Preview and Live Updates: Miami Baseball At FIU
DATE: Tuesday, March 26, 2024
WHERE: FIU Baseball Stadium, Miami, FL
TIME/TV: 6:00 PM EST/ACCNX
LIVE AUDIO: 90.5 WVUM
MIAMI: Official Website | Schedule | Roster | Stats | Twitter
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL: Official Website | Schedule | Roster | Stats | Twitter
Miami avoided the sweep of Notre Dame with a 12-10 win extra innings
FIU run-ruled Western Kentucky, 11-1 on Friday before taking the Sunday matinee, 7-3, to clinch the series.
The Miami Hurricanes (13-10, 5-4 ACC) lead the all-time series over FIU (13-11, 4-2 C-USA)104-29. The Hurricanes have won the previous eleven meetings against the Panthers. Tuesday's tilt marks the second of four meetings between the two sides this year.
Last year, Miami went 10-3 in midweeks. In its last week's midweek tilt, Miami edged FIU 4-3 on walk-off bunt.
Poll News
Miami remains outside this week's top-25 D-1 Baseball Poll.
Eight ACC teams are ranked in the poll, including Clemson (3rd) and Virginia (9th) in the top ten.
The remaining conference teams ranked in the top 25 are Duke (11th), Wake Forest (12th), Virginia Tech (13th) North Carolina (14th), Florida State (17th), and NC State (22nd).
Miami's 2024 schedule includes Clemson, Duke, Florida State, and Virginia Tech, the remaining ranked opponents.
Miami has qualified for the College World Series 25 times - the second-most of any program nationwide, trailing only Texas (37). The Hurricanes' four national championships (1982, 1985, 1999, 2001) are tied for fifth-most all-time.
Notable Miami Stats
As of March 25, Miami is tied for 12th in home runs (44) among Power Five Programs. Miami is averaging 1.91 home runs per game.
The Hurricanes have circled the bases in 20 of their 23 contests, highlighted by an eight-homer barrage against LIU on Feb. 25.
In the 22-5 victory vs. the Sharks, Miami smacked four blasts in the third inning, matching the school record for the most homers in a single frame.
Meanwhile, the eight home runs were one shy of the school's single-game record set on April 2, 1979.
Miami is on pace for 103 dingers during the regular season, which would rank as the sixth-most in school history.
Twelve different Hurricanes have left the yard, with freshman Daniel Cuvet blasing a team-leading nine round-trippers.
Freshman Cuvet has quickly made a name for himself in the heart of the Hurricanes' lineup.
As of March 25, Cuvet was second among Division I freshmen hitters in home runs (9) and slugging (.780), and OPS (1.280), tied for fifth in RBIs (30), tied for third in hits (37), and tied for seventh OBP (.500).
The Broward County native started his career on a 17-game on-base streak, totaling a team-leading seven multi-RBI performances and nine multi-hit efforts.
With Miami losing more than half its starting position players from a year ago, Jason Torres has taken the next step to fill the void.
As of March 18, Torres is third in average (.436) and hits (41), 10th in slugging (.755), and eighth in OPS (1.231) among all ACC hitters.
The 6-foot-1, 228-pound infielder has reached base safely in only one game this season.
In 130 careers at-bats, Torres is slashing .446/.483/.785 with 11 home runs and 37 RBIs.
Blake Cyr earned ACC Player of the Week on March 11. Cyr batted .500 (8-for-16) with three home runs, 11 RBI, and a 1.682 OPS across the Hurricanes' 3-1 stretch, highlighted by a series win over then-No. 13 Virginia.
The 5-foot-11, 188-pound infielder homered in three of the four games, including a go-ahead grand slam Saturday, which capped off Miami's largest comeback victory since May 13, 1992.
A native of Windermere, Fla., Cyr also scored eight runs, drew four walks, and reached base safely 13 times, notching three multi-hit and multi-RBI efforts along the way.
Comeback Canes
Through its first 23 games, Miami has notched nine come-from-behind victories, including three walk-off wins against NJIT on Feb. 16, then-No. 15 North Carolina on March 16, and FIU on March 19.
The Hurricanes have tallied six victories trailing after six innings, more than their entire win total in those situations from last year.
The Opponent
Overall on the season, the Panthers have recorded nine games with 10+ hits as a team, boasting the team batting average of .289 and a team OPS of .872.
Austin Dearing is on a tear in his past ten games, donning the Blue and Gold. The redshirt junior is currently on a 12-game on-base hit streak while recording 11 hits in his past 12 games. In the 12-game span, Dearing is hitting .452 (14-for-31) with seven RBIs, three 2Bs, and two homers. This past Sunday, March 24th, against Western Kentucky, belted a grand slam to deep center field to put FIU over the Hilltoppers.
The DII transfer Jeff Liquori has been an impactful force in the Panthers lineup, having played in all 24 games primarily in right field. He sits first with 26 RBI driven on the year and second on the team in homers (6). Liquori has bumped his batting average up to .333 after notching 15 hits,11 RBI, and two doubles in his past eight games including a pair of homers in the stretch, The Lake Mary, Fla. native has recorded a .469 batting average in throughout his eight-game hit streak including five-multi hit games. He rang up a pair of two-hit against Western Kentucky in March. 22 and March. 23.
Ryne Guida has continued to be pivotal in the top order of the Panthers lineup as the designated hitter. In all 24 games played, the senior is hitting .294 with 3 HR and 22 RBI (second on the team). Guida has reached base in his past eight games with eight hits, five walks, and two doubles.
Alex Ulloa has found a groove with the Panthers in his recent stretch of hitting. Ulloa has racked-up 13 hits with five RBI in his past eight games. The junior is on a seven-game hitting streak with four multi-hit games in that stretch alone. Ulloa has eight multi-hit performances, boasting his batting average to a team lead of .373 in all 24 games. In his past five games, Ulloa is hitting .389 with seven hits in 18 at-bats. His .995 OPS is second on the team behind Brylan West (1.082).
As a collective unit, the Panthers offense has lit up the box score with homers, 34 total as a ballclub. The 34 HRs sit second overall in Conference USA and 44th in the nation.
Starting Pitchers
Miami: LHP Ashton Crowther (0-2) (5.54 ERA) will make his second career start and sixth appearance of the season. Last week, Crowther, who was making his fifth appearance after Tommy John surgery, tossed a career-long five shutout innings against the Panthers. The redshirt freshman has pitched 13 innings, allowing nine runs on 11 hits, striking out 12 and walking nine.
FIU: LHP David Eckaus (1-0) (2.84 ERA) makes his seventh appearance of the season. The junior has pitched 12.2 innings, allowing five runs on ten hits, striking out 12 and walking four.
Statistics reflect up to March 25, 2024
Miami Athletics Athletics and FIU Athletics contributed to this report
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