CLEMSON — Clemson continued to scuffle in conference play on March 26 in an 8-3 loss to Miami in 10 innings.
The Tigers (18-9, 1-6 ACC) have lost four of their last five series openers, dating back to the South Carolina series, by a combined score of 31-3. Clemson has lost eight of its last 11 games overall.
Miami (20-6, 3-4) was able to uproot Tigers started Aidan Knaak, who threw 92 pitches, in 4⅔ innings. He exited with the Tigers down 3-0.
In the fifth, Clemson finally got something going at the plate thanks to center fielder Bryce Clavon, the Georgia transfer who had been riding the pine. He hit a double that put Tyler Lichtenberger at third base.
Lichtenberger then came home on a grounder to first base by Jack Crighton. The seal broken, the Tigers were able to tie up the game at 3-3 in the sixth inning with RBI singles from Jay Dillard and Lichtenberger.
But Clemson left runners at third base in the sixth, eighth, and ninth innings, which set the stage for the Hurricanes’ big 10th inning. Dion Brown, who pitched two scoreless innings, allowed the bases to fill with two outs.
Daniel Cuvet, the All-American, hit one to third base that got by Tryston McCladdie and went all the way down to the back wall of the visitors’ bullpen. All three runners scored.
Cuvet scored on an Alex Sosa double, and a single brought Sosa home.