Canes Edge FSU for Series

I for one am not a fan of shortened games. If you have travel restrictions, then schedule the damn games earlier or not at all. Ending game after 7 or 8 innings is foolish unless the weather is to blame. One of our 4 losses this season came to a premature finish against NC State. However, today the Canes benefited from the shortened game in a 11-10 victory over FSU in 7 innings.

Topping the #2 team in the country proved difficult. Miami won the series 2-1 but did not prove themselves as the clearly superior team. What they did do was prove to the world that they can play with the very best and still produce at a high level. This indeed is the best baseball team in the country, particularly when they are hitting on all cylinders. The series with FSU proves it and this should give us some more confidence heading into the final stretch of the season.

Today's victory was largely in part to eventual 1st round pick Yonder Alonso, who belted 2 home runs--one a grand slam, in driving 5 runs on 2-3 batting. Sophomore Eric Erickson returned from injury and had a decent outing, allowing 3 earned runs in 4 innings before handing the ball over to relief pitcher David Gutierrez. The bullpen had been solid all year but nearly blew the game by allowing 7 earned runs in 3 innings. It was only closer Carlos Gutierrez's strikeout to close the 7th that saved the Canes from defeat.

The Canes should now retain the #1 ranking and come home for a game against FIU before continuing their ACC schedule with a 3 game series against Virginia. The Cavaliers are ranked 16th, so the Canes can't let up after a successful weekend in Tally.