Latest news with #ClemsonRegional
Washington Post
4 hours ago
- General
- Washington Post
West Virginia rallies to beat Kentucky 13-12. wins second consecutive regional
CLEMSON, S.C. — Ben Lumsden had four RBIs, Gavin Kelly drove in three runs and Armani Guzman hit a two-out RBI single to cap a six-run rally in the eighth inning as West Virginia beat Kentucky 13-12 on Sunday night to win the Clemson Regional. West Virginia, which won the first regional last season, advanced to its second consecutive super regional in Steve Sabins' first year as coach. Sabins spent nine seasons as an assistant — three as associate head coach — for Randy Mazey, who retired after 12 seasons with the Mountaineers.
Dominion Post
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Dominion Post
SUPER COMEBACK: No. 24 WVU downs Kentucky 13-12 to advance to the super regionals
The 24th-ranked WVU baseball had one final comeback in it at the Clemson Regional. The Mountaineers, trailing 12-7 in the eighth inning, scored six runs in the bottom of the eighth to come back to defeat Kentucky 13-12. West Virginia clinched its second straight super regional appearance with the victory, the first under coach Steve Sabins. Armani Guzman, who was named MVP of the regional, hit the game-clinching single to score the winning run in the bottom of the eighth to finish off a six-run inning for the Mountaineers (44-14). 'More than just myself, it shows (the team) we all have it,' Guzman said. 'I was a guy who didn't play the last month and a half and now I'm here in this position.' Being so close to a super regional, the Mountaineers didn't hold back anything to start the game, but their streaky hitting didn't allow them to keep a lead consistently. In the bottom of the first, junior catcher Logan Sauve hit a solo blast to left center to score the first run of the game. WVU didn't fall into the same hole they once did on Friday against the same Kentucky team in the opening-round game. Of course, WVU came back in walk-off fashion to win that game in the bottom of the ninth inning, scored four more runs in the ninth inning to beat Clemson on Saturday, but saved its best for last in the third game of the regional. After some really strong pitching in the last two games from WVU starters, Robby Porco struggled on the mound. Porco was relieved for Reese Bassinger in the top of the second after Porco walked three straight Wildcats to load the bases. After scoring 16 runs in their previous game against Clemson, the Wildcats bats stayed hot. The first batter that Bassinger would face, Devin Burkes hit a hard ball to left center field that would bring in two Wildcats to score. That wouldn't be the end of Kentucky's (31-26) relentless hitting. In the same top half of the inning, Cole Hage would hit another two RBI single to bring in another pair of Wildcats. Kentucky took a quick lead after WVU scored first. In the top of the third, Wildcats' veteran third baseman Patrick Herrera beamed the baseball down the third-base line and scored Carson Hansen all the way from first base. The Mountaineers would answer strongly in the bottom of the fourth, scoring six runs to take the lead back. A fielding error and a two-RBI single by Ben Lumsden would bring West Virginia right back in the mix of things. Who else other than Guzman to bring in two runners home with another two-RBI single. All regional, Guzman has been elite when the moment required him to be. He finished the three games going 8 for 12 with six RBIs. Just when all the momentum had flipped to WVU, Kentucky retook it once again. Hudson Brown delivered a RBI single to send Herrera home from second base and tie the game back up again. This would effectively end Bassinger's day and bring in lefty Ben McDougal. McDougal, much like the rest of the WVU pitchers, struggled. In the three batters McDougal faced, he hit two of them and walked the other to give Kentucky the lead back. Unfortunately for the Mountaineers, Carson Estridge didn't provide what was needed. Kentucky designated hitter Hudson Brown hit a gut-punch of a home run to extend the Wildcats lead. 'It was a really weird balancing act that we haven't had to do much this year.' WVU head coach Steve Sabins said. 'The offense stepped up huge and kept coming.' Pinch-hitting for Jace Rinehart, Grant Hussey nearly came in and hit a grand slam to tie the game. Kentucky left fielder Cole Hage robbed him of it, banging into the left field wall to make the catch. When all hope was seemingly lost, the WVU Mountaineers rose from the ashes. 'That's the three best set of games I've ever been a part of as a player or a coach in my life,' Sabins said. 'It literally had everything you could have imagined, including walk-offs, and six-run eights…' Once again, West Virginia was able to load the bases. This time, in the bottom of the eighth, they were able to convert as Sam White drew a walk that would score a run. With two outs, both Gavin Kelly and Lumsden would hit RBI singles to score four more runners to tie the game. With three outs remaining for Kentucky to tie or take the lead, Griffin Kirn came in and did what he does best. He got the job done for WVU and retired the Kentucky batters to end the game. To describe the WVU series of games this weekend, Sabins said, 'Heroic plays, heroic performances, heroic at-bats, it's the best television you could have watched for three straight games.' — Story by Nic Costello
