Super Regional Preview: Boston College-Miami
CORAL GABLES SUPER REGIONAL
Hosted by Miami (No. 3 national seed) • Mark Light Field • Coral Gables, Fla.
Boston College (34-20) at No. 3 Miami (48-11)
Follow the action on Twitter: @CanesBaseball | @BCBirdBall
Friday
5 p.m. (ESPNU)
Saturday
Noon (ESPNU)
Sunday
Noon (ESPN2 or ESPNU)
Boston College
Coach: Mike Gambino
Postseason History: first super regional appearance. Seeking fifth trip to Omaha.
Postseason Route: No. 3 seed in Oxford Regional. Won in three games, defeating Tulane in the final.
| Pos. | Name | Bats | Yr. | AVG | OBP | SLG | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB |
| C | Nick Sciortino | R | Jr. | .277 | .377 | .361 | 2 | 20 | 19 | 33 | 1 |
| 1B | Mitch Bigras | L | So. | .262 | .355 | .336 | 1 | 12 | 12 | 31 | 3 |
| 2B | Jake Palomaki | R | So. | .265 | .413 | .310 | 0 | 25 | 42 | 36 | 19 |
| 3B | Joe Cronin | R | Sr. | .271 | .381 | .432 | 4 | 35 | 34 | 45 | 11 |
| SS | Johnny Adams | R | Jr. | .297 | .350 | .396 | 1 | 25 | 15 | 38 | 6 |
| OF | Logan Hoggarth | R | Sr. | .283 | .351 | .342 | 2 | 20 | 15 | 23 | 10 |
| OF | Michael Strem | R | Jr. | .298 | .369 | .380 | 1 | 32 | 21 | 45 | 7 |
| OF | Donovan Casey | R | So. | .266 | .339 | .339 | 0 | 10 | 11 | 24 | 4 |
| DH | Scott Braren | L | So. | .304 | .407 | .348 | 0 | 12 | 10 | 13 | 0 |
| Pos. | Name | Throws | Yr. | W | L | SV | ERA | IP | BB | SO | AVG |
| SP | Justin Dunn | R | Jr. | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1.49 | 60 | 16 | 66 | .208 |
| SP | Mike King | R | Jr. | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3.21 | 98 | 27 | 58 | .267 |
| SP | Jacob Stevens | R | Fr. | 4 | 3 | 0 | 2.14 | 71 | 32 | 68 | .212 |
| RP | Jesse Adams | L | Sr. | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4.02 | 47 | 25 | 37 | .200 |
Scouting Report
(anonymous coach breaks down the Eagles)
“The combination of Dunn and King are really good. It’s not out of the realm of possibility they walk out of that super regional. I think the key to that super regional, believe it or not, is going to be Jesse Adams because Miami is so lefthanded—some of their key guys are lefthanded—and that’s their lefthanded choice out of the bullpen. So he’s going to have to get Willie Abreu and Zack Collins. He’s going to have to get some outs from those guys late in games and in key situations, so I think he’s going to be really key.
“But Justin Dunn gives you a surefire No. 1. They should be in pretty good shape that game, and then obviously with King, he throws enough strikes and does enough things that you’re always in the game. I think if it goes to a third game, it’s definitely advantage Miami. If Justin Dunn can be just be somewhat close to what he’s been in the past month, they’re in really good shape.
“(Stevens) was not good against us. His numbers are really good. I think he hit a wall when we had seen him. They do a really good job of pitching backwards. And he’s the guy they do that with, and a lot of the bullpen guys, they do the same. But against us that weekend, he wasn’t in the strike zone enough.
“Their offense is run-of-the-mill, I think, BC’s is. But man, they find a way to score runs. It’s like every time you think they can’t hit a lick, they score six or seven runs, and that’s all they need.
“For us, when we played them, Sciortino was their guy . . . He was hitting in their nine hole to start the year. Against us, he was the guy who kind of sits there—he doesn’t give you anything. You have to earn everything from him. So he was the guy that kind of scared us. I know Cronin went through a large stretch where he was kind of the guy that won them a lot of games early. Those two guys for me are the two guys that kind of scare you the most.
“(Adams) was the difference in our series defensively. He’s not a ridiculous range guy, but he doesn’t make an error. You watch him play, and he never makes an error.”
Miami
Coach: Jim Morris
Postseason History: 12th super regional appearance (second straight). Seeking 25th trip to Omaha.
