Miami eliminated in the semi-finals by Georgia Tech 9-3

David was slain by Goliath as the Yellow Jackets put the Big Sting on the Canes 9-3 in the semi-final game at Charlotte. Miami was never in the game as Tech stuck early with seven uncontested runs before Vance’s Sheahan double in the 6th got Miami on the board. The Georgia Tech arsenal, top to bottom in their lineup, is loaded with talent, with no one batting below .300 and two players over .400. Tech put runs on the board 6 of the 8 innings at bat with twisted numbers in the first, third, and fourth. Six of the Yellow Jackets’ eleven hits were for extra bases (2 doubles, a triple, and 3 home runs) compared to Miami’s lone double among their nine hits, along with Miami’s three errors, which was the difference in Miami going home and Georgia Tech advancing to Championship Sunday.

AJ Ciscar’s day started off great, striking out the first two batters he faced. Then the Big Guns of Advincula, Lackey, and Zuckerman exploded with a double, a home run, and a second double, scoring two runs and marking the beginning of the end for AJ Ciscar. AJ would not get beyond the 4th inning, giving up six runs before his day ended, as did Miami’s chances for a Miami showdown with the winner of the Pitt/NC game.

Tech went yard again in the third and fourth innings off Ryan Zuckerman’s bat, as the Jackets extended their lead to 6-0. Each of the extra runs came from Miami’s defense doing what they do best: errors. Vance Sheahan committed his umpteenth error of the season, setting up Zuckerman’s first HR. Without Gabriel Milano’s double pump to first, it would have been an out. His double pump and lack of arm strength are areas that need work. His lack of defensive play is why DeGoti is brought in during the late innings. The left side of the infield is going to need an overhaul next season. I never liked the decision to start Sheahan over Ogden at short, but that is a whole different story.

In the fifth inning, Tech added another run on a wild pitch from Ryan Bilka, allowing Alex Hernandez to score from third. Miami responded in the sixth with two runs. Alonza Alvarez drew a one-out walk and moved to second on a Dubovik single. Vance then hit a double down the left field line, bringing Alvarez home, while Dubovik advanced to third. A wild pitch subsequently scored Dylan, reducing the lead to 7-2.

It didn’t take long for the Jackets to respond, scoring a run in the bottom half of the inning, aided once again by a defensive error. They added another run in the seventh inning on a one-out triple by Carson Kerth, who then scored on a wild pitch by Erick Peralta.

With the score at 9-2, Miami ensured they left Charlotte with another run on the board. The Miami bats came alive as Sosa and Alvarez opened with consecutive singles. With runners on the corners, Milano delivered a sacrifice fly to left field, allowing Sosa and Miami to cross the plate for the final time at Charlotte.

Although Miami managed nine hits, only one was for extra bases—a double by Vance Sheahan. Small ball rarely wins games, especially for Miami, because advancing runners is difficult. They finished just 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Georgia Tech showcased its power, scoring six of its nine runs on three home runs. Alonzo Alvarez continued his strong performance in Charlotte, going 3-3 at the plate. Dylan Dubovik was the only other player with multiple hits, going 2-for-4.

The season is not yet over for the Canes, as they await word on where they will head for Regional play. They will find out where they are headed on Monday at noon.