“It was a very hard-fought win, which is what we expected it to be,” head coach Manny Diaz said. “We had talked all week about how strong our culture was, even on the backs of some of these losses to start the season. If we trusted in [the culture] and continued to nurture it, the results would start to come. This game was a testament to that because we knew that it was going to be a game where persistence and being relentless was going to be the key.”
“Obviously, it was our fourth game of the season, and tonight was our second win and probably our fourth-best performance of the four we’ve had so far,” head coach Manny Diaz said. “With all that being said, the only thing that we could accomplish today was beating Central Michigan, which, after the course of 60 minutes, when everything was added up, that’s what we got done.”
“There are a lot of happy faces in that locker room and a lot of guys that have worked very, very hard for this feeling and for this day,” Diaz said. “The game went about as we thought it would.”
The University of Miami baseball team will be holding walk-on tryouts at 5 p.m. Sept. 19 at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.
“Everybody in that locker room feels the pain of that right now,’’ Diaz said. “We did not come here to play with courage and effort. We came here to win the game and it’s not okay at the University of Miami ever to lose to the University of Florida.”
The “Mark Light Mob” barked at Florida International University pitcher Will Saxton for one more walk and the southpaw delivered. With the bases loaded and one out, Saxton issued a free pass to Hurricanes outfielder Tony Jenkins, opening the floodgates in the fourth inning. No. 24 Miami used a seven-run frame to roar past crosstown…
“I probably learned more about myself then, than I have ever,” Prather said. “It made me appreciate the game more.”
“I wouldn’t say it was rock bottom, but it’s very gritty,” Van Belle said. “You can’t take anything for granted. My freshman year, I will never forget every day before practice. We had to pick 12 weeds out in the outfield before the day started. You had to fix the mound yourself. Nothing is done for you.”
“I’m used to playing with a bandana,” Achong said. “It’s a habit. I’ve always played with a bandana since I was 12 years old.”
“We fight,” sophomore guard Mykea Gray said, who led UM with 19 points. “That’s one thing I can say about our team. No matter how down we are at the moment, we always find a way to bounce back.”
“Our starting pitching is our strength, no doubt” DiMare said. “But if we can find a way to score some runs, which has been our bug-a-boo the last two years, we’ll win our share of games.”
“I was advised of the NCAA’s decision about my eligibility and am very disappointed with the outcome. I do not believe that the NCAA treated me fairly, and it is with a heavy heart that I have decided to withdraw from the University of Miami to prepare for the 2019 NBA Draft,” Hernandez said via Twitter.