UM dominates No. 1 Wake Forest to advance to ACC championship

It took 11 years, but the Miami Hurricanes have advanced to the Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Championship final for the first time since 2012.

And they did it against the nation’s consensus No. 1 team.

No. 4 tournament seed and 11th-ranked Miami on Saturday defeated top-ranked Wake Forest 7-2 in the ACC tournament semifinal at Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Hurricanes (40-18), who already have equaled their win total from last season, at noon Sunday (ESPN2) will meet No. 3 seed Clemson (42-17) for the first time this season after the Tigers defeated North Carolina in the other Saturday semifinal.

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This is the second time ever the Hurricanes, with victories in 13 of their past 15 games, have advanced to an ACC tournament final. In 2012 they lost the championship game to Georgia Tech. Miami’s lone ACC tournament championship came in 2008 against Virginia.

“I thought we played maybe our best game of the year just all around,’’ UM coach Gino DiMare said. “Obviously, playing the No. 1 team in the country you’ve got to be at your best.

“Proud of our guys but the job’s not done. Obviously, tomorrow is the big one.’’

Never trailed

Miami, which never trailed Saturday in a game that had pouring rain from start to finish, scored two runs in the third, another in the sixth, three in the seventh and one in the ninth. And as usual, star third baseman and first-round draft prospect Yohandy Morales, who came into the game with a .400 batting average, carried the Canes with a 2-RBI single in the third and lone home runs in the sixth and ninth.

Morales’ two-out, ninth-run homer hit the top of the fence and bounced back into play, and the stunned Demon Deacons watched as Morales motored around the bases for what was ruled an inside-the-park blast.

“I just saw the ball well,’’ said Morales. “I had guys in front of me that trusted me.’’

UM also had some stellar defense Saturday, with center fielder Jacoby Long leaping over the fence in the bottom of the fifth to steal a home run, then securing the ball after it popped into the air. Then, with Wake runners on first and second in the seventh, Brock Wilken hit a grounder to Morales, who threw a perfect strike to first baseman CJ Kayfus to complete the double play. The next batter, Justin Johnson, struck out against UM winning pitcher Alejandro Rosario to end the inning.

Rosario shines

Rosario (4-6), named the game MVP by DiMare, allowed one unearned run on four hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings. He replaced starter Karson Ligon, who made his first start since April 23 after dealing with tendinitis in his pitching arm. Ligon allowed one run in 2 1/2 innings on two hits and three walks.

“He has struggled, but I just know how talented he is,’’ DiMare said of Rosario. “And when it clicks, look out. He gave us a good bridge to get deep into the game.’’

UM used six pitchers. The last, All-American closer Andrew Walters, pitched the ninth inning. He gave up a one-out double before Morales made a spectacular play at third to get the next runner out at first and right fielder Zach Levenson made an equally amazing diving catch to end it.

Wake Forest, in the midst of an incredible season, dropped to 47-10. Sean Sullivan (5-3) got the loss.

The Hurricanes still await the NCAA’s Sunday-night announcement of the 16 programs that will host the double-elimination regionals — the first round of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship from June 2-5.

UM, whose last of four national titles came in 2001, will surely be named a host, but at least initially appeared to be on the outside looking in at a top-8 national seed that would ensure the Hurricanes host the second-round super regionals should they win their regional. A victory Sunday in the ACC final could catapult the Canes to that national seed.

This story was originally published May 27, 2023 4:21 PM.