Gauchos’ 5-3 victory brings rare early exit for Miami at CWS

After dropping their opener Saturday to the Arizona Wildcats by the score of 5-1, Miami finds themselves one loss away from leaving Omaha without a national title.

With the bases loaded and two outs, Oliva roped a 1-1 pitch by Michael Mediavilla down the right field line, scoring two runs. Zach Gibbons’ two-run double in the fifth increased Arizona’s lead to 5-1.

Miami (50-13) pushed across its only run of the game on Christopher Barr’s single in the fourth inning, briefly making it a two-run game.

Nathan Bannister scattered eight hits, struck out 11 and walked three while allowing one run over seven innings to get the win. It was only the second time all year that Mediavilla gave up five earned runs. The righty pitched his way out of trouble by striking out Edgar Michelangeli looking, then inducing a force out from Carl Chester. “We try to stay a pitch at a time, an inning at a time, and the reality of it is it’s a little bit easier to do that when you’re playing with a lead”.

Other standouts on the UF staff: junior A.J. Puk (2-3, 3.05, No. 6 in draft); Dane Dunning (6-3, 2.40, No. 29 in draft); Shaun Anderson (3-0, 1.00, school-record-tying 13 saves this season, No. 88 in draft).

Save for a couple home games against Abilene Christian, the Wildcats have been living out of suitcases for the past five weeks. Miami, a powerhouse of a baseball program, has been to the CWS 25 times.

Oliva said the Wildcats have found a formula that works.

The Canes got their leadoff batter on base just once. “Losing attachments to home or road and really just focus on the game of baseball and what we need to do day in and day out”.

“I think we all know our job”.