Fresh off the momentum of a crucial double play, the Miami bats reignited in the following frame. After two quick strikeouts, freshman Michael Torres extended the inning with a single. Torres advanced to second on a passed ball, and Jake Ogden came through with an RBI double to right-center, scoring Torres and giving the Hurricanes a 2-1 lead.
After Miami found themselves back in the driver’s seat, Josh Och entered in relief of starter Matt Adams. Max Galvin followed with an RBI single to center on an 0-2 pitch, bringing home Ogden and extending Miami’s lead to 3-1.
Smith kept the Golden Eagles in check with a 1-2-3 inning in the fifth, recording a pair of strikeouts to maintain the Hurricanes’ lead. Then, Miami added much-needed insurance in the sixth.
Senior Dorian Gonzalez Jr. started the frame with a no-doubt solo home run to right field, pushing the score to 4-1 as Southern Miss went back to their bullpen for answers.
Kros Sivley took over on the mound for Och following Gonzalez Jr.’s eleventh home run of the season, but Miami wasn’t done just yet.
Derek Williams drew a walk, and Renzo Gonzalez followed with a bunt single back to the mound, putting two runners on with no outs. Then, Tanner Smith executed a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners into scoring position.
After Fabio Peralta went down on strikes, Torres used his speed to beat out an infield single to short, scoring Williams and extending Miami’s lead to 5-1.
But Southern Miss showed resilience, chipping away at the Hurricanes’ lead with an RBI single from Tucker Stockman in the seventh to make it 5-2. In the bottom of the ninth, Carson Paetow launched a two-run homer, cutting the deficit to one and putting immense pressure on Miami closer Brian Walters.
The right-hander remained composed, inducing a game-ending pop-up to left field that sealed the win—and ignited a celebratory dogpile in the same spot where Walters had made history.
“I’ve said all along that this is a special group,” head coach JD Arteaga said. “You know, I told the team this game rewards teams that do things the right way, and play hard, with confidence and courage — and that’s this team to the core… You know, this guy — referencing Derek Williams — for five weeks, he’s been out. I told you guys that’s a big piece of our lineup, an important guy, not just offensively, but on the bases. I felt that he got us going with a solo home run early, man. I love this team,…
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