Hurricanes Head to Gainesville Regional With Omaha Hopes

Don’t blink now, but it’s been a decade since the Miami Hurricanes made a College World Series appearance. That’s the longest drought since the team first went to Omaha back in 1974. To say it’s been a minute might putting it mildly.

UM learned the roadblocks put in front of it this year on Monday afternoon. The Canes are the No. 2 seed in the Gainesville regional. No. 8 national seed Florida (the top seed), No. 3 seed Troy (32-29) and No. 4 seed Rider (33-18) will need to be defeated for Miami to move on to Super Regionals vs. the winner of Southern Miss’s Hattiesburg bracket.

ANALYSIS: Breaking Down Miami’s Gainesville Regional Opponents

The Canes play Friday at 6 p.m., with Game 1 of the regional at 1 p.m.

Miami lost its only two meetings with UF Feb. 27-28, 7-2 and 8-4. UM last was in the Gainesville Regional in 2021 but never faced UF that year and did not advance. The hope is this time will be different.

“It’s a great opportunity,” coach J.D. Arteaga said. “A new season, everyone starts 0-0. This is what you play for … We have an opportunity to stay in-state and go to Gainesville, and Troy is our No. 1 objective right now, trying to get that Game 1 and get to the winner’s bracket game on Saturday. We’re excited and ready to go.”

It’s been an up-and-down season to this point for Miami, which has a 38-18 record (16-14 ACC) coming off the ACC Tournament. In particular issues that have cost Miami at various points are errors and spotty relief pitching.

“When we play good, clean baseball, don’t make errors we are a really good team, a tough team to beat and we can beat anybody in the country,” Arteaga said. “When we don’t (play well) we are not very good. But the same can be said of anybody.”

The team’s been led at the plate by Derek Williams (.376, 15 HRs), Alex Sosa (.332, 17 HRs), Dylan Dubovik (.325, 7 HRs), Jake Ogden (.305, 5 HRs) and Alonzo Alvarez (.323, 6 HRs). Gabriel Milano is also hitting .333 with four homers filling in for injured star 3B Daniel Cuvet.

“It’s pretty cool to stay in Florida,” Sosa said. “It’s a regional, you only get two chances to lose. Planning to go 3-0 in an ideal world. We are really focused on Troy. Right now all we’re thinking about is Troy.”

Williams adds, “Just ready to go. It’s my senior year, so ready to go play in the playoffs and get back at Florida from earlier in the year. Playoff baseball is like a whole new season. Excited to do what we did last year (making it to Supers), go win a regional and keep going. … We can’t gets stuck in the moment with the fans and the hostile environment, trying to do too much. (The key is) playing our brand of baseball, doing what we do and be disciplined to the game plan, take it to the game, execute and we’ll be perfectly fine.”

As for an update on Cuvet (.305,12 HRs), who has missed the latter part of the season and the ACC Tournament with a stress fracture in his back?

“He’s still swinging the bat, you probably won’t see him this week,” Arteaga said. “But he’s progressing slowly. The longer we play the more chance we have of all seeing him play. It’s a slow progression with the type of injury he has.”

On the mound UM’s paced by starting pitchers Rob Evans (10-3, 3.16 ERA), Lazaro Collera (4-3, 4.95 ERA) and AJ Ciscar (5-4, 4.44 ERA).

“It’s an opportunity we can get back at them for earlier in the year,” Ciscar said. “We’ve been in that environment, know what it’s going to be like and are ready to get to work.”

Closer Lyndon Glidwell has 5 saves and a 3-0 record with a 4.04 ERA. Middle relief has been a recurring issue all season for this team, with former closer Ryan Bilka (2-1, 4.85 ERA, 24 appearances), Jake Dorn (5-1, 5.14 ERA, 28 appearances) and Jack Durso (0-1, 5.63 ERA, 22 appearances) inconsistent.

“I think it’s pretty cool (to be in regionals) – for the work we put in, it was expected,” Evans said. “No surprises there. Just another stepping stone to where we want to be. … everybody on this team is ready for the challenge. Face Troy on Friday, we have to be ready for it.”

As for Evans’ thoughts on the Gators?

“(Florida) is a great team, but not worried about them,” he said. “I’ll be worried about Troy if I get the ball. If I don’t get the ball then I’ll be worried about whoever is next. Florida is a great team, but they are not in my eyes right now. No need to worry about them (since UM isn’t playing them yet).”

Arteaga said he’s unsure who will start on the mound for Miami in Game 1 of regionals.

“Have to look at the left/right splits and situations, stuff like that,” Arteaga said. “Both Evans and Ciscar pitched really well against Florida the first time around. But Troy is a good team. A lot of lefthanders in their lineup, seven of the top 10 hitters are lefthanded. We’ll see who we go with first.”

If Miami takes Game 1, the likelihood is the team will match up with the Gators in Game 2.

“We played them so long ago, we’re a different team than we were back in February (when UM faced UF), as they are as well,” Arteaga said. “We are familiar with the field, the stadium, go there every other year. At this point it doesn’t matter who you play. I learned a long time ago you don’t wish to play somebody or not to play somebody. Whoever they put in front of you, strap it on and play.”