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A highly competitive game featuring a rotation of pitchers from both teams ended with Miami defeating UCF 9-5. Throughout the game, 17 pitchers took the mound as each team tried to slow the opposing offense, which produced 26 hits and 14 runs. Miami opened with Sebastian Santos-Olson, who pitched 1.1 innings, and the game wrapped up with Ryan Bilka after six pitchers had rotated in. During innings four through seven, UCF used eight different pitchers in an effort to contain Miami’s offensive surge. The Canes managed to halt a sixth-inning rally that closed the gap to one run after a three-run burst, but Miami responded in the seventh inning with a strong offensive showing, adding three runs and sealing the series victory.
Jake Ogden put Miami on the scoreboard with the second pitch of the game, sending the ball 414 feet to left field to give Miami an early 1-0 lead. This was Jake’s second home run of the season, both off UCF pitchers. Andrew Williamson responded for the Knights at the bottom of the inning with a homer of his own to tie the score at one.
In the third inning, the Knights began with a triple, resulting in a score on an infield groundout— their only lead of the game. Miami responded by scoring four more runs over the next three innings, extending their advantage to 6-2. An error and a passed ball in the fourth inning proved costly for the Knights, enabling Miami to capitalize with two unearned runs and an RBI single that brought Daniel home from second. Daniel had started the inning with a walk and advanced to second on Alex Sosa’s single. In the fifth inning, a double by Cuvet drove in another run, as Michael Torres scored from first after his one-out single. In the sixth, West’s leadoff double set up the sixth run, which was pushed across by an Alvarez single.
The Knights, trailing 6-2 as they entered the bottom of the sixth inning, responded with Austin Jacobs’ first home run of the season with two men on base, bringing them back within one run of the Canes. They started the inning with a double and a single, setting the stage for Austin to lead the Knights’ comeback.
The Miami bats responded to the Knight’s three-run rally by doing the same in the seventh, rallying with three hits and two walks—one with the bases loaded. Miami had an opportunity to extend the lead significantly with the bases loaded and one out but settled for three runs after Sheahan’s strikeout. With those three runs making it 9-5, JD brought in Packy Bradley-Cooney for the seventh and eighth innings, and Ryan Bilka to close, forming a strong one-two combination to secure the win.
Miami collected 14 hits, with only Dylan Dubovik not getting a hit, going 0-5 for the evening. Leading the offense was Brylan West, who went 3-5, including one of the two team doubles. The other double was hit by Daniel Cuvet, who finished 2-3 at the plate. Other players with multiple hits included Alex Sosa (2-5), Derek Williams (2-5), and Alonzo Alvarez (2-4). The only home run of the night came on the second pitch of the game, hit by Jake Ogden.
The Canes used a total of seven pitchers to secure the victory. Packy was the only pitcher to go two innings. Sebastian Santos-Olson, the starter, lasted only 1.1 innings before being relieved by PT Coats. JD appeared to be managing the pitching staff by committee, likely to preserve the bullpen for the weekend. Packy was the most effective, striking out the side in the eighth. With 27 pitches and a four-run lead, I would have let him finish the game, but JD probably relied on analytics to go with the closer or wanted to ensure Packy can be used again this weekend, as he was the sharpest of the seven pitchers.
Miami is 5-0 with mid-week games but needs to recover in the ACC by sweeping Duke this weekend. Last weekend’s loss in the first conference series of the year was disappointing for everyone. Tonight’s win against a strong UCF team was hopefully the spark needed to get them back on track. AJ Ciscar will start on Friday with the first pitch at 6PM.
