Injuries Riddle Miami's Opening Game Against California
The Miami Hurricanes (30-12, 10-9 ACC) suffered a series-opening loss to the California Golden Bears 9-2, but there might be bigger issues on the horizon.
Miami had turned a new leaf with its starting rotation, with Rob Evans coming in as the Friday starter and starting with an 8-1 record as the team's ace.
However, he took a couple of early blows against an eager Golden Bears team, jumping on him, surrendering four runs, two earned, with three strikeouts. Soon after, Evans was taken out of the game two-thirds of the way through the second inning due to an injury.
"It was a reaction thing," head coach J.D. Arteaga said in a postgame interview with Lemon City Live. "The ball was hit up the middle, his reaction was to go get it. It's an ankle sprain. Right now, we don't know how long he is going to be out. It's an ankle sprain; nothing was broken. He just went after a ball that was close to him and got injured."
Evans was a starter who consistently ate six or seven innings, and without him, the Canes' bullpen was called to handle business. However, the bullpen has been the Canes biggest weakness all season. It continued with more runs, adding errors mounting, and the offense struggling to bring in runs.
The Hurricanes would also be without star batter Daniel Cuvet, who is still nursing a back injury which caused him to miss his first game of the season against FAU.
Miami's two runs came from the one consistent offensive player this season, Derek Williams. Williams drove in Jake Ogden twice with a sacrifice fly and an RBI single to put up two runs.
The Hurricanes would have five hits, but even with an offense as high-powered as it is, they struggle to bring in runs when they need them most. Good teams find ways to win, and the Canes now have to get back on the horse to tie the series against the West Coast traveler.
Arteaga continues to search for answers in his bullpen, while he also searches for more offensive answers in his lineup, with more injuries starting to pile up.
Miami will look to even the series against Cal Saturday at Mark Light Field, with first pitch slated for 6 p.m. Game two of the series will be broadcast live on ACCNX and WVUM 90.5 FM
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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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