Baseball to Host Appalachian State Wednesday
Miami (9-2, 0-0 ACC) vs. Appalachian State (4-6, 0-0 Sun Belt)
Roster | Coaches | Schedule | Game Notes
March 6, 2019 | 6 p.m.
Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field | Coral Gables, Fla. | Buy Tickets | Directions
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – After a three-game sweep of UMBC over the weekend, the University of Miami baseball program continues a nine-game homestand with a midweek game against Appalachian State. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. from Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.
All home games this season will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra and all baseball games, home and away, can be heard on WVUM 90.5 FM and WVUM.org.
Freshman right-hander Slade Cecconi (1-0, 3.27 ERA)will make his third start of the year and is set to oppose Appalachian State sophomore RHP Cameron Kepley (0-2, 5.00 ERA). Cecconi, who is one of the top freshmen in the country, earned his first win as a Cane two weeks ago against FAU. The right-hander took a no-decision at FIU last Wednesday, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out four and walking four over four innings pitched.
After a five-homer game against UMBC Sunday, the Canes have hit 16 home runs over 11 games in 2019. UM, who ranks third in the ACC with 16 homers, hit 23 home runs a year ago and did not hit its 16th homer until April 28.
First baseman Alex Toral leads the ACC with a team-best seven home runs, while third baseman Raymond Gil is second on the team and tied for fourth in the conference with four homers after hitting three blasts last week.
Gil’s two home runs led a five-homer effort by the UM starting infield on Sunday against UMBC. Anthony Vilar (3-run), Freddy Zamora (grand slam) and Alex Toral (3-run) each added home runs to go with Gil’s solo homer and two-run shot. Zamora went 6-for-11 with three doubles, a grand slam, six runs scored and five RBI against UMBC, while Gil was 5-for-11 with two homers, three RBI and five runs scored.
The Hurricanes enter the week with an ACC-best .327 team batting average, while Miami’s 128 hits are the most in the ACC. Miami leads the ACC in doubles (28) and ranks second in runs (96), RBI (84), slugging (.532) and on-base percentage (.425).
Freshman outfielder Jordan Lala began the season as a bottom of the order spark in the Miami lineup, but moved into the leadoff spot against FIU on Feb. 27 and has excelled. Since moving to the top of the order, Lala is 4-four-13 with a double, seven runs scored, five walks, three stolen bases and two RBI. Lala, who has started all 11 games in 2019, is 10-for-33 (.303) with 13 runs scored, two doubles, 11 walks and 6-for-6 on stolen base attempts.
Miami added a recruiting class ranked eighth by D1Baseball and No. 10 nationwide by Baseball America to a group of 18 returning letterwinners from a 2018 team that finished 28-26 overall and 16-13 in ACC play.
Three members of Miami’s recruiting class were selected in the 2018 MLB First-Year Player Draft;Del Castillo (36th round, White Sox), Vilar (37th round, Cubs) and Cecconi (38th round, Orioles) all spurned professional overtures for a career at Miami after being selected in the 2018 MLB Draft.
Cecconi (#2), Del Castillo (#8) and Vilar (#48) were among the Top 50 Impact Freshmen in the ACC according to D1Baseball. Freshman LHP/UT JP Gates was ranked 10th among ACC freshmen. Baseball America rated Cecconi (No. 12), Gates (No. 16) and Del Castillo (No. 31) among the top 50 freshmen nationally.
The Hurricanes’ home schedule also includes series with Georgia Tech (March 8-10), NC State (March 22-24), Florida State (April 5-7), Virginia Tech (April 26-28) and Duke (May 16-18), among others.
Miami’s road schedule includes trips to Florida (Feb. 22-24), North Carolina (March 15-17), Pittsburgh (March 29-31), Virginia (April 12-14), Louisville (April 18-20) and Wake Forest (May 10-12).
