Lale Esquivel, a former Alabama player, hit a two-run double off the center-field wall in the fifth inning Thursday to help Miami beat the Crimson Tide 5-2 in the College World Series.
The victory puts the top-seeded Hurricanes (49-13) into Saturday’s championship game against the winner of Friday’s Florida State-Stanford rematch. Miami is unbeaten in eight postseason games. Alabama finishes 53-16.
Esquivel pumped his fists when he reached second base.
“I was on a mission because I went to Alabama and it didn’t work out, so I was trying to knock them out of the tourney,” said Esquivel, who wouldn’t discuss his reasons for transferring. “I saw some good pitches and they fell in for me.”
Darryl Roque picked up the victory to raise his record to 5-1. Michael Neu got his 15th save.
Florida State forced Friday’s rematch by defeating Stanford 8-6 in Thursday’s second game as Sam Scott’s towering two-run homer capped a four-run sixth inning. The Seminoles (56-13) and Cardinal (50-14) both have one loss in their double-elimination bracket.