Fox Sports
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
West Virginia rallies to beat Kentucky 13-12. wins second consecutive regional
Associated Press CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Ben Lumsden had four RBIs, Gavin Kelly drove in three runs and Armani Guzman hit a two-out RBI single to cap a six-run rally in the eighth inning as West Virginia beat Kentucky 13-12 on Sunday night to win the Clemson Regional. West Virginia, which won the first regional last season, advanced to its second consecutive super regional in Steve Sabins' first year as coach. Sabins spent nine seasons as an assistant — three as associate head coach — for Randy Mazey, who retired after 12 seasons with the Mountaineers. Guzman finished with four hits and three RBIs. Logan Sauve drove in two runs, one with a solo homer. Devin Burkes hit a solo home run in the eighth to give Kentucky a five-run lead. Grant Hussey drew a two-out walk in the eighth to load the bases for West Virginia and Sam White walked to drive in Guzman. Kelly and Lumsden followed with back-to-back two-run singles to make it 12-12. Patrick Herrera walked to lead off the fifth inning and scored on a single by Hudson Brown to give the Wildcats a 7-6 lead. Burkes and Luke Lawrence were each hit by a pitch in consecutive at-bats to help load the bases. Cole Hage drew a walk to drive in Brown, whose three-run homer in the sixth made it 11-7. Benjamin Hudson (3-1) pitched the eighth inning and gave up a solo home run to Burkes. Griffin Kirn worked a scoreless ninth for his first save. James McCoy (1-2) came on with one out in the fourth and runners at first and second and did not record an out. His wild pitch allowed the runners to move into scoring position before Lumsden and Brodie Kresser hit back-to-back singles to chase McCoy. ___ AP college sports: recommended
Winnipeg Free Press
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
West Virginia rallies to beat Kentucky 13-12. wins second consecutive regional
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Ben Lumsden had four RBIs, Gavin Kelly drove in three runs and Armani Guzman hit a two-out RBI single to cap a six-run rally in the eighth inning as West Virginia beat Kentucky 13-12 on Sunday night to win the Clemson Regional. West Virginia, which won the first regional last season, advanced to its second consecutive super regional in Steve Sabins' first year as coach. Sabins spent nine seasons as an assistant — three as associate head coach — for Randy Mazey, who retired after 12 seasons with the Mountaineers. Guzman finished with four hits and three RBIs. Logan Sauve drove in two runs, one with a solo homer. Devin Burkes hit a solo home run in the eighth to give Kentucky a five-run lead. Grant Hussey drew a two-out walk in the eighth to load the bases for West Virginia and Sam White walked to drive in Guzman. Kelly and Lumsden followed with back-to-back two-run singles to make it 12-12. Patrick Herrera walked to lead off the fifth inning and scored on a single by Hudson Brown to give the Wildcats a 7-6 lead. Burkes and Luke Lawrence were each hit by a pitch in consecutive at-bats to help load the bases. Cole Hage drew a walk to drive in Brown, whose three-run homer in the sixth made it 11-7. Benjamin Hudson (3-1) pitched the eighth inning and gave up a solo home run to Burkes. Griffin Kirn worked a scoreless ninth for his first save. James McCoy (1-2) came on with one out in the fourth and runners at first and second and did not record an out. His wild pitch allowed the runners to move into scoring position before Lumsden and Brodie Kresser hit back-to-back singles to chase McCoy. ___ AP college sports:
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Battered: Kentucky baseball thumps Clemson, eliminates Tigers from NCAAs
