Miami WINS, 5-4… SUPER!

In a “winner takes all‘ game, Miami beat #12 Southern Mississippi, 5-4, at the NCAA Regional Tournament in Hattiesburg on Monday night.

Miami jumped out to a 5-1 lead behind the pitching of starter Reese Lumpkin, who turned in 3 1/3 innings, allowing only one run. Will Smith (3-0) relieved Lumpkin and threw three scoreless innings, with four strikeouts.

At the plate, Miami struck early, building a 5-1 lead behind home runs by Derek Williams and Dorian Gonzalez Jr., Williams, who has returned from a broken hand and surgery, belted his ninth homer of the season to give the Canes the early lead.

Gonzalez blasted his third home run of the regional and 11th of the season in the sixth inning to extend Miami lead. Gonzalez finished the regional with 10 RBIs, including eight in Saturday's win over Columbia.

Jake Ogden, Max Galvin and Michael Torres also drove in runs for the Canes

The bullpen took over in the seventh inning with lefty Rob Evans and closer Brian Walters surviving a Cardinal rally for the win. It was Walters 10th save of the season.

"I'm happy for my group of guys," said head coach J.D. Arteaga. "I get to spend another week with this group and I want to extend this as as long and as far as possible. What makes it so special is I get to enjoy with these guys. I'm thankful for that. I thank God every day for where I'm at, where I'm coaching and the guys that I'm coaching with from my staff to coaches to players to everybody up and down administration. I'm just thankful. I thank God every morning. I'm blessed.”

Miami now travels to Louisville (38-21) later this week to begin compete in the best-of-three Super Regionals.

GO CANES!