Tiger pitching falters as UCF completes sweep of Clemson

Freshman Cam Cannarella was a bright spot in the effort with a multi-hit game. (Clemson athletics photo)

by Brandon Rink - Staff Writer - Sun Feb 26 16:44:31 GMT-04:00 2023

CLEMSON - Clemson baseball matched its worst seven-game start since 2005 as the visiting UCF Knights completed a weekend sweep with a 13-6 decision on Sunday.

After going 14-0 to embark on the 2022 campaign, the Tigers slipped to 4-3 with the defeat in 2023. Clemson started as poorly as 4-3 last in 2005 and the last worse start for the program previously came in 1984 (3-4).

"Just a really disappointing weekend overall," Clemson head coach Erik Bakich said postgame. "Mostly in the way we played. It was one of those weekends where I think if you look at the runs scored statistically in the first six innings of the game, it was pretty even. And we just let each game slip away."

UCF’s five-run seventh frame turned the tide of the afternoon Sunday.

Inheriting two runners and a 2-0 count from junior BJ Bailey (1-1), Ty Olenchuk walked one and struck out two before he fielded a bunt and fired way wide of first base and into the bench area to allow two Knights to score. A wild pitch to the next batter brought another UCF runner across the plate. UCF’s Andrew Brait then broke the game wide-open with a two-run single to left field to make it 11-6 Knights.

"Just felt like that should not have been a knockout blow," Bakich said. "Definitely knocked us down but nothing that we can't respond to. So far in this young season we have responded when we needed to...That's a good offensive team. They get up there and take big, aggressive swings, and unfortunately for us, we didn't have those answers in the bullpen in late in each of these three games and that's where the game was separated.

"I'd like to think that Clemson in Doug Kingsmore Stadium would be the ones that are separating, but clearly we've got to get a lot better -- and we will. This will be a very good team to learn and grow from as this season goes on. Getting some adversity early, we're going to get the positive out of it. That's the only thing I know how to do. That's the only thing that we're going to do. So it sucks right now and leaves a very bitter taste in our mouth, especially with a team (UCF) that's very mouthy in how they celebrate on our home field. So that's double tough, we are going to find a way to be better and we will be better for this in the long run."

The Knights (6-1) got to Clemson sophomore right-handed starter Jay Dill early.

UCF senior second baseman Tom Josten sent a solo shot to his opposite field and just over the wall in left for one in the first inning, and Josten struck again with some more power to left field for his second home run in as many at-bats for two runs in the third inning.

Dill was pulled in the third after hitting a second batter and leaving two on with one out after 89 pitches. Freshman righty Joe Allen came in and struck out two batters to get out of the jam.

"(Dill)'s got the stuff," Bakich said. "It's just being more efficient with it and maybe harnessing the command in the zone a little bit better and letting the defense work. Had a few too many free passes and hit-by-pitches. Just some spray. If we can eliminate the spray and be a little bit more accurate, I think that's a guy who has a chance to keep his pitch count down and go 2-3 times through the order and be a little bit more effective from a quality of a start."

Clemson’s starting rotation will get an examination after the second weekend of action around TigerTown. The staff allowed only two earned runs in 14 2/3 innings in the first series against Binghamton, but Dill’s five earned runs in 3 1/3 frames Sunday brought the total to 11 earned runs over 14 innings for the starting group this weekend, also including no decisions from Ryan Ammons and Austin Gordon.

Clemson’s bats started hot with four singles in a row in the first, including a run-scoring single from freshman center fielder Cam Cannarella. Sophomore designated hitter Will Taylor’s double down the left field line gave the Tigers a one-run lead after one.

After the second Josten homer, Taylor was a part of the action again in the fourth to tie things up with a double and then scoring on a fielder’s choice.

After UCF edged back out on top with a Drew Faurot RBI double in the fifth inning, Knights right-handed starter Dom Stagliano was pulled after scattering seven hits over four innings, allowing four earned runs with three strikeouts to one walk.

Stagliano’s shot at a decision was over an inning later, however, where after Riley Bertram was robbed of a home run in center field, Cooper Ingle snuck one just over the left field wall to tie the game up at six.

Down five in the seventh, Clemson loaded up the bases with two out, but UCF reliever Nick Vieira induced a grounder to get out of it. The Tigers stranded eight runners in the first seven frames.

UCF’s Ben McCabe sent his team-best fifth home run of the season out to left field and Faurot powered another one to right-center for some insurance in the eighth.

UCF totaled 15 hits in all, led by McCabe's four hits in five chances. Faurot and Josten each notched three RBIs. Cannarella, Taylor and Ingle posted multi-hit days for the Tigers.

The Tigers head to Greenville’s Fluor Field next to face USC Upstate on Tuesday (4 p.m.) before the three-game, three-site rivalry series starts with South Carolina on Friday in Clemson (6 p.m.).