Miami star Morales pounds three homers to lead Canes to comeback win in regional opener

A little bit deluge by no means intimidated Yohandy Morales.

Miami baseball not solely survived a storm that pounded South Florida with torrential rain, 30-mile-an-hour gusts and loads of flooding, it additionally survived a tiny, non-public Jesuit College from Buffalo, N.Y. on Saturday night time with a come-from-behind 11-6 victory over Canisius Faculty within the Coral Gables Regional opener.

Led by Yohandy Morales’ three house runs and 5-RBI night time, the No. 6 nationwide seed Hurricanes overcame an early 4-1 deficit to advance to the winners’ bracket of the double-elimination event that was postponed a day due to the climate deluge.

“Spectacular,’’ UM coach Gino DiMare understated, when requested to make use of one phrase to explain third baseman Morales’ offensive efficiency. “Superb,’’ Morales answered, ratcheting it up a notch.

“Two phrases: not stunned,’’ stated Jacob Burke, who additionally had an impressive night time on the plate.

UM (40-18) will meet the winner of Saturday’s late sport between No. 2 seed Arizona and No. 3 seed Ole Miss on Sunday at about 3:06 p.m. — or 55 minutes after the 11 a.m. Sunday elimination sport between No. 4 seed Canisius (29-24) and the loser of the late Saturday sport. A 3rd sport between the loser of the 11 a.m. sport and UM’s sport will play at 7 p.m. All of the video games are broadcast on ESPN+.

Morales’ three-homer feat at Mark Gentle Discipline for a team-leading 17 marked the primary time a Miami participant has hit three house runs in a single sport since David Thompson did it in 2015. He turned the fourth Cane all-time with three house runs in a postseason sport.

His first house run to proper area within the first inning reduce the Canisius result in 2-1. His second house run, a two-run blast to heart that scored CJ Kayfus (single), reduce the deficit to 4-3. Two batters later, Jacob Burke’s homer to heart tied it at 4-4. Morales’ third homer, once more to heart, scored Kayfus (single) within the seventh, adopted by Dorian Gonzalez’s 2-RBI single for a four-run body that gave UM an 8-4 cushion, made even cushier with three unearned runs within the eighth.

Grifs coach Matt Mazurek stated he thought of deliberately strolling Morales after his first couple of homers, however determined in any other case. “We struggle by the adage if you wish to be the very best you gotta beat the very best… We don’t again down from these challenges.’’

Canes ace nearer Matt Walters changed reliever Alex McFarlane with one out within the eighth to ultimately earn his 14th save. Proper-handed freshman reliever Gage Ziehl (2-2, 3.86 ERA), the fourth of six UM pitchers Saturday, allowed one hit in two innings for the victory.

Canisius reliever Tom Peltier allowed 4 earned runs on three hits and a stroll in solely a 3rd of an inning to take the loss.

“Canisius is an efficient staff,’’ DiMare stated. “That’s a veteran staff — battled. Very, very assured staff. They gave us all we might deal with. They jumped out early on us and I used to be blissful to see our guys come again. Clearly Yoyo had an unbelievable sport, however we additionally received some [other] massive hits. And we had insurance coverage runs that have been big late within the sport.’’

UM’s right-handed freshman starter Karson Ligon, who got here into the sport with three consecutive losses, was instantly pummeled by the Grifs. Ligon allowed 4 earned runs on six hits in his 1 1/3 innings earlier than being changed by Ronaldo Gallo.

The UM sport initially was scheduled for midday Friday after which rescheduled for 10 a.m. Friday and once more for midday Saturday. The tarp was faraway from the sphere by 2 p.m. Saturday — then put again on the sphere earlier than 5 p.m. Lastly, at 5:30 p.m., postseason baseball started for the Hurricanes.

The weekend’s double-elimination occasion is one in all 16 four-team regionals across the nation, with every winner advancing to eight tremendous regionals June 10-13. The eight tremendous regional winners earn berths within the Faculty World Collection in Omaha, Nebraska.

As a result of the Hurricanes earned one of many prime eight seeds within the event, ought to Miami win its regional, it might host the best-of-three-game tremendous regional. UM’s opponent could be the winner of the Hattiesburg, Mississippi, regional that features No. 11 nationwide seed host/No. 1 regional seed Southern Mississippi (43-16), No. 2 regional seed LSU (38-20), No. 3 regional seed Kennesaw State (35-26) and No. 4 regional seed Military (31-23).

Because the video games in UM’s regional go additional into the week, that might clearly take a toll on the successful pitching workers for the tremendous regional.

This story was initially printed June 4, 2022 9:09 PM.