Sunday Swinging: Miami wins a thriller against UCONN, 15-11

Sebastian Font
4 min read
After losing the opening two games of the series, the Miami Hurricanes bounced back to beat the UCONN Huskies in a 15-11 thriller.

Junior shortstop Jake Ogden continued his excellence on the year and paved the way for a ’Canes win. Ogden feasted at the plate with three hits and five RBI’s, with one of those hits being a homer which tracked over 422 feet.

After scoring seven and twelve runs respectively in the past two games against UM, UCONN wasted no time to stay hot offensively in the first. DH Grant Macarthur took Miami starter Brian Walters deep to left for a 2-run homer, putting the Huskies on the board immediately. Despite the setback, Walters settled down and found his groove for the next few innings.

It only took an inning for the ’Canes to start fighting back, with LF Max Galvin launching his third homer of the year over the right field fence against UCONN’s starter Thomas Ellisen.

His homer proved to be a spark as Miami got momentum going. Senior Derek Williams knocked a base hit through the left side, and after a Bobby Marsh hit-and-run, the Hurricanes had runners on the corners. That bit of baseball strategy ensured Tanner Smith’s single scored Williams, and Miami tied the game.

After a walk by Freshman Fabio Peralta, Ogden launched a sac fly to left field to give Miami the lead which grew to 5-2 after RBI walks from Dorian Gonzalez Jr. and Daniel Cuvet.


Similar to last Sunday’s game against Florida, UM kept the pressure on by stacking runs nearly every inning.

A pair of walks to Marsh and Smith followed by a Peralta HBP loaded the bases for the Hurricanes, and Ogden collected his second RBI of the game with a fielder's choice. Later that inning, Cuvet brought home two more with a single to left, extending Miami’s lead 8-2.

After a relaxing fourth inning, the bats on both sides came alive. After a walk to leadoff Rob Rispoli, UCONN’s red-hot Tyler Minnick launched a homer just over Galvin’s leaping try in left. The Huskies kept up the pressure with a pair of singles and following a walk, Coach Arteaga looked to the bullpen to save the day, bringing in veteran Carson Fischer to replace Walters. Fischer limited the damage to only one with a sac fly, but the Huskies proved they were not gonna go down without a fight.

The Hurricanes followed that display with a strong fifth inning of their own. With one on, Ogden launched a double to left, followed by a Gonzalez Jr. fielder's choice to bring in a run. Ogden eventually scored on a wild pitch before Williams lasered a double to bring in the third of the inning.

Fischer came out again for the sixth, but did not fare as well as before. A hit batter, single and a 2- RBI double marked the end of his day as Arteaga brought in right-hander Will Smith from the pen.

Once again Miami’s hitters battled for their pitchers, as Ogden launched a missile of a 2-run homer over the left field fence and onto the track field.

But once again the Huskies stuck to their scrappy identity and tried to claw their way back. After a pair of walks and a single given up by Smith, Arteaga brought in Lamar transfer Jackson Cleveland to limit the damage and like Fischer before, got a sac fly to begin his outing. That breath of relief didn’t last too long as a wild pitch and 2-run homer by Macarthur again meant UCONN was only two runs away from tying the ballgame at 13 runs apiece.

UM doubled their breathing room in the bottom of the inning with Odgen and Galvin driving home two insurance runs against the depleted Huskie pitching staff.

Cleveland came out again for the ninth a changed man, having a 1-2-3 inning to send ’Canes fans home happy albeit with a shorter lifespan after the thriller.

Miami (12-5) will hit the road to take on the UCF Knights in a testing midweek game before they open up ACC play against the nationally ranked Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

 
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