Miami's All-American Pushes the Hurricanes Past Clemson in Extra Innings
The Miami Hurricanes (20-6, 3-4 ACC) flip a switch in extra inning to down the Clemson Tigers (18-9, 1-6 ACC) in an epic Thursday night matchup.
The Hurricanes started fast against the Tigers, as they typically do against teams. Quickly, the Canes went up 3-0 after a great night from first baseman Brylan West, going 3-5 on the night with two RBIs.
The Hurricanes had a great game plan against Tigers starter Aidan Knaak, and West took advantage of his changeup every time it was presented to him.
The Canes would continue to play outstanding defense, and it started with freshman left-hand-pitcher Sebastian Santos-Olson taking over for AJ Ciscar as a starter.
Ciscar will not be available against the Tigers due to a bicep strain, per J.D. Aretaga.
Nevertheless, without Ciscar, the Canes would still play great baseball. Olson would get out of jams, jam up batters, and in his worked innings, threw 4.1 IN | 4 H | 0 R | 0 ER | 4 Ks.
The Canes would stay on top of the Tigers all the way until the fourth inning, when they missed an opportunity to blow the game wide open. The Canes had the bases loaded with a Knaak struggling on the plate, but would get pushed out by relief pitcher Ariston Veasey.
Veasey would get out of the jam, giving momentum to the Tigers, where they responded in the fourth, earning their first run thanks to an error from Miami’s relief pitcher Lyndon Glidewell.
Glidewell would get himself out of a jam with runners on second and third, with one getting out of the fifth inning, only giving up one run, with the Canes still up 3-1.
The Hurricanes would then find themselves with a debuting arm. Florida transfer Frank Menedez is off the injury report and started began torching the Tigers. However, the Canes would fumble the sixth inning thanks to a rare error from West. It broke the dam, allowing the Tigers to tie the game 3-3 and send Menedez off, who was on a pitch count.
Brand new ball game.
The Hurricanes would start the seventh inning with two balls bouncing in their favor that would get the Canes with a runner on second and third with two outs. Vance Sheahan already brought in a run earlier in the game. However, Veasey would get out of his own jam to keep the Canes off the board.
Both teams would battle back and forth with defense play after play; however, it would come down to the ninth inning, and the Canes would go down quickly, two outs. Derek Williams had a quiet night, but would be hit by a pitch to put the go-ahead run on base.
It would come down to West, but a roller to third would get him thrown out at first. The Bottom of the ninth was to come, and the Canes had to rely on closer Ryan Bilka, who had been throwing a lot of balls in the dirt at the bottom of the eighth.
The Hurricanes would find themselves with another chance to get out of the game and extend it to extras, but a double error on Daniel Cuvet and Sheahan would put runners on third and second. However, by the skin of their teeth, the Canes would get out of it thanks to Bilka.
Extra innings awaited the Canes, but the offense continued to struggle. The Hurricanes would find themselves again at the top of the 10th with the bases loaded with Cuvet due. Two outs, and Cuvet had gone 0-5 all night. He would find himself down in the count until he ripped one to left field to clear the bases and give the Canes the lead.
Miami's offense continued to turn out runs in the 10th. Alex Sosa nearly knocks a ball over the fence, pushing the Canes' lead to four, driving in Cuvet. After his protection continued to bring in more runs, throwing up five in the top of the tenth to put an end to Clemson's momentum.
Bilka would finish the night for the Canes, punching them out and picking up his second win of the season.
Miami would score all their runs on two outs.
The Canes and Tigers will return to Doug Kingsmore Stadium, Clemson, SC for game two at 7:00 p.m. ET on ACCN.
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.
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