The Hurricanes lost game 2 of the 3-game series vs the #23 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 7-5 on Saturday night.

Nothing was given up for either team until the top of the third, when a Joey Bart double followed by a walk put the hot-hitter Coleman Poje at the plate for Tech with a chance to take the lead. Once again the Hurricanes couldn’t retire Poje, and he connected for a nice RBI double to the leftfield corner. Fortunately for Miami Jeb Bargfeldt stayed composed and got a groundout to prevent anymore damage.

Miami responded quickly in the bottom of the third. The rally started when Joe Gomez was hit by a pitch to begin the inning. After that Gomez took second, and Johnny Ruiz was walked to give the Hurricanes two on with one out. Carl Chester then drew another walk to load the bases, and Romy Gonzalez hit a nice sac-fly to tie the game at 1.

In the top of the fourth Bargfeldt escaped a tough situation. A couple of consecutive walks loaded the bases, but an absolutely clutch strikeout got him out of the inning with no damage.

Chris Barr then led off the bottom of the inning with a double, and Greg Veliz moved him to third with a groundout. Then Edgar Michelangeli gave UM the lead on a RBI groundout to short that drove in Barr. Joe Gomez then hit a homerun which gave UM a 3-1 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth Carl Chester hit a nice single, and then used smart baserunning to advance all the way to third, and on the ensuing play Carl Chester beat out the throw home on a groundout, and Miami led 4-1. A Michael Burns single and Chris Barr walk loaded the bases for Greg Veliz, but the opportunity was missed after he popped-up in foul territory, and what appeared to be a hit for Michelangeli was robbed after a good defensive play for GT.

After a long outing, Jeb Bargfeldt was replaced by Albert Maury Jr. in the top of the seventh. Maury immediately struggled, walking the first batter he faced and allowing a single to the next batter. Then a single through the left side of the infield gave Tech a run, and another RBI single made the game 4-3. GT wasn’t done however, and the painful rally continued with a sac-fly that tied the game. Then Maury allowed yet another RBI single, and Morris took the struggling pitcher out of the game, Kevin Pimentel replaced Maury, and he quickly ended the inning with a strikeout.

The Hurricanes missed a huge oppurtunity in the bottom of the seventh. Romy Gonzalez singled with one out, and a Michael Burns single that followed right behind gave UM runners on first and second with one out. The Hurricanes then loaded the bases for Greg Veliz once again, and he rocked a comebacker straight back at the Georgia Tech pitcher who recovered quickly to field it and throw it to home for the force out, which I personally thought was a bad call, and that Miami should have taken the lead. Unfortunately the home plate ump didn’t see it the same way, and Edgar Michelangeli left the bases loaded after striking out in the next at bat.

In the bottom of the eighth, Miami tied the game. Joe Gomez reached on a hit by pitch once again, and a nice sac-bunt from James Davison moved him to second. Carl Chester then hit an RBI single to tie the game at 5-5.

In the ninth neither team got anything going, and we headed off for free baseball.

In the bottom of the tenth UM loaded the bases once again but couldn’t push the run across. James Davison singled and moved to second on a sac-bunt, and the Hurricanes loaded the bases after two walks. Randy Batista was then asked to pinch hit for the Hurricanes, and he couldn’t come through, striking out looking to end the chance.

In the top of the eleventh the Yellow Jackets first batter was hit by a pitch, and after a grounder moved the runner to second, UM intentionally walked Coleman Poje to keep the double play ball alive. Unfortunately a ball got past Greg Veliz at first, and GT scored two runs, and the game was 7-5.

In the bottom of the eleventh Miami made no threat, and Georgia Tech took the game 7-5.

This was a tough game to lose, Jeb Bargfeldt put together a great start, but several missed chances came back to hurt the Hurricanes later.

Game Stats:

Winning Pitcher: Zac Ryan (1-0, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 4.0 IP)

Losing Pitcher: Andrew Cabezas (0-1, 1 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 3.0 IP)

Save: Burton Dulaney (1)

Box Score:

Next Game:

Tomorrow, March 12, 1:00 P.M Eastern

Hurricanes Starter: Michael Mediavilla (0-3)

Radio: 560 WQAM

Television: ACC Network Extra