Clemson baseball's season has ended in a familiar spot: Its home ballpark. The Tigers were booted from the postseason with a 16-4 loss to Kentucky in an NCAA regional elimination game on Sunday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium Advertisement Clemson has now failed to advance out of a regional it hosted for the second time in three years and sixth time in seven tries. The team's streak of missing the College World Series in Omaha has also hit 15 years (2010). Roughly 12 hours after collapsing against West Virginia on Saturday, Clemson (45-18) didn't look like it was playing in a must-win game against Kentucky. The Tigers were plagued by poor pitching, poor defense and poor execution against Kentucky (31-25) in one of the more demoralizing losses of coach Erik Bakich's three-year tenure. 'No good takeaways from today,' Bakich said postgame. Kentucky junior James McCoy (13) scores during the NCAA baseball Clemson Regional at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson on Game recap In a game in which Bakich promised his team would 'empty the tank,' Clemson's outfield committed four errors in the first four innings and the Tigers burned through five pitchers after true freshman starter Talan Bell struggled. Advertisement After trailing 2-0 in the top of the first inning, Kentucky ripped off 11 runs in a two-inning span — including multiple scores on errors, wild pitches and free passes — to blow the game open and take a 13-3 lead on Clemson after four innings. It didn't get any better from there. Clemson's bats went cold on offense again — the Tigers' only run from the second through sixth inning came on a wild pitch — and they tallied a stunning seven outfield errors in less than six full innings. Clemson, the No. 1 seed in its region and No. 11 overall seed in the 64-team field, ultimately used six pitchers who surrendered 16 runs and 13 hits to Kentucky. The Wildcats, who entered batting .267, hit a scorching .470 (16-34) as a team. The Tigers, meanwhile, hit .257 (9-35) as a team, struck out 11 times and mustered just two runs in the last eight innings after scoring two runs in the top of the first. Advertisement Clemson's six pitchers allowed five unearned runs, four walks and three hit by pitches. Four of six pitchers (Bell, Jacob McGovern, Justin LeGuernic and B.J. Bailey) allowed at least three runs apiece. Another, Nathan Dvorsky, lasted just eight pitches. 'Today obviously sucked,' Bakich said. 'I don't want to overly dwell on how poorly we played in the game today, when, big picture, we have a group of seniors and a group of players that deserved a better finish than this.' 'So that's really the most disappointing thing, more disappointing than than seven errors and too many free passes and all the stuff.' Clemson Head Coach Erik Bakich gets a hug from Clemson outfielder Cam Cannarella (10) after the NCAA baseball Clemson Regional at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson, S.C. Sunday, June 1, 2025. Kentucky won 16-4, ending Clemson's season. 'Didn't finish where we wanted' Clemson, which reached the super regionals in 2024, has now failed to advance out of a regional it was hosting for the second time in three seasons under Bakich. Advertisement This is also the sixth time in seven tries — across three different coaches — that Clemson baseball has failed to advance out of a NCAA home regional and the 11th time in 12 regional appearances that Clemson's been eliminated. The Tigers were swept 2-0 at home by Florida in their super regional appearance last year. 'Things didn't go the way we expected or wanted, but this place still changed my life and gave me one of the best years of my life,' Clemson transfer left fielder Dominic Listi said. 'It's been amazing, even though we didn't get where we wanted to.' With the win, No. 3 seed Kentucky advances to Sunday night's regional championship against No. 2 West Virginia. UK must beat WVU twice to advance to the super regionals, while the Mountaineers need just one win. Clemson's regional is paired with the Baton Rouge Regional, featuring No. 6 LSU. Advertisement Bakich said he felt like this year's Clemson team overachieved, given how much production it lost from 2024. The Tigers, who ranked as high as No. 2 in the country in late April, will look back and find some positives in a year that included a sweep of rival South Carolina as well as a run to the ACC tournament championship game. But getting hammered by 12 runs in an elimination game is going to leave a mark. Same for the fact that Cam Cannarella, Clemson's star junior center fielder, a likely first-round MLB Draft pick who delivered time and time again in the postseason and could wind up getting his jersey honored at DKS, will never play in Omaha. 'When you look at our stats, it doesn't equal 45 wins,' Bakich said. 'These guys emptied the tank and really squeezed every drop of everything to have some of the success we've had this year. ... But we didn't finish where we wanted to.' 2025 Clemson baseball regional schedule All games at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson Advertisement Friday, May 30 Game 1: No. 2 West Virginia 4, No. 3 Kentucky 3 Game 2: No. 1 Clemson 7, No. 4 USC Upstate 3 Saturday, May 31 Game 3: No. 3 Kentucky 7, No. 4 USC Upstate 3 Game 4: No. 2 West Virginia 9, No. 1 Clemson 6 Sunday, June 1 Game 5: No. 3 Kentucky 16, No. 1 Clemson, 4 Game 6: No. 2 West Virginia vs. No. 3 Kentucky, 6 p.m. Monday, June 2 Game 7 (if necessary): No. 2 West Virginia vs. No. 3 Kentucky, TBD
