The strategy for playing pitchers varies for every coach. In the regionals, of the NCAA tournament many coaches choose to save their ace for the second game as that could be a game where they are facing elimination.

Although Miami has been challenged because of a lack of depth with its pitchers, Head Coach Gino DiMare has decided to go with his most consistent pitcher Gage Ziehl for game one of the Coral Gables Regional against 4-seeded Maine, the worst team statistically of the four.

"Our staff is not the conventional, you have your one, two, three, and four," DiMare said. "Of course, in the old days, you would throw your two in game one, your one in game two, and your three and game three, and I'm just going back in time, that's kind of the old days of doing it, but those days have come and gone. Everybody's a little different, and I'm speaking our history and how we've done it. With our situation, we just felt like trying to save the bullpen...you don't want to eat up your bullpen in game one, that can make it tough as you move through the weekend. We felt like Gage is the best guy that's going to eat innings up. Not have to use our bullpen. Be able to utilize those guys, not have to use too many hopefully, and have the bullpen really fresh moving forward in the tournament."

Ziehl (7-4, 4.60 ERA) leads the Hurricanes with 86 innings pitched this season. The next closest pitcher is Alejandro Rosario (4-6, 7.45 ERA) with 67.4 innings pitched. Ziehl pitched to the 8th inning in three games this season all resulting in Miami wins. In those three games against NC State, Georgia Tech, and Prysbertyrian, Ziehl struck out 25 and walked two batters.

Ziehl struggled early in the season, starting 1-3 with a 13.5 ERA. The sophomore gave up 15 runs on 23 hits in those first three to Penn State, Dartmouth, and Florida, but would bounce back with two wins against NC State and Virginia Tech. He struggled again losing two out of three to Wake Forest, Florida State, and Virginia with a 1-3 record and a 5.49 ERA, but after that stretch, Ziehl would go on an impressive run helping the Hurricanes win six out of seven with a 4.45 ERA.

"I definitely started out pretty rough, in my opinion," Ziehl said. "They stuck with me and my teammates had my back and I can't thank them enough."

Starting Pitcher Karson Ligon (3-1, 4.25 ERA) replaced Ziehl as the Friday night starter after Ziehl's rough start, but hadn't pitched since April 23rd in a 9-7 win over Georgia Tech in the regular season due to inflammation in his throwing arm. Ligon returned in the ACC Tournament Semifinal against top-seeded Wake Forest, igniting the Hurricanes to a 7-2 win. DiMare expects Ligon to pitch in first-round regional:

"We were happy that he was able to throw two and third I think it was around 50 pitches, he was around a 50-pitch count. So hopefully he can be up to 65 maybe 70 we'll see...the good news is he felt really good. He felt really good after that outing. He wanted to stay in the game longer. Those are all good signs. Mentally he's in a good place and the ball was coming out of his hand good, considering how long it had been since he's thrown in a game live. So we feel good about him being able to throw this weekend but obviously, he is still kind of somewhat on a pitch count."

After Ziehl and Ligon, it will be pitching by committee as many from the bullpen have shined in moments this season. Rosario, Alejandro Torres, Ben Chestnutt, and Ronaldo Gallo have all started at some point this season, but the rest of the pen that includes, Carlos Lequerica, Rafe Schlesinger, and Chris Scinta have helped set up a close by arguably the number one closer in the country, Andrew Walters. Walters, who leads the team with 11 saves good for 11th in the country, pitched more innings than the previous year and feels he has improved over the course of the season.

"Every season I look to get better, Walters said. "The way this season has gone I've definitely got better, for sure. Going out there and doing my job for the team has made me better. Day in and day out for the past three years. Absolutely definitely got better."

Miami is scheduled to play its first game against Maine on Friday night at 7 PM at Mark Light Field.

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