Canes baseball takes entertaining series with Wright State

Outfielder Willie Abreu bunts the ball down the third baseline, advancing runners on first and third during Friday night's game against Wright State at Mark Light Field. Victoria McKaba // Staff Photographer
Sophomore Derik Beauprez (No. 34) prepares to release a pitch during Sunday's game against Wright State. Nagashreyasu Chidarala // Contributing Photographer
Sophomore Derik Beauprez (No. 34) prepares to release a pitch during Sunday’s game against Wright State. Nagashreyasu Chidarala // Contributing Photographer

The Miami Hurricanes took two of three games from the Wright State Raiders this weekend, with dramatic walk off victories on Friday and Saturday night.

On Friday, despite a sloppy game from both teams that saw a combined nine errors, Miami found themselves trailing 7-6 in the bottom of the ninth with nobody on base and two outs. After Edgar Micheangeli earned a walk, Garrett Kennedy stepped to the plate, and on a 3-1 count, launched a fastball from Andrew Elliott to right field that was a no-doubter off the bat.

“It was pretty awesome. I was hoping [Elliott] would keep coming with fastballs, that was his scouting report – he was going to come with fastballs and attack people,” Kennedy said to HurricaneSports after the game. “I was hoping I would get one up in the zone. He left one up and I was able to get a good swing on it.”

The hit was the first walk-off home run for the Canes since 2012, against North Carolina. The dramatics would not end there.

The Hurricanes baseball team celebrates catcher Garrett Kennedy's walk-off home run and their win against Wright State Friday night. Lyssa Goldberg // Online Editor
The Hurricanes baseball team celebrates catcher Garrett Kennedy’s walk-off home run and their win against Wright State Friday night. Lyssa Goldberg // Online Editor

Saturday night brought another performance that was anything but sharp for Miami. The Canes committed two errors and left a whopping 13 men on base, and yet again, found themselves down by 1 in the bottom of the ninth, 3-2.

Andrew Elliott, again on the mound in the 9th inning for Wright State, immediately gave up a base hit to Ricky Eusebio, and the Hurricanes quickly loaded the bases. Eusebio scored on a wild pitch, and with the winning run on third, Willie Abreu stepped to the plate.

Despite an 0-4 night up to that point, Abreu stayed disciplined at the plate, working a 10-pitch at bat against Elliott, before finally lacing a hit to left field to score the winning run.

Outfielder Willie Abreu bunts the ball down the third baseline, advancing runners on first and third during Friday night's game against Wright State at Mark Light Field. Victoria McKaba // Staff Photographer
Outfielder Willie Abreu bunts the ball down the third baseline, advancing runners on first and third during Friday night’s game against Wright State at Mark Light Field. Victoria McKaba // Staff Photographer

“I think it’s the definition of The U,” Abreu said about his team’s mentality. “We never stop. We always fight until the end. Until the game’s over, we have a chance. We know that not every day we’re going to come with our best baseball, but at the end of the day, we can fight.”

Sunday, however, the string of good luck would run out for Miami. Despite the Canes jumping out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning, Wright State immediately responded in the second, scoring six runs.

It was part of a 16-hit afternoon for the raiders, who at one point tallied six straight hits. Almost all of Miami pitching struggled, with the exception of walk-on senior Danny Briggi.

Briggi tossed three innings of hitless baseball, striking out four of the nine batters he faced. In five innings of action this season, he has still yet to give up a hit.

Miami will have a notable day on Tuesday, traveling up to Jupiter to take on the Marlins in an exhibition at Roger Dean Stadium.

The Canes will then host FGCU Wednesday evening, before opening up ACC play this weekend on the road at Louisville. All games can be heard on WVUM 90.5 FM.