Postseason Route: No. 1 seed in Coral Gables Regional. Won in three games, defeating Long Beach State in the final.
| Pos. | Name | Bats | Yr. | AVG | OBP | SLG | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB |
| C | Zack Collins | L | Jr. | .358 | .534 | .631 | 13 | 53 | 69 | 48 | 1 |
| 1B | Christopher Barr | L | Jr. | .258 | .337 | .313 | 0 | 24 | 19 | 39 | 14 |
| 2B | Johnny Ruiz | L | Jr. | .338 | .429 | .458 | 2 | 51 | 36 | 48 | 3 |
| 3B | Edgar Michelangeli | R | Jr. | .269 | .320 | .353 | 3 | 31 | 15 | 53 | 1 |
| SS | Brandon Lopez | R | Sr. | .392 | .467 | .490 | 2 | 41 | 23 | 26 | 4 |
| OF | Jacob Heyward | R | Jr. | .226 | .389 | .367 | 6 | 37 | 44 | 50 | 7 |
| OF | Carl Chester | R | So. | .338 | .429 | .402 | 2 | 29 | 20 | 34 | 16 |
| OF | Willie Abreu | L | Jr. | .269 | .343 | .507 | 12 | 55 | 16 | 56 | 5 |
| DH | Randy Batista | B | Jr. | .286 | .420 | .381 | 2 | 24 | 26 | 38 | 7 |
| Pos. | Name | Throws | Yr. | W | L | SV | ERA | IP | BB | SO | AVG |
| SP | Michael Mediavilla | L | So. | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3.18 | 91 | 38 | 75 | .234 |
| SP | Danny Garcia | L | Jr. | 9 | 3 | 0 | 3.50 | 87 | 30 | 46 | .268 |
| SP | Jesse Lepore | R | So. | 9 | 0 | 0 | 2.20 | 74 | 28 | 57 | .221 |
| RP | Bryan Garcia | R | Jr. | 2 | 0 | 16 | 2.04 | 35 | 17 | 52 | .191 |
Scouting Report
(anonymous coach breaks down the Hurricanes)
“I think the thing that stands out the most about them is they’re so veteran with their position players, and I don’t even think they’re playing a freshman, maybe in the DH spot. That’s been kind of a revolving door. But I think they’ve settled on Batista. You’ve got Collins, who’s the centerpiece, and you’ve got Ruiz, who’s really developed.
“They’ve always got one or two guys in their lineup that have stuck around there and have developed into guys that end up playing for them. I think a big break for them was getting Lopez back for his senior year, who has ended up having a great year. And there you have it. You have a bunch of juniors and seniors in the field except for Chester in center field, who’s a sophomore, so I think them just being so veteran and the development of some of those guys who weren’t big names coming out of high school, like Johnny Ruiz and Michelangeli. They end up contributing, and they’re in spots where they don’t have to do too much. And they have an offense that can really score. And gosh, I wouldn’t want to play them down there.
“When you have veterans up and down the order, I don’t think they’re sitting around waiting for the top of the order to roll through. They’ve got some guys who can really put together a quality at-bat at the bottom of the lineup. The guy that nobody talks about that I think is huge for them and essential for that team is Chris Barr at first base. I mean, that guy is a magician over there with the glove. He picks every throw. He makes every play. It’s like a lefthanded shortstop playing first base. And then you look down at the stat sheet, and I don’t know what they’re fielding as a team, but it’s something ridiculous (.983), and he’s got a lot to do with that. And I think the pitchers know they just have to let the defense play behind them and not try to do too much, and they know they can come back. I think it’s just a well-balanced club in those facets, and I think those kids know that, and I think their kids play loose, and they’ve done a great job.
“Collins is my favorite hitter in that league. I just think he’s so dangerous. You used to be able to get him out of the zone, and as with most guys that mature in our league, his plate discipline has improved, and I don’t think he minds hitting with two strikes on him. He definitely doesn’t mind sitting on a pitch. He’s definitely the guy, but you have to have guys around you. Johnny Ruiz, I think he’s got some swagger and some confidence in the box that he didn’t have last year. I really like him. I think he gets a lot of big hits for them, he uses the whole field, I don’t think he tries to do too much, and he’s hitting behind Zack Collins for a reason.
“(Pitching coach J.D. Arteaga) is as good as anybody in college baseball, especially if you give him three lefthanded pitchers who can start for him. And you’re going to have your work cut out for you. And they have (Bryan) Garcia sitting back there who’s as formidable, if not the most formidable closer in our league besides (Louisville’s Zack) Burdi. He’s got experience. It seems like sometimes he’ll put himself in a mess, but he’s good at cleaning up the mess. So they’ve got him sitting back there. The guy that I really liked is (righthander Andrew) Cabezas. He oozes with confidence. He’s got some swagger, and he’s got some sink and some life to that fastball. And he’s really tough on righties because that slider is late and has depth, and it’s hard to put in play when he’s got it going. I love Mediavilla. I think he’s got some deception. He’s got some angle. He can really pitch to both sides of the plate. He’s a tough one, man. He’s perfect for J.D.
“This is what Miami does. They really do a good job. Their starters go deep, so they don’t have to use their bullpen. So they’re not asking (Frankie) Bartow or any of those guys to get more than three to five, maybe six outs, in an important spot. But for the most part, they’re bridging the gap well.
“They play so well at (Mark Light Field), and they have a different mojo about them when they’re in that ballpark.”
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