Baseball Report, Football Recruit, and Women’s NCAA Champion

BASEBALL— Hurricane Baseball’s long-shot chances for an NCAA Tournament bid continued against second-seeded Clemson on Thursday, May 23rd. Gage Ziehl (5-3) was excellent on the mound, going six innings while surrendering only two earned runs. Miami’s bats were alive from the get-go. In the first, Daniel Cuvet singled and Dorian Gonzalez doubled him home for a 1-0 lead.

Clemson went up 2-1 in their half of the second, but the Canes responded immediately. Carlos Perez led off the bottom of the frame with a single, Lorenzo Carrier, up next, doubled, and Antonio Jimenez took the next pitch over the right-centerfield wall for a 4-2 lead, with no outs. Jacoby Long reached on a throwing error, Edgardo Villegas walked and Cuvet doubled them both home, for a 6-2 lead after two. It was 7-3 after six, and Nick Roberts took the ball from Ziehl, but could not hold the Tigers down. Roberts gave up a double to the first batter he faced, threw a wild pitch to let the runner advance, and it was 7-4 after a ground out drove the Clemson runner home. Robert’s eighth was worse, he gave up a triple, then consecutive RBI doubles, and it was 7-6.

Myles Caba came on and put out the fire with a fielder's choice out a third, a pop-up, and a strikeout. Jake Kulikowski led off Miami’s eighth as a pinch-hitter for Carrier and hit the first pitch deep into the right-field bleachers for a two-run advantage. The Canes needed that run, as Clemson led off the ninth with a HR to get within one. After a walk, Caba got the next two outs, before the Tiger’s Jacob Hinderleider drove a 1-1 pitch that headed over the left field wall, but Villegas leaped over the fence, brought the ball back, and Miami was off to a semifinal game against Duke.

The Canes and the Blue Devils were scoreless through three frames and Miami took a 2-0 lead in the fourth when Cuvet followed a Villegas walk with his 24th HR of the season. Cuvet now holds the UM all-time freshman season HR record. Duke got within one in the fifth on a single and three walks. The Devils tied it 2-2 in the 7th on a single, double, and sac fly. Miami’s bullpen imploded in the 8th. Two walks, three singles, two Home Runs and an error led to six Duke runs, an 8-2 lead, and no air left in Miami’s balloon.

It’s been a very tough season for Hurricane baseball, but they fought to the bitter end, and the players deserve some credit for that. This was the first losing season in 65 years. The coaching staff must do better. The Canes need pitchers that are ready to compete at the highest collegiate level, and they need them now. Nearly every one of Hurricane Nation would agree with a one-word assessment of this season, “Unacceptable!"

WOMEN’S TENNIS— Redshirt Junior Alexa Noel is bringing the NCAA Singles Championship Trophy back to the Miami campus after winning six elimination matches, which included a semifinal over the #1 Mary Stoiana of Texas A&M (6-3, 6-2) and a comeback three-setter against Georgia’s Anastasiia Lopata (4-6, 7-5, 6-3) in the final.

“I’m so proud of the tournament that Alexa played,” said head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews. “She showed uncompromising poise and the toughness of a champion. She’s a special young lady.”

Lopata took an early lead in the first set, then Noel fought back to knot it at 4-4. Lopata rebounded and continued her stellar play, taking the final two games for a 6-4 set win. Set two had a similar start, with the Bulldog taking a 2-0 lead. Noel, again, came back, tying it at 3-3. It was 5-5 when Noel went up 6-5 on a break point. The pride of the Canes then held serve for a 7-5 second set win to even the match.

Noel took control of the match in the third set. Alexa broke serve twice, for a 5-2 lead, before Lopata broke back for 5-3. Noel answered, outlasting Lopata on a 31-ball rally and the comeback was complete. Kudos to Noel for getting stronger, and the match went on as she took 12 of the last 17 games in the sweltering Stillwater, Oklahoma heat. Noel said, “I just believed in myself that if this was going to go three sets, I could outlast anybody in the country.”

FOOTBALL— Head coach Mario Cristobal has done it again. Miami felt they were a little short in the defensive line room and went big game hunting. Edge rusher Tyler Baron, 6’5” and 260 lb., played four years at Tennessee. There was an intense battle between USC, LSU, Louisville, Ole Miss, and Miami to secure his services in his last season of eligibility. Baron played all of 2023 at Tennessee, committed to Ole Miss in January ’24, then de-committed, signed with, and played 2024 spring practice with Louisville. Last week, he re-entered the portal and signed with the Hurricanes. This is a big-time addition. Baron is projected to be an early to mid-round pick in next year's NFL draft. Miami now has the #6 overall 2024 rank. That includes both HS and transfer additions.

That’s all for this week. There will be no more on-field reports until the fall, as all sports are done for the year. Canes Corner will provide periodic updates as major news comes down the pipe. Weekly football coverage will commence in early August, leading up to the Canes opener in Gainesville against UF on August 31st at 3:30 pm. ABC will televise nationally. Be well all, Go Canes!