Battle for the 305 Round 2 Preview: Miami hosts FIU at The Light

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Miami, Florida – The Battle for the 305 is back once more as the Miami Hurricanes square off against the FIU Panthers in their second meeting for 2025. After winning game one at loanDepot Park, the crosstown rivalry shifts to Coral Gables at Mark Light Field. The trajectories of the opposing programs have significantly changed since their first clash on March 4 nearly a month ago. The Cardiac Canes are 15-14 overall, including a 2-7 ACC conference record. Miami has lost five consecutive weekend series on top of a poor showing in conference play. With an 11-5 record at The Light, UM hopes to use their home-field advantage to make a much-needed course correction halfway through the season.

Florida International, meanwhile, is 19-10, complemented by a 4-2 record in C-USA play. Rallying to win their latest series against Middle Tennessee, the Panthers are looking to avenge game one’s loss and continue the initial success of their conference schedule. UM leads the all-time series over FIU 106-31, including a 7-1 advantage against their crosstown rival in neutral site games.

What happened since

It’s been nothing but pain for the Hurricanes. They emerged from the most challenging part of the calendar 4-11, losing to Florida, Connecticut, Wake Forest, FSU, and North Carolina. They had a 3-2 midweek record in that span, going 7-13 when everything was said and done. The gauntlet included back-to-back-to-back ranked opponents to kick off the ACC schedule, resulting in highly disappointing outcomes. The Canes were swept by Wake Forest, mercy-ruled by FSU, and suffered an embarrassing 11-2 loss versus Stetson on their home diamond. The good news? The worst of the schedule is over. However, the wins are not guaranteed by any stretch.

Lodise adds his 2nd!!

SIX home runs for the Noles today!!

M-7, FSU 14, UM 1 pic.twitter.com/JDoDgdFHtP

— FSU Baseball (@FSUBaseball) March 21, 2025

On the other side of the 305, FIU has been successful of late. Despite losing the following series to Florida Atlantic, they split a four-game set with Bucknell, followed by series wins over Jacksonville State and Middle Tennessee to kick off the C-USA slate. During that time, they split two mid-game contests: an 8-4 loss to FGCU and a 9-1 victory over Bethune-Cookman. The Panthers are 16-6 at home and 3-3 on the road. Florida International is on track to surpass last year’s win total (27-30), needing only eight more wins to match it, as well as achieving its first winning season since 2017.

Flex on 'em Fabio! 💪

📺: ACCNX pic.twitter.com/XRGDvVxB3d

— Miami Hurricanes Baseball (@CanesBaseball) March 15, 2025

Players to Watch

CLEAR THOSE BASES CUVET!!! 🙌🔥

📺: ACCNX pic.twitter.com/bqyVh0r2rf

— Miami Hurricanes Baseball (@CanesBaseball) March 30, 2025

Daniel Cuvet struggled at Chapel Hill, going 3-for-13 and striking out seven times. Slashing .312/.371/.495, Cuvet is still having a productive year, hitting five doubles, five home runs, and 32 RBIs. With a .866 OPS, Danny Dingers remains one of the best third basemen in the country. Freshman sensation Fabio Peralta continues to impress, raking in a .388 batting average and .910 OPS, earning his way into the starting lineup. Bobby Marsh leads the team with 33 RBIs, slashing .271/.333/.542, augmented by six home runs, tied for the most on the team.

make that eight hits and nine RBI in his past four games 😱 #PawsUp | @_alexulloaa_ pic.twitter.com/WJvP8Z0wWd

— FIU Baseball (@FIUBaseball) March 30, 2025

C-USA Hitter of the Week Alex Ulloa has put up impressive numbers and has been on fire the last five games, posting a .364 batting average (8-for-22) with three doubles, one dinger, and nine RBIs. Ulloa’s slash line is currently .316/.391/.487, consisting of eight doubles, four homers, and 29 RBIs. Brylan West is tied for the best batting average on the team, hitting .321 with a 1.018 OPS that includes six doubles, a triple, seven home runs, and 16 RBIs. Versus Middle Tennessee,  West went 6-for-14, accumulating three runs and a pair of RBIs.

we are teeing off rn 😎#PawsUp | @BrylanW13 pic.twitter.com/FFhEYl3aUY

— FIU Baseball (@FIUBaseball) March 30, 2025

Who sits with West on top of the lineup? Kishon Frett. The redshirt senior from Ocala, Florida, had a quiet weekend recording a singular hit in the form of a two-run blast. Frett still has a 1.126 OPS, mashing a team-leading nine home runs with 21 RBIs. He’s also a hard out, drawing 16 walks, the most on the Panthers.

Prediction

With the recent memory of Stetson in the back of my mind, the Hurricanes should take care of business. FIU would love to do nothing more than kick ‘em while they’re down. If UM wants to turn the season around, it needs to do so this week, starting with this contest. Cardiac Canes win 8-5.

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