JD Arteaga after Miami's season-ending game vs. Louisville: 'I don't think we lost today'

An All-ACC Super Regional took place in Louisville with a spot in the College World Series on the line. Louisville played host to the Miami Hurricanes and eventually saw itself through to Omaha. A massive win for the Cardinals, heading back to the mecca of college baseball for the first time since 2019.

Miami head coach JD Arteaga was understandably in a damper mood during his postgame press conference following the loss. His opening remark gave a ton of credit to Louisville for winning the game, more than Miami losing it. You can tell there is a ton of respect coming from Arteaga’s end.

“All the credit to those guys, man,” Arteaga said. “They played a great game… That’s a good team, great dynamic lineup. They can beat you in so many ways. I’m proud of our guys, they fought to the very, very end. That’s all you can really ask for. It hurts and stinks to lose but I don’t think we lost today, I think they played a little bit better and made one more play than we did. When you get to this point, good teams playing a good baseball game that didn’t go our way. Credit to them, they did a great job.”

Louisville took a risk by sending a true freshman to the mound in an elimination game, Ethan Eberle. Arteaga mentioned how Eberle did not look like a first-year guy out there, throwing 5.0 innings while giving up six hits, two earned runs, no walks, and three strikeouts.

Miami did not get similar length out of their starter, who also gave up two runs. Reese Lumpkin was pulled in the fourth inning, totalling 3.2 innings pitched.

Arteaga mentioned how plays did not go Miami’s way down the stretch. Particularly on the offensive end, when the Hurricanes did not capitalize on getting in favorable positions with runners in scoring position. After Louisville took a seventh-inning lead, Miami went 0-4 after somebody got to second base. A hit would have tied the game or a big swing could have given them the lead.

Certainly a frustrating way to go out, being oh so close to the College World Series. Instead, Louisville will be back in Omaha for the first time since 2019 and sixth appearance overall. The Cardinals have never won a national championship in program history and now have an incredible opportunity to do so.