Hurricanes stay alive with win over Southern to advance in NCAA Tournament

Sunday afternoon could provide an opportunity for atonement.

The Miami Hurricanes baseball team on Saturday scored four first-inning runs and cruised to a 12-2 win over fourth-seeded Southern, which was eliminated from the Starkville regional. Southern avoided a shutout with two runs in the ninth.

Second-seeded Miami (40-19) stayed alive in the double-elimination tournament after losing to the third-seeded Central Michigan Chippewas 6-5 late Friday night. It was the 19th consecutive win for Central Michigan, a school record.

The Chippewas played top-seeded, fifth-ranked and host Mississippi State late Saturday night. If the seedings hold, Miami would get another crack at Central Michigan on Sunday.

“I’d like a shot at any of the two teams,” Canes first baseman Alex Toral said when asked about potential revenge against Central Michigan. “Whatever it takes for us to keep going in the playoffs.”

That’s a professional answer from the Canes’ lefty-swinging slugger, who has 22 homers this year, which was tied for sixth in the nation at the start of the postseason.

But, political correctness aside, no one would blame the Canes players for being salty after getting knocked off by the Chippewas, a “just-have-fun” team that does some unusual things.

The Chippewas, for example, don’t just cheer their teammates after base hits. They cheer them after well-struck outs. They also have special chants they repeat in the dugout, comparing themselves to a softball team. And one of their relievers wears a Yoda mask in the dugout during rallies.

Said Chippewas first baseman Evan Kratt: “We embrace being weird.”

A big part of Friday’s game was a four-run fifth inning that gave the Chippewas a 5-4 lead. And one of the biggest oddities in that inning happened when Chippewas right fielder David Cole was hit by a pitch with two outs and a 1-2 count. Had Cole struck out, the Chippewas would have exited the inning trailing 4-2.

Instead, Cole kept the inning alive, and Kratt’s three-run double to left gave Central Michigan a 5-4 lead.

Cole, for his part, acted strangely after getting hit in the back by a Slade Cecconi pitch. Cole writhed in pain for a few seconds and then got up and sprinted to first as if he were Usain Bolt.

“Initially, when I got hit, I thought I died,” Cole said as the media roared. “There might actually be a hole in my back.

“But after about four or five seconds, I realized it wasn’t that bad. I sprinted [to first] for the team because doing that gives us a lot of energy.”

Miami right fielder Adrian Del Castillo, who has been brilliant in this regional (5 for 8 with seven RBI, three walks, two homers and two doubles) was asked about Cole’s theatrics.

“It was a little bit weird,” Del Castillo said. “I’ve never seen that. … I don’t know what to say.”

Cole then won the game with his two-out single in the ninth, leaving Miami to battle back through the losers’ bracket on Saturday against Southern.

Miami coach Gino DiMare was asked about Central Michigan’s energy.

“We play with energy, too,” DiMare said. “We just show it differently. That’s the way they play. We knew that coming in, but we can’t pay attention to that. You speak with how you play on the field.”

Miami, made famous by its football swagger, could get another shot at the energetic Chippewas on Sunday. If Miami wins the afternoon game, they will play again Sunday night. If things go well from a Miami perspective, the Canes will face both Central Michigan and Mississippi State on Sunday.

▪ Canes backup outfielder Chet Moore, who is from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, got in Saturday’s game and went 1 for 2 with a single. His family was in the stands to see him play, and his teammates were also thrilled.“That was the biggest cheer of the day,” DiMare said. “You are always feel good for players like Chet who work their tails off.”

▪ After all five of Miami’s runs on Friday were scored by virtue of home runs, the Canes scored 12 without the long ball on Saturday. Miami had 13 walks, nine singles and four doubles.

This story was originally published June 1, 2019 at 7:25 PM.