Miami

Clemson baseball loses 8-7 to Miami, won’t reach ACC semifinals


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One year later, the results were different between Miami baseball and Clemson in the ACC tournament.

After the Tigers beat the Hurricanes in the ACC championship in 2023, Miami got revenge Thursday, defeating the Tigers 8-7 in Pool B play, preventing Clemson from advancing to the 2024 ACC tournament semifinals.

The No. 11 seed Hurricanes (26-29) need to win the ACC tournament to make the NCAA regionals. The No. 2 seed Tigers (40-14) will play Louisville on Friday (3 p.m.. ACC Network) to complete play in Pool B and then wait until Monday to learn their destination in the NCAA Tournament.

Clemson baseball couldn’t secure 24th comeback win this season

The Tigers are known for clawing back into games, and entered Thursday with 23 comeback wins this season, the best in the ACC. Miami was ahead 6-2 by the third inning, a deficit Clemson couldn’t overcome.

The fourth inning is usually the best offensive showing for the Tigers, but on Thursday, Clemson had no hits and no runs.

In the eighth, Cam Cannarella tripled then scored on Jimmy Obertop’s double, making it a 7-5 game. Tristian Bissetta’s double brought Obertop home, making it 7-6, forcing Miami to take pitcher Nick Robert out.

With Clemson players on base, Myles Caba recorded the most important strikeout of the game for Miami to hold the lead. After the Hurricanes added a run in the bottom of the inning, Caba faced the Tigers’ best hitters in the ninth, allowing a solo home run to Jacob Hinderleider but defended the one-run lead thanks to a two-out catch of a Bissetta fly ball at the wall by Edgardo Villegas.

Junior Lucas Mahlstedt pitched a very solid four innings for the Tigers, allowing four hits and one run, striking out three batters. Mahlstedt came in for starting pitcher Ethan Darden, who allowed five hits and six runs. Miami had chances to keep stretching its lead but Mahlstedt prevented a runway game.

MORE ON CLEMSON: How Clemson baseball’s Jimmy Obertop’s bond with coach Erik Bakich has led to a special season

Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at [email protected] and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin



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