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Clemson’s rally fell short in the final three innings as Miami maintained its lead to secure an 8-6 victory and its first ACC series win. After Derek Williams’ grand slam in the 7th, Miami comfortably led 8-0, but Clemson responded with two runs following Williams’ home run and threatened in the 9th with two more home runs. Miami’s Ryan Bilka, who was dominant on Thursday, faltered and nearly got overwhelmed, but he finished strong, thanks to an excellent defensive play by Brylan West that recorded the final out and clinched the series.
With the series tied at one, Miami places its hopes on Lazaro Collera, who has not always performed at his full potential but did so today by shutting down a strong Clemson offense with no runs allowed through six innings. In the first four innings, the Tigers managed to get their lead-off batter on base but failed to advance beyond first, except in the second inning when runners were on first and second with one out. Laz threw 101 pitches, containing a frustrating Clemson lineup that only managed to reach second base twice before the game was turned over to the bullpen with Miami holding a 4-0 lead.
In all three games of the series, Miami drew first blood in the opening inning. Today, Jake Ogden led off with a double, followed by Daniel Cuvet, who recorded only his second hit of the series, giving Miami an early 1-0 advantage. Two batters later, Derek Williams extended the lead to 2-0 with an RBI double, his first of the series and 11th of the season. Miami further increased its lead in the third inning when Alex Sosa launched his ninth home run of the season.
Miami maintained a 4-0 lead heading into the seventh inning, appearing to be in control thanks to Collera’s strong pitching, while our offense finally put together some unchallenged runs. The seventh inning proved to be the most pivotal in determining the game’s outcome. At that moment, it seemed that after Williams’ grand slam, the game was essentially over, but Miami’s questionable bullpen came into question. Miami reached this stage with a lead-off walk to Dubovik, followed by Ogden’s second double of the game. With runners on second and third, Daniel was intentionally walked to load the bases. Derek, who already had a double and a sacrifice, took the first pitch and hit a home run, clearing the bases and seemingly sealing the series.
Lyndon Gluidewell started the 7th, replacing Collera, and quickly found that Clemson was not about to concede without a fight. A pair of walks brought up the player who has been a persistent challenge for Miami, after giving up an error in the 10th inning of game one. He bounced back with a pair of home runs yesterday and today, already 2-4. Tryston McCladdie hit a two-run double, bringing Clemson back into the game and narrowing the score to 8-2. Exit Guidewell, and JD brings in Packy to successfully squash the rally, securing the final out in the 7th. Packy remains through the 8th, turning the ball over to Ryan Bilka to finish the game.
A different-looking Bilka was on the hill, no longer resembling a Closer but instead appearing to struggle as he tried to reach the finish line. Opening the 9th inning with a lead-off home run, Clemson fans sensed a late rally was possible. A pair of singles with a strikeout in between left runners on first and second with one out, narrowing the score to 8-3. Jacob Jarrell, 2-for-4, added another hit, a shot to center that cleared the bases and brought the Tigers within two runs of tying the game. The hardest out is always the final out, and Ryan battled to get there, with no one warming up in the bullpen. Brylan West, not known for his defensive prowess, made the play of the game in a diving catch that was headed for at least a single, allowing Clemson to continue their rally. What looked so different in the 7th, when Miami had held a commanding 8-0 lead was now at 8-6. Williams’ grand slam was the key to victory, rather than Clemson’s own Mark Light Magic— a walk-off 3-run home run by Jarrell in the 9th.
The offensive player of the game is Derek Williams, whose decisive grand slam home run was instrumental in Miami securing its first ACC series victory. In addition to the home run, he contributed a double, finishing the day with a 2-4 performance. On a multi-hit day, Jake Ogden went 2-5 with two doubles, Alex Sosa also 2-5 with a double—adding to his previous four doubles in the series plus a home run—and Brylan West was 2-4. The team struck out nine times, remaining below double digits, and finished 3-7 with runners in scoring position. Overall, Miami outhit Clemson 11 to 10 and posted a batting average of .297.
Miami’s defense continued its inconsistent performance, committing two more errors, bringing its total to seven. Fortunately, these errors today occurred in the first two innings without allowing runs, but they have historically been costly, contributing to yesterday’s defeat. This pattern has persisted beyond this season, and unless the team improves its discipline, it could jeopardize future games.
The Canes will return to the field on Tuesday night to face FGCU, with the first pitch scheduled for 6 PM, aiming to continue their undefeated mid-week streak.
