A day after sweeping the Duke Blue Devils for the first back-to-back conference sweeps since 2018, the Hurricanes surged in the rankings, landing at No. 8 from a previous ranking at No. 17.
On Tuesday night they handily defeated Florida Gulf Coast University 5-2 at home in what is the first of a five-game home stand this week.
“It worked out the way we wanted it to,” Miami head coach Gino DiMare said. “We were hoping to get three innings from [Jordan] Dubberly and he ended up throwing four, which was great. He was throwing strikes, getting ahead of hitters. He looked really good. All the guys behind him threw outstanding.”
Starter Jordan Dubberly pitched four innings, gave up three hits and two runs while striking out five. After Dubberly, the Hurricanes pitched five different pitchers for each of the remaining innings of the game.
“Most of my pitches were working pretty well, so I was trying to do a good job of locating,” Dubberly said. “The job stays the same, whether you’re out of the bullpen or you’re starting the game. I kept going right after them.”
Although the Eagles jumped on the scoreboard first with a sacrifice RBI, the Hurricanes scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI single hit by catcher Maxwell Romero Jr. and a fielding error that allowed third baseman Yohandy Morales to score.
The Hurricanes tacked on their third run in the bottom of the second inning after Edgardo Villegas hit an RBI to drive in Gaby Gutierrez.
In the top of the fourth FGCU launched a solo home run down the left field line to lessen Miami’s lead at 3-2.
But Miami added padding to their lead in the bottom of the sixth with a run singled in by Villegas and in the bottom of the eighth on a sacrifice fly RBI hit by first baseman CJ Kayfus.
“When a team scores, you want to answer right back,” DiMare said. “It was a good job of answering and then our pitchers holding them to a zero the next inning.”
FGCU pulled their starting pitcher Tyler Tipton in the bottom of the fourth inning. The right-hander gave up five hits and three runs.
UM stud closer Andrew Walters closed out the top of the ninth by striking out all three batters.
The Canes will play FIU at home Wednesday night before preparing to welcome the No. 3 Virginia Cavaliers for a three-game series this weekend.