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Before an electrifying crowd of 3,307 fans, Mark Light Stadium took center stage as the Three Musketeers—Ogden, Galvin, and Cuvet—ignited the emotion-filled atmosphere. They captivatingly displayed hitting and baserunning and defeated the Wolf Pack 6-4.
Miami asserted its dominance early in the game by finding its game changer in Daniel, who crushed his 11th home run of the season, launching the ball 424 feet to straight center and giving the Canes a commanding 2-0 lead in the first inning. Max Galvin, who set the tone with a single up the middle, joined Daniel on the bases in celebration. Two innings later, the dynamic duo made their mark again as Galvin delivered a one-out double, setting the stage for Daniel’s second homer—his 12th of the season—to extend Miami’s lead to 4-1. Meanwhile, the Pack finally made their presence felt in the top of the third with a sacrifice fly to center, registering their first run.
Griffin Hugus consistently shot himself in the foot during his 5.1 innings on the mound. Each of the six innings he pitched presented him with challenges, allowing the leadoff hitter to reach base safely while he continually found himself in difficult situations. He skillfully navigated these jamming scenarios in the first two innings, striking out the final two batters in the first and securing a 4-3 double play in the second. However, in the third inning, an opening double paved the way for the Pack’s first run. Following that double, a walk came next, and both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Josh Hogue then delivered the Pack’s first score with a sacrifice fly to center, closing the gap to 2-1. Nonetheless, the Canes responded impressively with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning, highlighted by Daniel’s second home run.
In the 4th inning, a lead-off single turned into three runs, leveling the game at four. The defense failed to execute, making two errors and a wild pitch that advanced the runners to scoring positions at 2nd and 3rd. Justin DeCriscio started the inning with a single before a strikeout followed. A single to center, mishandled by Torres, allowed the runners to advance, putting both in scoring positions. A subsequent single to left brought in one run, placing runners on the corners, but a wild pitch allowed two runners to reach scoring positions again. The situation worsened with a grounder to Ogden, who mistakenly threw to third base, conceding a run; his throw to Daniel was also wide, yielding a second run. Jake redeemed his earlier missteps by forcing a 6-3 double play on the next play, but the damage—two errors and a wild pitch—had already tied the score at four.
Miami broke the tie an inning later when Jake opened the inning with a lead-off double. Max followed by striking out. However, the catcher dropped the ball and elected to throw to third in an attempt to get Jake, who decided to be aggressive on the bases, beating out the throw from home. The Pack appealed the call, but it was not upheld. With runners on the corners, Jake noticed a laxness from the pitcher and took advantage by stealing home, a rarely seen move, resulting in the Canes taking a 5-4 lead.
In the 6th inning, a pitcher change was crucial, as Griffin allowed his 6th consecutive leadoff batter to reach safely with a double. Before exiting the game after just 83 pitches, Griffin struck out his 4th batter. Alex Giroux came out of the bullpen and finished the inning, but not without a thrilling conclusion. With a runner at second, a powerful drive to right was hit off the wall, causing the runner to hesitate, uncertain whether the ball was caught or cleared the fence. He rounded third, but Fabio’s throw from right field to Jake (SS), who relayed it to Daniel (3B) and finally to Smith (the catcher), resulted in a dramatic rundown that caught the runner, 2-6, in an extraordinary play. This formidable defensive maneuver effectively squashed the Pack’s last significant offensive effort.
Carson Fischer, our reliable set-up pitcher, was called upon to start the 7th inning in the team’s final effort before handing the game over to Brian to secure the victory. After six straight innings of allowing the leadoff batter to reach base, Carson finally relieved the pressure with a perfect 3-up, 3-down inning. He continued to perform well in the 8th, yielding only a lead-off single, followed by three quick outs. In the 7th, Daniel contributed an essential insurance run with a sacrifice fly after Jake led off the inning with his second double of the game, complemented by Max’s third hit, which placed runners on the corners. This set the stage for Daniel, who seized the opportunity and notched his 5th RBI of the game.
With Miami leading 4-2 in the 9th inning, it was time for Brian to step in and secure the victory. Although there was a hint of tension after a one-out double that placed the tying run at the plate, the situation quickly improved. A 6-3 groundout advanced the runner to third, easing the pressure. Facing PH Matt Ossenfort with a 2-2 count, Brian delivered a decisive fastball at 96 MPH, leaving Ossenfort swinging at air and clinching the win for Miami.
Tonight’s game was filled with outstanding performances from Jake, Max, and Daniel. Jake demonstrated his talent with two doubles and even executed a daring steal of home. Max had a commendable outing, going 3-for-4 with a double to his credit. Meanwhile, Daniel truly excelled, belting two home runs and contributing five RBIs to his team’s success.
Defensively, the performance was a bit unsteady tonight, especially in the 4th inning, where a couple of errors resulted in 3 runs. On the pitching side, Griffin struggled again, allowing the leadoff batter to reach base, which forced him into a catch-up situation throughout the game. However, the bullpen, comprised of Giroux, Fischer, and Walters, executed their roles effectively. Our concerns about our bullpen and the absence of a designated closer at the start of the season have finally been addressed.
Tomorrow’s call is to AJ Ciscar as we aim for our 10th ACC victory and our 5th consecutive win in the conference series. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:00 PM
