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Brian Walters confidently led the SWEEP, delivering the Golden Eagles their third consecutive loss. After falling behind 1-0, Miami surged back with an impressive streak of 11 unanswered runs, prompting the game to be called after seven innings due to the 10-run rule, commonly referred to as the Mercy Rule.
Brian faced a rocky beginning, throwing 26 pitches and struggling against hitters, which included two walks and two hits, marking the first time the Canes trailed the Eagles in the series at 1-0. However, Miami quickly responded in the bottom of the inning to tie the game, igniting an unstoppable offensive performance known as the Cane Express. With strong contributions in offense, defense, and especially pitching, Brian completed five innings, with the Canes leading 8-1. He achieved a career-high of 10 strikeouts, allowing only one hit after his rough start. The Miami bats displayed their power for the third consecutive game, racking up eleven hits. Unlike the previous two games, the entire starting lineup made contributions, except for Max Galvin and Todd Hudson, who had excelled in earlier contests. Notably, six of the eleven hits were extra-base hits, highlighted by Brandon DeGoti’s first career home run in the 4th inning. As Niagara trailed 11-1 heading into the 7th inning, Brixton Lofgren took over for Michael Fernandez and efficiently struck out the side in order, securing the SWEEP and delivering Miami their first Mercy Rule decision.
After starting with the same lineup for the first two games, JD made decisive changes by sitting out Daniel Cuvet due to a leg injury sustained in Saturday’s game. Cuvet will be ready to play on Tuesday against FAU. Jake Ogden took over at third base, moving from shortstop, while Brandon Degoti stepped in at short. Additionally, Michael Torres was elevated from the ninth spot to the leadoff position, and Brandon filled the ninth spot in the batting order.
Whether it was first-game jitters or the pressure of living up to the hype, Brian had difficulty settling in initially with a pair of walks, an uncontested steal, and a couple of singles that loaded the bases. However, with two outs and all bases occupied, everything clicked. The Brian who had been struggling transformed into lights-out Brian, delivering three quick strikes. The excitement unfolded for the next four innings with nine additional strikeouts, including retiring all three batters in the second inning via the K. Niagara managed just one base runner, coming in the fifth inning through an infield hit to second. This is precisely what the fans had come to see, and Brian delivered on every expectation.
Miami, now trailing for the first time in the series 1-0, quickly responded in their half of the first inning with a lead-off walk to Michael Torres. An attempted pickoff to first went wide (E1), putting Michael in a prime scoring position at second base. Dorian confidently stepped up to the plate and delivered with an RBI single through the right side.
Moving confidently into the 3rd inning after a brief no-run halt in the 2nd, the Cane Express dominated the game, scoring in every inning and wrapping it up in the 7th with a definitive finish at MERCY STATION. The highlight occurred in the 3rd inning when Dorian delivered a powerful RBI double, his third of the series, followed by a clutch bases-loaded single from Derek Williams. This solid performance propelled the Canes to a commanding 4-1 lead after they batted around the order.
The Express maintained an aggressive stance as Brandon DeGoti kicked off the 4th inning with a powerful downtown drive, soaring 402 feet to left-center. Returning to the top of the order, Michael Torres mirrored Brandon’s direction but secured a solid double. Dorian followed up with a commanding shot to center for the out, effectively setting up Michael to sprint from second base all the way home.
In the 5th inning, Miami decisively capitalized on a pair of unearned runs stemming from two errors and a wild pitch. They carried their momentum into the 6th inning, claiming their next two runs with back-to-back doubles to Williams and Marsh. Notably, Marsh’s double had runners positioned on second and third. At this stage, Miami stood just one run away from the critical 10-run difference that would activate the MERCY RULE. They accomplished this in the 7th inning when Jake Kulikowski and Adrian Areizaga were hit by pitches in succession to start the inning, followed by Jake Ogden’s single to short that loaded the bases. Fabio Peralta capitalized on the opportunity, delivering an RBI single that signified the final stop on the Cane Express, ringing in the MERCY RULE and sealing the sweep for the Canes.
The bats, as a team, have decisively emerged from hibernation, showcasing a display of cohesive power. They effectively capitalized on their opponent’s mistakes and consistently delivered with runners in scoring position (RISP). While only two starters fell short in today’s contest, five of the starting eight—Michael Torres, Dorian Gonzalez, Derek Williams, Bobby Marsh, and Tanner Smith—excelled beyond mere small ball with crucial doubles. Brandon DeGoti also stepped up, going the distance for the team. Furthermore, three of our starters-Dorian Gonzalez, Jake Ogden, and Derek Williams—each recorded a pair of hits.
Today was a striking demonstration of team effort. The defense was flawless, the batting was aggressive, and the pitching was relentless. The real question is whether they can maintain this level against tougher competition, starting with FAU on their home field, where we’ve experienced challenges in the past. Following that, we face a four-game series back at the Light with Princeton. The ultimate test will arrive next weekend against Florida, at Florida, a team that has consistently dominated us. If we succeed over the next two weeks, especially against Florida, this year’s team has the potential to astonish skeptics, including those preseason analysts who expected us to falter.
