Hot at the Right Time: Miami Hurricanes vs. Louisville Super Regional Showdown Preview

The Miami Hurricanes are in Super Regionals for the first time since 2016, which also was the last time the program made a College World Series appearance. The only thing standing in UM’s way now? Louisville.

Miami will play its best-of-three series on the road against the Cardinals, which advanced as a No. 2 seed in the regional bracket at No. 1 overall seed Vanderbilt.

Two wins. That’s all it will take for Miami coach J.D. Arteaga to complete a stunning turnaround after last year’s team finished 27-30 … the first losing record at Miami since 1957. It’s also worth noting that this year’s started with a 16-16 record before finding its groove for a while before fading down the stretch with losses in six of the final seven regular season games before heating up at regionals.

Getting hot at the right time is all that matters, right? And now the Canes will look to stay hot this weekend.

Another team that faded down the stretch and got hot at regionals?

That’s Louisville.

The team finished 38-21 on the season but was a very average 15-15 in ACC play. And, like Miami, Louisville lost six of its final seven games heading into regionals. An early eight-game win streak and midseason six-game win streak is what carried the Cardinals into the postseason.

If Louisville follows its regular season formula, then Miami will face Friday night starting pitcher Ethan Eberle (freshman lefty pitcher, 6-2, 4.42 ERA, 50 strikeouts in 53 innings, .250 batting average against) followed by Tucker Biven (3-0, 4.37 ERA, four starts after originally being in the bullpen and has four saves; 31 strikeouts in 31 innings and .252 batting average against) and then Patrick Forbes (3-2, 4.62 ERA, 98 strikeouts in 60.1 innings, .211 batting average against). In regionals the team used Forbes in Game 1, Biven in Game 2 and Eberle in its Game 3 title win.

Louisville relies on a a couple of key arms in the bullpen – Jake Schweitzer (3-2, 2.34 ERA, 3 saves) and Wyatt Danilowicz (0-1, 2.35 ERA, 3 saves). Overall the team has a 5.48 ERA, so Miami should have plenty of opportunities to put some runs on the board.

It’s Louisville’s hitting that’s sparked the team – opponents have a 7.81 ERA, and the team has a .306 batting average with 77 home runs. The team scored 17 runs in its three regional games.

By comparison, UM has a 5.12 ERA and opponents have a 5.88 ERA (and UM’s hit 76 home runs).

The most dangerous hitters that Miami’s pitchers need to deal with carefully? Well, six starters are batting over .300, and the team’s home run leader Tague Davis hits .281 but has knocked 18 balls out of the park.

Lucas Moore leads Louisville with a .366 batting average as the leadoff guy (5 home runs, team high 82 runs scored and 48 stolen bases), cleanup hitter Eddie King Jr. bats .348 (15 home runs, 56 RBI), Jake Munroe has a .338 average (9 home runs), No. 3 batter Zion Rose hits .320 (12 home runs, 30 stolen bases), Alex Alicea .316 (1 HR, 46 runs scored, 30 stolen bases) and Garret Pike .301 (3 HRs).

Louisville last reached regionals and super regionals in 2022 and its last College World Series appearance was in 2019.

As Card Chronicle wrote about this team after it advanced to Super Regionals, “The fact that the Cardinals won three games in three days despite some serious base-running and fielding errors, and without getting a complete explosion from its lethal offense is incredibly impressive. And, if we’re being honest, surprising. Major credit to Roger Williams and his fellas for showing up and having an unbelievable weekend.”

Miami’s formula for success will be to do all the little things right … and getting consistent outs against the potent Louisville bats.

Do that and Omaha awaits.

SUPER REGIONAL SCHEDULE

The NCAA Louisville Super Regional begins Friday, June 6, with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Game two will be held Saturday, June 7, at 11 a.m. ET and will air on ESPN. If necessary, game three will be played Sunday, June 8, with game time and TV to be determined.