Miami has now lost three games in a row for the first time this season.
The Miami Hurricanes have now lost three games in a row for the first time in 2022 after a 3-1 loss that opened a weekend series against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Friday night. The Hurricanes will now need to win the next two games of the series to avoid losing two of their last three series against ACC opponents.
Friday night saw a pitcher’s duel in the opening game of the series. Hurricanes starter Carson Palmquist was excellent, working seven innings while allowing just two runs. However, Georgia Tech starting pitcher John Medich was even better, allowing just one run across his outing while striking out six.
Georgia Tech managed to score the first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning after both starting pitchers opened the game with seven combined innings pitched of scoreless baseball. A solo home run from Andrew Jenkins gave GT the first lead of the game.
Miami immediately answered back with a run in the top of the fifth inning to tie the game. Mike Rosario hit a single to set-up the run scoring opportunity, and after Henry Wallen walked, CJ Kayfus hit an RBI-single to tie the game at 1-1.
Unfortunately for the Hurricanes Miami stranded the bases loaded in the sixth and eighth innings, and in the meantime, Georgia Tech took the lead. A solo home run from Kevin Parada, who entered Friday tied for the NCAA lead in home runs, broke the tie in the bottom of the sixth inning.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, immediately after the Hurricanes had stranded the bases loaded for the second time in three innings, the Yellow Jackets added an insurance run. Jadyn Jackson led off the inning with a walk, and advanced to second on a groundout. With Jackson in scoring position Parada hit an RBI-single to extend the lead to two and leave Miami with just three outs to tie the game.
CJ Kayfus led off the top of the ninth inning with a single to give Miami three at-bats with the tying run at the plate, but a flyout and back-to-back strikeouts ended the game and meant the Hurricanes left 12 men on base on Friday night.
The Hurricanes couldn’t find a way to get the key hits they’ve found all season on Friday night, and after a 9-4 loss last Sunday against Pittsburgh and a 12-4 loss against Stetson on Tuesday, Miami enters Saturday’s game against Georgia Tech in their first true losing streak of the season.
Saturday’s game will be one of the most important games of the season for the Hurricanes, with Karson Ligon on the mound against one of the best offensive teams in the country. That offense is led by Kevin Parada, who had the two RBI on Friday night that proved to be the difference in the game. Parada has become one of the best college players in the country, and he showed why in the opening game of the series. Several injuries, especially to pitchers, in the last several weeks have put Parada in the competition to be the first college player selected this summer along with Cal Poly infielder Brooks Lee, Texas Tech third baseman Jace Jung, and LSU OF/DH Jacob Berry.
Miami will hope to tie the series with a win on Saturday afternoon. First pitch of the second game of the series is set for 4:00 p.m., with the game scheduled to be televised on ESPNU.
Game Info
Winning Pitcher: John Medich (4-3, 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 6 K)
Losing Pitcher: Carson Palmquist (6-3, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K)
Save: Zach Maxwell (2)