No. 17 Miami Drops Series Against No. 10 Florida Thanks to Controversial Call
CORAL GABLES — Somehow, the Miami Hurricanes have been owned by the Florida Gators over the past decade.
They drop another series against the Gators 8-4, after a rough second inning, a controversial game-altering call, and a game-killing ninth inning.
The Hurricanes instantly striked getting two on base in the first inning, then entered the team's best hitter of the season, Derek Williams.
He smashed a ball over to center field to start the Canes game on fire, 3-0. However, that wouldn’t last much longer.
After striking out the first three batters in the first, Saturday starter Rob Evans took to the mound for the second inning, one he would like to have back.
The left-handed pitcher would give up four hits, have a wild pitch, and four earned runs, giving the lead right back to the Gators.
However, the rest of the night, he was elite. He finished with a career high 12 strikeouts, only allowing one more hit in 6.0-plus innings pitched. The Hurricanes have something in the Georgia State transfer, earning his spot in the rotation.
Rob is DEALIN'‼️
— Miami Hurricanes Baseball (@CanesBaseball) March 1, 2026
A new career high of 1⃣1⃣ strikeouts! pic.twitter.com/V7JUIxDQbo
Evans' 12 Strikeouts was the most by a starting pitcher since Gage Ziehl struck out 15 vs Clemson in a complete game on March 28, 2024.
Still, the Canes were down a run. And it would take some time before they would find themselves back on a run. Miami was able to hit the ball and get some in scoring position, but nothing ever came from it. Not until the fifth inning.
Torres doubled and was finally sent home thanks to a sac-fly from Daniel Cuvet. The game was tied again, and the Hurricanes had some momentum.
SAFE AT THE PLATE! 🤯
— Miami Hurricanes Baseball (@CanesBaseball) March 1, 2026
TIE BALL GAME! pic.twitter.com/MJF81eSVng
Enter the seventh inning, Evans walked two batters and was pulled for Miami’s closer Ryan Bilka, who was gifted with loaded bases. Bilka would go and strike out two batters before the last one he faced was met with a controversial call.
With a 1-2 count with two outs, Bilka was called for a balk with a flout that would have gotten them out of the inning without any damage. However, the third base umpire saw it differently, calling him for a balk and gifting the Gators the go-ahead run.
Unfortunately was the right call. pic.twitter.com/u7COFnafie
— 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) March 1, 2026
Bilka would go and throw another zero on the board before letting the game go in the 9th inning. After a double, the Canes walked a batter, and Ethan Surowiec would hit a three-run homer that would send half the Hurricanes crowd home.
The Canes would get two on base but would ground out in the bottom of the ninth, losing their fifth straight series to the Gators, and 11 of the last 12 dating back to 2015.
The Canes will try to avoid the sweep against the Gators Sunday, March 1 at 1:00 p.m. ET.
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.
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