Miami Hurricanes baseball drops game 1 vs. Florida Gators, 7-3, as bats go quiet with two hits over final four innings
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — An inconsistent start to Miami’s baseball season continued on Friday night with UM dropping its series opener to the fourth-ranked Florida Gators, 7-3, in front of a sellout crowd. The loss sends Miami to a 5-4 record.
The Canes led early, 2-1 in the third inning, but the Gators (7-2) responded immediately and padded their lead late. The Canes never led after UF took a 4-3 lead in the fourth.
“Tough loss, thought we played hard the whole time,” coach J.D. Arteaga said. “Just little things, little mistakes and a good team will come back and beat you.”
After Jason Torres’ team-leading sixth home run, Florida answered with runs in four of the final six frames.
“Tough loss, but we come out here again tomorrow and play again,” Torres said. “I thought we played great – a few other plays here and there, we might win that game.”
The Miami bats went silent late, with 10 straight outs before a pair of hits in the ninth inning but no runs to show for it.
“Offensively we have to do a better job swinging the bat,” Arteaga said. “Things we have to clean up, make plays when we have to make plays.
“Bullpen, lot of young guys, inexperience, they are going to be inconsistent.”
The Gators pushed across two runs in the fourth before socking three solo shots, highlighted by back-to-back blasts in the seventh.
Florida first baseman Jac Caglianone, designated hitter Cade Kurland and catcher Luke Heyman all left the yard in the victory.
Gators right-hander Ryan Slater (1-0) picked up the win, tossing 3 ½ hitless innings in relief of starter Cade Fisher.
Miami hurler Gage Ziehl (0-1), who turned in a quality start, was tagged with the loss. Ziehl held the visitors to three earned runs across six frames, striking out a season-high nine.
“I executed my pitches, they hit some mistakes, stuff happens,” Ziehl said. “Florida is one of our rivals, but you have to treat it as another game.”
The Hurricanes will look to even the rivalry series against Florida Saturday. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
“We are looking for two more wins,” Arteaga said. “Told the guys learn, tomorrow is a brand new day – win Saturday and win the series on Sunday. Every day is a brand new day.”
