Coral Gables, Fla. – The Wildcats held their own for five innings before falling, 9-0, to Miami, Tuesday night in Coral Gables.
How It Happened
The Wildcats (16-20, 10-5 SWAC) fell behind in the first on an error and sacrifice fly that made it 1-0.
Miami (29-8, 14-4 ACC) added a second run an inning later after back-to-back errors.
The Hurricanes loaded the bases in the fourth, but
Joan Gonzalez forced a popout to keep the deficit at 2-0. Miami nearly plated the third run again in the fifth on a single to left, but an excellent relay from
Malik Stephens to
Brian Perez to
Irvin Escobar took down the runner at the plate.
Miami tacked on the three more runs in the sixth on a sacrifice fly and an RBI single, and an RBI double that made it 5-0.
The Wildcats opened with the seventh by putting two men on base.
Malik Stephens nearly made it 5-3, but a long fly ball into some stiff wind stayed in the ballpark.
Miami broke things open in the seventh with four runs on four hits and an error, and that was all as the Hurricanes took things, 9-0.
"When you go up against the No. 5 team in the country, you've got to play clean defense,
" Wildcats head coach
Jonathan Hernandez said after the game. "I'm proud of the guys, they fought – I don't think the score is indicative of how well our guys played this evening but we put it all in perspective. If we take care of business in the SWAC we have a chance to come back here in June – that's how we have to look at it."
Despite a gritty performance, Gonzalez took the loss. He threw 5.1 innings, allowing only one earned run on five hits with four walks and five strikeouts.
"Gonzalez has thrown really well in his last four outings and carried that over into tonight," Hernandez said. "He did what he had to do and he gave us a chance tonight. He's returning to the guy we know he can be and we're going to need him in order for us to be successful at the end of the year."
Dale Michaud took over with one out in the sixth. He allowed two hits that scored all three inherited runners from Gonzalez.
Knickolas Billings,
Brenton Fisher, and
Alec Mendez finished things off on the mound for the Wildcats
Notes
Up Next
The Wildcats will return to Daytona Beach for a three-game series with Mississippi Valley State. All three games will be played at Bethune Point – B-CU's penultimate home series of the regular season – the final home series will be played back at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
First pitch this weekend is scheduled for Friday, April 22 at noon.
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--#HailWildcats--
