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An unfortunate sequence of events that should have been a routine out in the fourth inning proved critical in Miami’s loss to the Tar Heels. Four runs resulted from the error and marked the difference between victory and yet another loss. The Tar Heels were unable to garner another hit for the remainder of the game, but the three consecutive hits following Dorian’s mishandling the toss from DeGoti to second base were all North Carolina needed to secure not only the victory but also yet another series the Canes let slip away.
A late scratch from the day’s lineup had Michael Torres starting in place of Bobby Marsh. No reason was provided for the change. Is this the best we can do with a team desperately seeking some hitting? JD decided to put three players—Taveras, Degoti, and Torres—all batting below .200 into the starting nine. Other than Ogden, Peralta, and Williams, maybe the rest of our so-called “hitters” would perform better sitting on the sidelines, giving the waiting bench an opportunity to show what they can do. Not to point fingers, but the first person who needs sidelining is Daniel, who has been sluggish in his fieldwork and batting. Six strikeouts in this series alone as he swings at bad pitches or goes for the fences. Just four hits today to show for our losing effort. Our record is currently .500, and we are on the verge of having a losing record this season.
Miami started strong for the first three innings as Brian Walters kept the Heels’ hitters in check. He found himself in trouble during each of these innings but managed to work his way out of the jams. Errors plagued the Canes once again, as a DeGoti error at short in the third inning loaded the bases, which fortunately did not lead to any runs. However, the fourth inning changed the momentum of the game significantly.
In the 4th inning, Miami maintained a 1-0 lead thanks to a Derek Williams home run in the second, his 8th of the year. After escaping a challenging third inning, Brian found himself in a similar situation with runners on the corners and two outs. What should have been a straightforward third out turned into a pivotal moment. A grounder to the left of second base was retrieved by DeGoti, who tossed it to Dorian, which should have secured the third out. Instead, Dorian dropped the ball, setting off a chain of events leading to three consecutive hits for three runs, in addition to the run scored on the dropped ball.
Michael Fernandez was brought in to finish the fourth inning and, along with Tate DeRias, kept NC hitless for the rest of the game, allowing only a walk in the seventh. Together, they recorded six strikeouts. Unfortunately, their commendable performance was overshadowed by Miami’s lack of hitting, which resulted in only three hits: two in the sixth for a run and one in the ninth. The ineffective Miami hitters could not overcome the four unearned runs in the fourth, resulting in not only a loss in game two but also another Conference defeat and the prospect of a sweep.
Offensively, we are witnessing a persistent trend of ineffective hitting. Today, the team added nine strikeouts to yesterday’s 14, showcasing a troubling pattern. Our hit production plummeted from 6 yesterday to a mere 4 today. Only one player, Fabio Peralta, stood out with multiple hits, going 2-4 with an RBI and a double. Michael Torres also made an impact with a double, and Derek Williams contributed a home run, accounting for the only other hits the team managed to achieve.
The time for tomorrow’s game has been moved up to noon, with no announcement as to the starting pitcher for the Canes.
