Taveras hits tie-breaking double in 8th, Miami Hurricanes baseball beats FAU, 5-4
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami baseball team (21-17, 6-9 ACC) secured a late midweek win over the Florida Atlantic Owls Tuesday evening at Mark Light Field by a score of 5-4. A go-ahead double by freshman Evan Taveras in the bottom of the eighth, along with another save by right-hander Brian Walters, led the Hurricanes to victory.
Miami right-hander Alex Giroux (5-1) picked up the win after recording the final two outs of the eighth. Brian Walters closed the door in the ninth with a perfect frame, notching his third save in Miami’s past three games.
Reese Lumpkin, who started the game for Miami, delivered a solid outing as the right-hander allowed only two runs on five hits across seven innings while striking out five. Miami’s bullpen held off a late FAU charge after Will Smith allowed two earned runs in the eighth.
FAU’s Zach Kilby (1-2) was charged with the loss for FAU (24-12, 6-6 AAC) after allowing two earned runs in the eighth without recording an out.
Florida Atlantic opened the game by scoring in the first inning when John Schroeder plated Marshall Lipsey to make the score 1-0. However, the Hurricanes were able to tie the game in the next inning as Tanner Smith reached home on a throwing error by FAU’s Dylan LaPointe.
A pitcher’s duel between Lumpkin and six different FAU pitchers would commence over the next four frames as each side didn’t generate a run until the sixth inning.
In the sixth, senior Dorian Gonzalez Jr. delivered a double down to right field to bring in Max Galvin, who sprinted all the way from first to make the score 2-1, Miami. Gonzalez Jr. was electric at the plate on Tuesday as the second baseman finished the game 2-for-4 with two RBI.
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In the next inning, Jake Ogden registered his fourth home run of the year. The solo home run from the UNC Greensboro transfer would give the Hurricanes an extra boost – moving the score to 3-1 at the end of the seventh.
FAU answered with an offensive surge in the eighth inning, as Brando Leroux ripped an RBI double before Marshall Lipsey followed with a run-scoring triple. John Schroeder capped the rally with a sacrifice fly, giving the Owls a 4-3 lead.
The Hurricanes, poised to earn the midweek win, battled back as Tanner Smith issued a sacrifice fly to bring in Max Galvin – tying the game at four. Evan Taveras, who was brought in to pinch hit for designated hitter Bobby Marsh in the sixth inning, delivered the go-ahead double that brought in Gonzalez Jr.
Right-hander Brian Walters would appear in the top of the ninth to shut down the FAU opposition on eight pitchers for his third-straight save.
Up next for the Hurricanes is a three-game series against No. 14 Georgia Tech at Mark Light Field. The series opener on Friday is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. and can be viewed on ACC Network.
