Miami vs Texas A&M - NCAA Regional Championship Baseball Recap

Miami (Florida) 10, Texas A&M 3 - Miami advances to super regionals

The more things change, the more they stay the same: As the years go by, you can count on death, taxes... and the Miami Hurricanes baseball program winning a regional at home.

The 11th-ranked and top-seeded University of Miami baseball team won its 12th straight home regional under head coach Jim Morris with a 10-3 victory over Texas A&M Tuesday afternoon at Alex Rodriguez Park. Miami will now advance to the NCAA Gainesville Super Regional to take on No. 3 national seed Florida in a best-of-three series beginning Friday, June 11, at 7 p.m. Eastern on the ESPN family of networks.

The Hurricanes held a 3-2 lead over the Aggies in the bottom of the second inning when play resumed after Monday night's contest was postponed due to inclement weather. Both teams were held off the board the first two innings of play Tuesday until the `Canes broke out for a run in the fifth, three in the sixth, and three more in the seventh en route to the seven-run triumph.

Left-hander Chris Hernandez (10-3) made his first relief appearance of the regional, tossing two scoreless innings to earn his 10th win of the year. Sam Robinson relieved Hernandez to start the fifth and went on to twirl 4 2/3 scoreless innings. Robinson allowed only two hits and served as a bridge for the Miami bullpen. Robinson's workhorse display allowed Daniel Miranda to get just one low-pressure out and bring the regional to an end. Eric Whaley, who started Monday night's game and came back on Tuesday, allowed two runs on five hits in two innings.

Eight of Miami's nine starters recorded a hit in the game, including Michael Broad, who went 2-for-3 on the day and finished the regional 9-for-14 (.643). Harold Martinez had a double and three RBI while Yasmani Grandal also doubled, drove in two and walked two. Frankie Ratcliff scored three runs and drove in two, while Zeke DeVoss joined the fun for "The U" by also plating a pair of runs.

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Texas A&M starter Ross Stripling (6-5) suffered the loss, allowing three runs on two hits and three walks in two innings of work. Reliever Shane Minks replaced Stripling for the re-start on Tuesday and allowed one run in two innings. After Clayton Ehlert tossed a scoreless fifth, first-round MLB draft choice Barret Loux allowed three runs in one inning before Nick Fleece allowed another three runs (one earned) over the final three frames. Kevin Gonzalez was the lone Aggie with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.

The difference in this two-day duel was clear: A&M's bats were silenced by Miami pitching on Tuesday in the re-start. The Aggies tore into Miami pitching on Monday in the first two innings, but couldn't level the big blow. Miami dodged a few bullets, and the Canes seemed to take psychological strength from that very realization. Sure, Miami might have led the game, but the boys from South Florida knew that they had been given an extra life. They knew they needed to play harder and pitch with much more conviction, and that's exactly what they did on a victorious afternoon.

A Martinez grounder to second with the bases loaded in the fifth made the score 4-2 in favor of Miami. An inning later, the `Canes broke out for three runs on back-to-back doubles to right center by Grandal and Martinez, with Loux - the draft pick - taking the brunt of the punishment for A&M. Down 7-2, the Aggies needed to mount a major rally and post a fat crooked number, but thanks to the airtight UM bullpen, that rally never came.

Now, Miami can rev up for the Florida Gators in what promises to be an emotional and highly entertaining bit of mortal combat on a baseball diamond.

By: Matt Zemek
ACC Fans Senior Staff Writer