Top-Seeded Canes Face Elimination, Empty Stands

UM has one last shot at Texas A&M -- and Jim Morris has checked your work schedule already and expects you to show

Miami baseball coach Jim Morris was a little upset with the turnout for his club's home regional game against Texas A&M yesterday, though, to be fair, he shook his fist at the sun.

"I can't help the fact that the NCAA and ESPN make us play at 1 o’clock and 4 o’clock, when it’s 102 degrees,” an agitated Morris said after "just" 2,240 people braved the sun in the stands. “That’s what it feels like. It feels like more than that on the field. Tomorrow night is a night game. Everybody should be here...There’s no reason, they’re not working tomorrow night.

"If you're a Hurricane fan you ought to be here tomorrow night!" he continued, voice rising. "Real Hurricanes will be here tomorrow night!''

Yikes. He also sees you when you're sleeping, and knows when you're awake. But while we decide who's real and who isn't (our excuse: skin like milk and a desire to live), we should also note a crowd may not have made a difference. The 'Canes jumped out to an early three-run lead, and then it all disappeared in a crushing 11-7 loss to Texas A&M.

Fortunately, a movie script ending is still available. UM (42-18) gets to play the Aggies (43-20-1) one last time at 7:00 tonight in a winner-take-all fight to the face the Florida Gators in the Super Regional, something that ought to mean more to the 'Canes than the Aggies: Miami hasn't suffered a postseason elimination at home since 1990, when some on the roster weren't even born yet.

That's how good Miami's baseball program has been. And that's how confounding it is that yesterday, while onlookers wilted, things got so out of hand. Starter David Gutierrez (5-2) gave up six runs on seven hits in the fourth and fifth innings, while Texas A&M's usual closer John Stilson pitched his fourth, fifth, and sixth scoreless innings of the day.

Up next: determining if it was a fluke, and if right-handed freshman Eric Whaley (5-1, 4.08 ERA) can handle two decades' worth of pressure.

On the plus side, of course, if he can't: the heat index is already 97°, so there may not be witnesses. Real or otherwise.

Janie Campbell is a Florida native who believes in the pro-set and ballpark hot dogs. Her work has appeared in irreverent sports sites around the internet.

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