Miami rallies in ninth, but its misery against No. 1 Gators continues in season opener
No. 1 Florida Gators baseball still owns the Miami Hurricanes — unless the Canes prove otherwise Saturday and Sunday.
In the first game played at the Gators’ new $65 million Florida Ballpark in Gainesville, Florida erased a 1-1 tie with three runs in the fifth inning and escaped a four-run, ninth-inning UM rally for an eventual 7-5 season-opening victory.
It was Florida’s sixth consecutive victory over Miami and its 16th win in the past 19 games between the programs. The Gators, who were 16-1 in last year’s pandemic-shortened season, were ranked No. 1 in all six college preseason polls. The Hurricanes were ranked as high as No. 6 by Collegiate Baseball and as low as No. 21 by D1Baseball.com.
UF starter Tommy Mace threw 90 pitches in five innings, striking out eight Canes and allowing one earned run on three hits for the victory. Reliever Christian Scott allowed no hits and two walks in his three innings, before freshman Chase Centala gave up a hit to Yohandy Morales and walked two to load the bases in the ninth with no outs.
In came UF reliever Ben Specht and Miami redshirt junior Christian Del Castillo then doubled home pinch-runner CJ Kayfus and Morales to make it 7-3. Tony Jenkins’ sacrifice fly brought home Jared Thomas as UM cut the lead to 7-4.
With one out and runners on the corners, the Gators brought in 6-6 right-handed junior Franco Aleman, who got JP Gates to fly out to left field, scoring Del Castillo and making it 7-5. Anthony Vilar flied out to end the game.
Offensively, the Gators were led by second-year freshman Nathan Hickey, who hit a first-inning solo home run to right field and added a 2-RBI double.
Miami starter Daniel Federman, last year’s closer, allowed four earned runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings for the loss.
After Hickey’s homer, the Hurricanes tied it at 1 in their next at-bat on an RBI-single by Del Castillo (2 for 3 with 3 RBI), a Seton Hall transfer and the older brother of UM star catcher Adrian. Freshman Morales, who opened the inning with a double, scored the run.
It appeared UM would end the inning leading 2-1 when Alex Toral seemed to reach home plate before the elder Del Castillo was tagged out at third for the final out. But umpires reviewed the play and confirmed their initial out call.
Toral was at the center of another Canes disappointment in the third inning as he struck out looking with bases loaded after beginning with a 3-0 count.
The second game of the series begins at 1 p.m. Saturday and will be aired on SEC Network+, which can be accessed through WatchEspn.
This story was originally published February 19, 2021 at 9:07 PM.
