![\"Miami](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/MIA_2026-02-13AD0781UMvsLehighbaseball.JPG\" "\\"Miami")
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Miami Hurricanes catcher Alex Sosa (13) reacts after hitting a homerun in the third inning against the Lehigh Mountain Hawks during the Hurricanes season opener at Mark Light Field in Coral Gables, Florida, Florida on Friday, February 13, 2026<\/p>\n
PHOTO BY AL DIAZ<\/p>\n
adiaz@miamiherald.com<\/p>\n
The Miami Hurricanes understand the task at hand.<\/p>\n
With the Hurricanes set to begin play in the NCAA tournament at the Gainesville Regional on Friday, it would be easy to look ahead to a potential matchup with the host team \u2014 in-state rival Florida, which swept Miami in an abbreviated two-game series earlier this season in Coral Gables and has dominated the series for the better part of the past two decades.<\/p>\n
But Miami understands there\u2019s an opponent it has to face before that looming rematch.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all about Troy,\u201d Hurricanes coach J.D. Arteaga said.<\/p>\n
Miami (38-18), the No. 2 seed in the Gainesville Regional, opens play in the double-elimination regional at UF\u2019s Condron Family Ballpark at 6 p.m. Friday against the Troy Trojans (32-29), the No. 3 seed in the regional. Host and No. 8 national seed Florida (39-19) begins play against the regional No. 4 seed Rider Broncos (33-18).<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the whole playoff environment,\u201d Hurricanes catcher\/first baseman Alex Sosa said. \u201cYou can only worry about the game you have coming up.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Hurricanes have shown flashes this season of being a team capable of making a deep postseason run. TAt one point the Canes won six consecutive weekend series and finished fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference\u2019s regular-season standings.<\/p>\n
Miami then made a run to the ACC tournament semifinals with wins against Stanford and Boston College before falling to eventual tournament champion Georgia Tech.<\/p>\n
But the Canes have had their lapses. While the lineup has kept them in just about every game even with star third baseman Daniel Cuvet still sidelined with a stress fracture in his lower back, the Hurricanes\u2019 pitching (specifically the bullpen) has been erratic and the defense has been shaky.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlay clean baseball,\u201d outfielder Derek Williams said.<\/p>\n
They know the margin for error is thin. Two losses in any round of the NCAA tournament ends their season. There are no do-overs at that point.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you get eliminated from this tournament, your season\u2019s over,\u201d Arteaga said. \u201cHopefully they\u2019re mentally focused and ready to go.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rotation set<\/p>\n
Arteaga announced Thursday that senior left-handed pitcher Rob Evans will be Miami\u2019s starting pitcher for the tournament opener against Troy.<\/p>\n
Evans has been the Hurricanes\u2019 most consistent pitcher this season. He enters the NCAA tournament with a 10-3 record and a 3.16 ERA to go along with 94 strikeouts against 28 walks over 82 2\/3 innings pitched. He has pitched at least seven innings four times this season and has eight quality starts, defined as pitching at least six innings while allowing no more than three earned runs.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery time he\u2019s taken the ball this year, he\u2019s given us a chance to win,\u201d Arteaga said. \u201cThat\u2019s all you could really ask for from a starting pitcher: Give us a chance to win.\u201d<\/p>\n
Evans said he woke up \u201ca little giddy\u201d on Thursday as he gets ready for his first NCAA tournament start.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt should be the same thing [Friday],\u201d Evans said. \u201cWake up ready to take the ball and get these guys a win.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although Arteaga did not confirm any other starting pitchers beyond Evans on Friday, this move sets up sophomore righty AJ Ciscar (5-4, 4.44 ERA) to pitch on Saturday. Lazaro Collera would most likely be Miami\u2019s No. 3 starter should they advance past the first two games.<\/p>\n
Previewing Troy<\/p>\n
The Trojans made the tournament field after finishing tied for third in the Sun Belt during the regular season and advancing to the semifinal of the conference tournament.<\/p>\n
Jimmy Janicki, the Sun Belt Player of the Year, leads the Troy lineup. The sophomore catcher enters the NCAA tournament hitting .350 with 17 home runs, 73 RBI and 57 runs scored. Three other regulars in the lineup are also hitting above .300 this season: outfielder Aaron Piasecki (.338 average, nine home runs, 42 RBI), utility player Drew Nelson (.311 average, five home runs, 37 RBI) and outfielder Steven Meier (.309 average, nine home runs, 39 RBI).<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a scrappy lineup,\u201d Evans said. \u201cThey\u2019re gonna find ways to get it done in many different aspects of the game. … They have different ways of scoring on you.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the mound, senior righty Tommy Egan (5-4 record, 4.94 ERA, 87 strikeouts against 28 walks over 74 2\/3 innings) and senior lefty Benjamin Stubbs (4-3, 5.13 ERA, 72 strikeouts against 35 walks over 79 innings) have been Troy\u2019s primary starters. Junior lefty and Kentucky transfer Hayden Smith (2.57 ERA over 42 innings) has been their most consistent pitcher among players who have thrown at least 30 innings.<\/p>\n
Gainesville Regional scheduleFriday<\/p>\n
Game 1: Rider vs. Florida, 1 p.m., ESPN+<\/p>\n
Game 2: Troy vs. Miami, 6 p.m., ACC Network<\/p>\n
Saturday<\/p>\n
Game 3: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 1 p.m.<\/p>\n
Game 4: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 6 p.m.<\/p>\n
Sunday<\/p>\n
Game 5: Loser Game 4 vs. Winner Game 3, noon<\/p>\n
Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, 5 p.m.<\/p>\n
Monday<\/p>\n
Game 7 (if necessary): Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6, Time TBA<\/p>\n