nd homers of the year, which sets the all-time single season record in the ACC.
Despite the lopsided final score, the game was truly back-and-forth throughout.
UM jumped on Louisville starter Ethan Eberle early in the second inning, with a Vance Sheahan two-run single to open up the scoring for the night.
Hurricanes starter Lazaro Collera was spotless through his opening three innings, efficiently working through the Cardinals lineup on only 25 pitches.
However his momentum came to a screeching halt in the fourth, with Miami’s 74th error on the season being the catalyst.
First baseman Brylan West misplayed a throw to first, allowing Rose to reach before a walk brought up the country’s best hitter to the plate — Davis.
And like he’s done all season, the sophomore launched a three-run opposite field homer to give the Cardinals a 3-2 lead.
Catcher Jimmy Nugent made it back-to-back homers with a solo shot himself, before Collera settled back in to retire the side.
The Cardinals would tack on another run in the fifth, but that joy was short-lived as the Canes unleashed a four-run outburst in the bottom half of the inning to retake the lead.
A Jake Ogden single kickstarted the rally before Max Galvin reached on a walk, bringing up Derek Williams who proceeded to drill an RBI double down the left field line.
And with the Hurricanes fans on their feet, Sosa drilled a three-run homer to right center, throwing up the “U” as he rounded the bases for the 13th time this season.
Collera’s night ended after a scoreless sixth, marking the Miami native’s longest outing since April 11 against Wake Forest.
Right-hander Packy Bradley-Cooney entered in relief, striking out the side in emphatic fashion. However, the Alabama transfer would only face one batter in the eighth, replaced by lefty Frank Menendez following a leadoff single to Rose.
Menendez could only get one out across his two batters faced before closer Lyndon Glidewell was called in to hold the one run lead. But the California native couldn’t escape unscathed, allowing a two-run single to give Louisville a 7-6 lead.
But Miami wouldn’t go down without a fight as Sosa led off the ninth with a single, getting into scoring position courtesy of a sac bunt from Jailen Watkins before being pinch run for Tate DeRias, a pitcher. However, the move paid off as Alvarez laced a single to left, bringing DeRias in to tie the game at seven a piece.
After his scoreless ninth inning, reliever Ryan Bilka shut down the Cardinals again in the tenth — with a double play to end the top half of the inning.
But the Canes couldn’t capitalize, and with a nine-run eleventh that saw five different pitchers enter the game for Miami, the writing was on the wall for a rubber match to decide the series tomorrow.
Miami (34-15, 14-12 ACC) will get set for its final home game of the regular season tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. with coverage taking place on ACCNX and WVUM 90.5 FM.