GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Miami Hurricanes baseball team opened its 2026 NCAA Tournament run with a 10-5 victory over Troy on Friday night at Condron Family Ballpark, advancing into the winner’s bracket of the Gainesville Regional. Miami, the No. 2 seed in the regional, improved to 39-18 overall and moved one step closer to a berth in the NCAA Super Regional round.
The Hurricanes wasted little time taking control. Vance Sheahan put Miami on the board with a solo home run in the third inning, and Derek Williams followed with a 389-foot three-run blast to left-center field as the Hurricanes built a 4-0 lead. Williams finished the game with two hits and three RBIs, while Sheahan also delivered a key offensive spark with his solo shot.
Troy responded with three runs across the fourth and fifth innings to cut into the deficit, but Miami continued to apply pressure. The Hurricanes added an important insurance run in the seventh inning after a throwing error by Troy’s catcher, then broke the game open with a five-run eighth inning to pull away for good.
The win marked another milestone in Miami’s long postseason history. The Hurricanes are making their 51st NCAA Tournament appearance, which ranks third all-time in NCAA Division I baseball history. This year’s regional trip to Gainesville is the sixth time Miami has played regional baseball in the city.
Miami entered the tournament after reaching the ACC Tournament semifinals in Charlotte. The Hurricanes defeated Stanford and Boston College before falling to Georgia Tech, the top seed in the ACC Tournament.
The Gainesville Regional is hosted by Florida at Condron Family Ballpark, and the bracket includes Florida, Miami, Troy and Rider. Florida opened regional play with an 8-7 win over Rider, while Miami’s victory over Troy set up a matchup in the winner’s bracket. The regional continues through Monday, June 1, with the winner advancing deeper into the NCAA postseason.
Miami’s game was broadcast on ACC Network and ESPN+, with radio coverage on WVUM 90.5 FM and WVUM.org. Live stats were available through Miami Hurricanes StatBroadcast, and postgame coverage was posted at miamihurricanes.com/baseball.
The Hurricanes’ strong start in the postseason was powered by timely hitting, a big eighth inning and a balanced offensive effort that gave them an early edge in regional competition.
