Miami Stamps Its Ticket To First Super Regional Since 2016

For the first four innings, it was a game of inches. Every little detail of baseball was on display and highlighted by the Miami Hurricanes' defense and the outstanding pitching from Southern Miss’ Matthew Adams. 

But after a while, someone had to bite the bullet. It started first for the Golden Eagles. The Hurricanes' offense had been a question mark for some time, but the return of Derek Williams added the juice the team needed. He opened the scoring of the game with a solo home run that kick-started the day for the Canes.

Williams had missed five weeks of play with a hand injury but was inserted back into the lineup at the start of the Hattiesburg Regional. He's not at 100 percent, but he had enough to give the Hurricanes a chance to do something, and he did.

“It felt really good,” Williams said. "The trainers and coaching staff have been there beside my side the entire time. There were a few dark moments along the journey, not being able to play and stuff, but the coaching staff and J.D., mainly being there beside my side, pushed me through, being there for me and keeping me confident. It felt really good to do that for my team, and I'm excited about it."

The Hurricanes went out to have a great fifth and sixth innings were highlighted by a monster bomb from Dorian Gonzalez Jr., arguably the MVP of the Canes this weekend, extending the lead, giving the Canes a 5-2 lead.

The Hurricanes had many close calls, but defensively, they were in peak condition and helped the Canes. But of course, in the Hurricanes' fashion, this game didn’t come without its heart-dropping moments. The Hurricanes' bullpen had been a question mark all season, but today they delivered. Especially the electric Will Smith. He earned the win, deservedly so.

“I'm going to be honest with you, man, I don't think about that stuff at all,” Smith said. "I'm just trying to win a ball game. I've played in that game for five years now, and we've lost every time. That is just a testimony of what J.D. has done here and our team. Absolutely resilient, and we just don't give up, man. We were not going to lose this game today, and we knew that when we woke up this morning and had breakfast."

He won out, but soon others had to come in. Enter the heart-dropping moments that nearly put the Canes out of this opportunity. Going into the eighth, it was 5-2. Senior closer Brian Walters entered the game throwing with a purpose. He was touching 98 mph; however, in the ninth inning, with two outs, he gave up a two-run homer that gave life to the Eagles. 

The crowd began to roar and rise, but a pop-out ended the Eagles' season, and the Hurricanes continue, looking at the next step. 

Now the Hurricanes will turn their attention to an ACC foe. They will travel to Louisville, winners of the Nashville Regional, to battle it out for a chance at a College World Series berth. 

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