No.2 Miami 8, No.21 Virginia Tech 5: Hurricanes Avoid Sweep on Saturday

The Miami Hurricanes won 8-5 on Saturday afternoon to avoid a sweep and move to 28-8 (14-4 ACC) in 2022. Despite losing the series against Virginia Tech on the road Miami was still 2-2 this week, and should remain in the top ten of most major polls next week.

On Saturday, Virginia Tech took a first inning lead for the third consecutive game of the series. A single opened the inning for VT, and after two outs nearly got Miami out of the inning an RBI-double from Jack Hurley scored the first run of the afternoon.

Miami responded with a two-run top of the third inning. CJ Kayfus walked and stole second to give the Hurricanes a two-out scoring opportunity with Yohandy Morales at the plate. Morales singled to put runners on the corners and advanced to second on a wild pitch before Maxwell Romero hit a two-run double to give Miami the lead.

A four-run top of the fifth inning extended the lead for Miami. Ariel Garcia led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a passed ball. With two outs, Virginia Tech intentionally walked Yohandy Morales to face Maxwell Romero, and Romero singled to score a run and bring Jacob Burke to the plate. Burke walked to load the bases, and then Dominic Pitelli hit a bases-clearing double to give Miami a 6-1 lead heading to the bottom of the fifth inning.

Jacob Burke added a run for the Hurricanes on a solo home run in the top of the seventh inning, but Virginia Tech responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning to make it a two-run game. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases for Virginia Tech, and Tanner Schobel hit a grand slam, his third home run of the weekend, to make the score 7-5.

In the top of the ninth inning CJ Kayfus hit a solo home run to extend Miami’s lead to three. Andrew Walters returned to the mound in the bottom of the ninth for his second inning of work after retiring the side in order in the eighth inning. Walters walked the first batter of the inning before retiring the next three batters in a row, earning his 12th save of the season in the process.

Miami will now look ahead to a mid-week game against Bethune-Cookman on Tuesday before a weekend series against Pittsburgh next weekend. First pitch of the mid-week game is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Tuesday.

Game Info

Winning Pitcher: Alex McFarlane (3-1, 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K)

Losing Pitcher: Jordan Geber (0-1, 3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K)

Save: Andrew Walters (12)