Miami baseball holds on versus Clemson advancing to ACC Tournament semifinals

The Miami baseball team built four runs leads after three and seven innings before holding on for an 8-7 win over Clemson in the ACC Tournament on Thursday. Miami advances to the ACC Tournament semifinals on Saturday at 5 PM Eastern Time versus Duke or North Carolina State.

A Dorian Gonzalez double that scored Daniel Cuvet in the bottom of the first inning put Miami in front 1-0. Clemson challenged throughout the game, but Miami never relinquished the lead. After Clemson scored two runs in the top of the second, Antonio Jimenez hit a three-run home run and Cuvet had a two-RBI double to put Miami in front 6-2.

Gage Ziehl kept Miami in front. Ziehl pitched six innings, allowing six hits, three runs, two earned with three walks and four strikeouts. Myles Caba pitched two innings, allowing a ninth-inning HR, but survived a scare to get his fifth save. Clemson left fielder Tristan Bissetta flied out to the LF wall with a great catch by Edwardo Villegas for the last out.

Villegas had two hits in four at-bats with a key RBI single in the bottom of the sixth inning to put Miami in front 7-3. Cuvet, Gonzalez and Jimenez also had three hits each. Miami avenged an ACC Tournament championship game loss to Clemson in 2023. The Miami win evened the season series with Clemson.

Miami won despite allowing 11 hits, four walks and six extra-base hits. The Hurricanes had 12 hits, two walks and five extra-base hits to get the win. Duke swept Miami this season and the Hurricanes did not play North Carolina State. North Carolina State is 13th and Duke is 20th in the RPI.

Miami improves to 27-29 with the win. The Hurricanes have to win out this weekend to earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Miami earned a berth in the ACC Tournament semifinals for the second straight season. Herick Hernandez will likely be the starting pitcher for Miami on Saturday.