Gino DiMare promised a steak dinner at his house for a 10 game-win streak. The Hurricanes delivered, most recently dominating FGCU and FIU at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.
Now, the Miami Hurricanes prepare for what could be a series that shapes their season.
The No. 8 Miami Hurricanes look to defend their lead atop the ACC Coastal against the No. 3 Virginia Cavaliers at The Light this weekend.
This is the first top 10 series for Miami since February 2020, when the then-No.1 Hurricanes were swept by the No. 2 Florida Gators. It’s the first series back in Coral Gables for Virginia since 2017; Miami took two out of three at Disharoon Park last season.
Seemingly everything has gone right for the Hurricanes over the last two weeks. Every part of the lineup has contributed, starting pitching have gotten consistently deep into ball games. UM’s bullpen are playing their best baseball of the season, highlighted by a perfect 4.1 IP to close out the win over FGCU on Tuesday.
Virginia went on a surprise run to the College World Series last season after a modest regular season. UVA returned seven starters from 2021 and have got contribution from every piece of their lineup.
The importance of this series cannot be understated for Miami. If the Hurricanes can take two, or even three games, against the Cavaliers, UM would fully control their destiny.
The Hurricanes are 5-1 against ranked ACC opponents, and a few more wins would put Miami in command for both the Coastal and to potentially host a regional in Coral Gables.
With a packed crowd in on deck at The Light this weekend, here are five things to watch for between Virginia and Miami:
Dominic Pitelli, bringer of rain
In his 61 games in 2021, Dominic Pitelli hit four home runs with 14 RBI. Within the last week, the Hurricanes’ shortstop has three home runs and has matched that mark of 14 RBI.
Pitelli has evolved from a defensive specialist to a legitimate force in the Miami batting order. His 12-game hitting streak teased his potential, but the month of March was all Dom. 29 games into the season, Pitelli is leading the Hurricanes in home runs (6) and RBI (31).
The sophomore had two grand slams and 10 RBI last weekend in Miami’s sweep at Duke. His first won the day for Miami, boosting the Hurricanes to a 4-1 win on Friday night.
His historic week saw Pitelli named as the Co-ACC Player of the Week, with NC State’s Noah Soles. Pitelli was the first Hurricane to garner all-ACC honors this season.
It’s become more than just a solid season for Pitelli, who has the chance to make national headlines with a good series. However, Virginia already has a hitter capturing the national spotlight.
Jake Gelof: Lethal Weapon
Virginia’s sophomore third baseman flashed his potential in the Columbia Regional, homering against the host Gamecocks and Jacksonville. After a strong summer ball, Jake Gelof has evolved from a bottom piece in Virginia’s lineup to the best hitter in the ACC.
Gelof took flight in the Northwoods League for the Kalamazoo Growlers. The IMG Academy graduate raked to a .370 average, 16 multi-hit games, and 21 RBI in Michigan this summer.
This season, Gelof has taken the next step. The sophomore is hitting .438 with 14 HR’s and 53 RBI in just 29 games.
Gelof won ACC Player of the Week in February, when he went 9-10 in a series against Ivy League foe Cornell. He started the season on an 8-game RBI streak, totaling 22 RBI within the first week and a half of the campaign.
He has a hit in 25 of the 29 games for UVA this season, in addition to a constant supply of power. The second-year third baseman already has four multi-home run games this season, coming against Penn State, Duke, and Boston College.
Gelof is coming off a weekend where he hit .417 with 4 RBI against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. The Hurricanes were able to keep Gelof last year, limiting him to 0-2 with 2 K’s. As far as this season goes, the Hurricanes may not face a better bat all year.
Andrew Walters’ Unstoppable Start
The Hurricanes have had a host of talented closers in the last decade. Greg Veliz, Daniel Federman, and Carson Palmquist in 2021.
This year, a new fire has flashed in the final innings. A perfect nine-for-nine in save opportunities, someone has been untouchable, in every sense of the world.
Few batted an eye when Miami picked up RHP Andrew Walters as a JUCO transfer from Eastern Florida State. This season, few batters have caught up to the sophomore’s elite velocity, becoming the top dog of ACC relievers.
Walters’ numbers this year have been straight out of a video game. Walters has exploded out of the gate, with 31 strikeouts. The fastball command and velocity has been incredible. His lead pitch now hits 96 MPH consistently and has touched as high as 98 MPH against FGCU and UNC.
Walters struck out the side for his ninth save against the Eagles on Tuesday. If the Hurricanes can get the ball to their dominant closer, it could be a huge step towards securing the series.
All Hands on Deck for UVA
Gelof’s incredible season has been the highlight for the Hoos in 2022, but only focusing on the third baseman is selling Virginia short. The entirety of Virginia’s lineup are capable of getting on at all times.
Virginia took down 17-9 Liberty in their midweek win, with every Cavalier getting a hit. Devin Ortiz and Alex Tappen were each able to record two. The worst batting average within Virginia’s starters going into this weekend sits at .275, still impressive in April.
The Cavaliers rank first in the ACC in batting average, combining to hit .336 as a team. They’ve also drawn 175 walks, second in the conference only to Wake Forest.
Shortstop Griff O’Ferrall has been ruthless for Virginia in the leadoff spot. The sophomore has started the season in a nine-game hitting streak, also picking up 11 stolen bases. The freshman drilled home 8 RBI against Georgia Tech, producing two separate 4 RBI performances.
Another freshman pushing as one of the top names in the ACC is Casey Saucke. Saucke was named the 2021 Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year in New York after leading Greece Athena High School to the Section 5 Class A final. He homered in three straight games in March against Rider and Boston College.
Ortiz and Alex Tappen each provide veteran experience to a young lineup. Ortiz impressed against the Hurricanes in 2021, going 5/12 with 4 RBI before winning the Columbia Regional Most Outstanding Player. Tappen has been exceptional in ACC play, totaling 20 RBI in series against Boston College, Wake Forest, and Georgia Tech.
It will be a big test for the Hurricanes’ pitching, who have been strong in conference play. RHP Jake Garland’s 8.0 IP against FIU preserved most of the bullpen for Friday, now the responsibility falls on Carson Palmquist, Karson Ligon, and Alejandro Rosario to maneuver through a deep Virginia lineup.
DiMare’s Moment
These types of series only come around once in a couple of seasons. A chance for the Hurricanes to move into the top five of the polls, a chance to cement themselves as a true contender for Omaha.
This series is a huge series for the Hurricanes’ fourth-year head coach. DiMare has balanced out the lineup throughout UM’s 10-game winning streak and has numerous pieces contribute.
DiMare has led the Hurricanes to numerous highs in his coaching career. His first season saw the Hurricanes go from a measly 28-26 to 41 wins, going back to the postseason in 2019. In 2020, Miami was ranked as high as number one by D1 Baseball. The Hurricanes won crucial series in 2021, including taking two of three against the No. 1 Florida Gators and sweeping the Louisville Cardinals to close the year.
There has also been plenty of series that the Hurricanes have lost under DiMare after taking game one. From North Carolina in 2019 to Florida in 2019 and 2022. The Hurricanes also have lost some fair share of disappointing series, including Pittsburgh and Boston College last season.
This series won’t just be tough for the players. Virginia head coach Brian O’Connor has been one of the top coaches in the ACC, leading Virginia to two College World Series.
DiMare is 5-1 against O’Connor in his career, but this is the best team that Virginia has had in that time frame. The Hurricanes need a well-managed series to give themselves a chance at continuing to progress up the rankings.
