Eighth-ranked Virginia led 12-3 going into the bottom of the seventh. Five outs later, Miami was up 16-12.
For the second straight night, the pen couldn’t hold a lead – but this one was of the epic-proportions variety.
The ‘Canes held on for the 16-12 win, and will look to complete a sweep on Sunday.
Virginia (12-3, 0-2 ACC), meanwhile, is trying to figure out who can get outs in the late innings.
Starting pitcher Evan Blanco (1-0, 3.00 ERA) had a serviceable outing – three runs on seven hits in five innings, striking out six and walking two.
Jack O’Connor, the opening-day starter, pitched a 1-2-3 sixth, striking out two.
Then things fell apart. First it was Kevin Jaxel, who gave up four runs while getting one out in the seventh before handing the ball to the closer, Aidan Teel.
It was 12-9 after a six-run Miami seventh, and Teel started off the bottom of the eighth strong, retiring the first two batters before it all came tumbling down.
The next six ‘Canes reached base, on a pair of doubles, three walks and the coup de grace, a grand slam off the bat of Blake Cyr that put Miami up 15-12.
Dorian Gonzalez followed with a solo homer off reliever Ryan Osinski to make it a 16-12 game.
Virginia went down 1-2-3 in the ninth to close it out.
The late-inning collapse wasted a big day at the plate for Harrison Didawick, who homered twice – his seventh and eighth homers of the season – and drove in five runs.
Freshman Henry Ford also homered for Virginia, his sixth of the season, and grad transfer Bobby Whalen was 4-for-6 with three runs scored.
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Chris Graham
