Monday Musings: Miami baseball burning red hot, cooks the Wolfpack in huge series win

IIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTT’SSSSSSSSSSSS MONDAY!!!

And you wonderful individuals know just what that means. With Canes spring football and the NFL Draft behind us, and rookie minicamps mostly yet to start, Miami baseball takes center stage, and boy, how they have turned things around over the last month-plus.

So, without further ado, let’s get into it.

1) That was exactly the kind of statement the Miami Hurricanes needed to make to the powers that be over the weekend.

Miami, as many are starting to figure out, are getting hot at the right time of year. In fact, they’ve been as hot as any team in the country, winning 10 straight ACC games after a revolting 4-9 start in ACC play.

But some had questioned if it was a smoke and mirrors situation. Whether the Canes had beaten anybody good. Well, they certainly have now after taking the series from a ranked NC State at home over the weekend. Miami took the first two games on Friday and Saturday and had a lead early in Sunday’s finale, but it was rained out. As such, Miami had to settle for the mini-sweep instead of the full one.

2) Miami took the opener on Friday night in a thrilling fashion 6-4, but one that was highlighted by one of the rarest plays you’ll see in baseball.

A steal of home plate! Yes, it actually happened. Jake Ogden was on third base, and he took advantage of State’s left-handed pitcher being slow through his pre-pitch process. By the time the pitcher even began any kind of motion towards home plate, Ogden was already way over halfway to the plate, and he slid across in what wasn’t even a close play. Usually, those attempts are almost always close, but this was as much of a one-sided steal of home as you’ll ever see.

Anyways, it turned out to be a huge moment in the game and the series, as it gave Miami the fifth run they would need to take the opener, not to mention electrify the dugout to start off the series. And it made Sportscenter’s top 10 plays, so that’s pretty cool, too.

3) Daniel Cuvet has turned into that otherworldly hitter that every streaking team needs to carry them.

He slugged two 2-run home runs on Friday and knocked in a fifth RBI in another at bat. He also went 3 for 3 from the plate on Saturday in the Canes’ 10-3 shellacking of the Wolfpack. He has multiple hits in 4 straight games and hits in 14 of his last 16 games. While he’s not quite on pace to repeat his 24 home run season last year, he will greatly eclipse his 75 RBIs, as he has 69 at this point.

As long as Cuvet continues to mash the ball, the Canes are going to be tough to beat.

4) But man, how the pitching has showed up and showed out lately.

Check this out. Since the Canes last lost an ACC game on Friday, April 11 to Duke 13-3, the Canes have allowed the following number of runs in their next 10 ACC games (all wins): 4,6,2,2,2,1,4,2,4,3. That is absolutely wild. The twos came in a weekend sweep of then-ranked Georgia Tech.

5) The Canes are now just one game back of first place in ACC play.

Miami currently sits in fifth place at 14-9, but there’s a logjam of teams within a game right above them. FSU leads the ACC at 14-7 and NC State is right there with them at 15-8. In other words, a path to the top of the ACC is right there for the Hurricanes, words I never thought I’d write a month ago. With a road trip to Virginia followed by a home series finale against lowly Notre Dame, the Canes really could keep this run going here.

Go Canes!