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Opening Day at the Light saw Miami dominate game one with an impressive 14-2 victory. The Canes displayed their strength and decisively crushed the Purple Eagles, racking up 14 runs on 12 hits. Ten of those runs, all unearned, poured in during the 4th inning as the Eagles faltered with five errors. In his first start, Nick Robert confidently claimed the win by pitching five innings, allowing just one run on four hits, while striking out four batters without giving up a walk. In this one-sided matchup, Miami brought in the reserves in the 6th inning, but they went hitless at the plate. Bobby Marsh, the designated hitter for the night, was dominant, going 4-for-4, including two doubles in his first two at-bats, and racking up 4 RBIs. Dorian Gonzalez also shone brightly, finishing 3-for-3 with one double and one RBI. This Valentine’s Day opener left fans buzzing with high expectations for a season-opening sweep.
Nick Robert got the honor of opening the season by throwing out the first pitch at 7:03 with a strike. He pitched a solid 5 innings with one hiccup coming in his 5th and final inning. Curtis Mckay put the Purple Eagles on the board after spotting Miami 13 runs, 10 of which came in the inning prior, where Niagara’s defense totally derailed. With the game in hand, JD turned to the BP in the 6th, bringing five pitchers, giving them an inning each. The one main concern was AJ Ciscar, in the 7th, left the game after two batters with an unknown injury. With the BP being a main concern, they did well for themselves, only allowing one run on four hits and just one walk.
Miami took the lead in the second inning, with Bobby Marsh getting the Canes’ first hit—a double that propelled the team’s inaugural run of the season via a Michael Torres RBI single. Bobby wasn’t done yet; he returned in the third inning with another impressive double, driving in two RBIs. Dorian kicked off the third with his first double of the season. With runners on first and second and two outs, Bobby extended the Canes’ advantage to 3-0 by the end of the inning.
The 4th inning was the turning point for Niagara, as their defense suffered a catastrophic meltdown. The Canes sent 14 batters to the plate, capitalizing on a staggering five errors, with a potential 6th error fortunately negated by a questionable call. What began as a promising inning for the Purple Eagles quickly spiraled out of control after securing ground outs for the first two batters at 1-3. Three consecutive hits ignited this unraveling, culminating in the first of 5 critical errors. Bobby Marsh again took center stage with a 2 RBI BL single. Despite the score sitting at 13-0, the Mercy Rule would have the humanitarian decision, but the game pressed on.
Niagara refused to be shut out, responding with a powerful shot in the 5th inning that soared over the left field fence and onto the running track, followed by a second run in the 7th from a leadoff double. Apart from that one challenging inning, they showcased a competitive spirit. Miami struggled significantly at the plate, aside from Bobby Marsh, who collected four hits, Dorian Gonzalez with three, and Jake Ogden, who contributed two hits. Notably, these three players accounted for 9 of Miami’s 12 hits. If we are going to be competitive, more of the starting nine are going to have to contribute.
The Big Bats in the batting order, who have dominated headlines, were disappointingly silent in this game. Daniel Cuvet, batting 3rd, continues his uninspired performance with 3 strikeouts. His hit in the 4th inning should have been marked as an error if not for the lenient scorekeeper. Max Galvin, batting 4th, our most reliable hitter during the preseason, had a dismal 0-3 night. Rounding out the lineup in the 5th spot was Derek Williams, who also managed nothing, finishing the night at 0-2. Todd Hudson, another key player, stepped up to bat in the 8th position but could not make an impact either, ending with 0-1. He did manage to reach base on three occasions, drawing a pair of walks and being hit by a pitch. There are still two more games in this series for them to regain their momentum. The competition will only intensify for the Canes as the Purple Eagles fly back to New York.
Tomorrow is game two in the series, with the first pitch set for 7:00 PM. Griffin Hugus will take the mound, ready to secure a victory and clinch the series. On Sunday, all eyes will be on Brian Walters, who has a prime opportunity to lead the Canes to their first sweep of the season. Expect Our hitters to be poised to deliver explosive performances as they unleash their power and shake off any jitters from the opening game.
