UCF completed a three-game sweep of Clemson on Sunday with a 13-6 victory. The Knights scored five unearned runs with two outs in the seventh inning to break a 6-6 tie and secure the win. UCF improved to 6-1 on the season, while Clemson dropped to 4-3.
The game started with a bang as Tom Josten hit a two-out solo homer in the top of the first inning, followed by two more runs from the Knights. But Clemson responded in the bottom of the frame with four consecutive singles to put themselves on the scoreboard. The Tigers took the lead later in the inning with a two-out double by Will Taylor to bring in two runs, making the score 4-3.
Josten continued to dominate for UCF, hitting his second homer of the game in the third inning to give his team the lead. Clemson tied the game 5-5 in the fourth inning, but UCF regained the lead in the fifth with a run-scoring double by Drew Faurot. Cooper Ingle tied the game again in the sixth with a solo homer, setting up the dramatic seventh inning.
UCF loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh, and after two strikeouts by Ty Olenchuk, an error on Corey Robinson’s bunt allowed two runs to score. The Knights then added a run on a wild pitch and two more runs on Andrew Brait’s two-run single. Ben McCabe and Faurot hit solo homers in the eighth inning to seal the victory for UCF.
UCF’s pitching duo of Ben Vespi and Nick Vieira proved to be too much for Clemson as they helped secure a 13-6 victory for the Knights. Vespi earned the win with a solid performance on the mound, while Vieira came in to close out the game and earn his first save of the year. On the other side, Clemson’s B.J. Bailey took the loss, but the Tigers showed promising moments throughout the game. Despite the loss, the Tigers can take some positives from the game and look forward to their upcoming matchup against USC Upstate at Fluor Field in Greenville, SC on Tuesday at 4 p.m. on ESPN+.
Prior to the recent series against UCF, Clemson had not been swept at home since their series against Duke in 2021. This speaks to the consistency and competitiveness of the Clemson baseball program, as they have consistently been a force to be reckoned with in the ACC and in the NCAA as a whole. While the sweep against UCF may have been a tough pill to swallow, it is important to remember that Clemson has a long history of success in baseball and is sure to bounce back from this setback. The Tigers will no doubt use this as motivation moving forward and will look to continue their winning ways in the weeks and months to come.
