CLEMSON, S.C.- UCF hit three home runs to power past the Clemson Tigers 10-7 on Saturday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The win clinches the weekend series for the Knights.
The Knights (5-1) got a solo home run from Drew Faurot in the second inning and one from John Rhys Plumlee in the third to take an early 2-0 lead. Clemson (4-2) cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth before UCF touched up starting pitcher Austin Gordon for four more runs in the fifth, highlighted by a three-run shot from Tom Josten.
"They hit a couple of long balls," head coach Erik Bakich said. "They also made some nice plays on defense as well. We knew they were a good team coming in and that we would have to play well and we just didn't play well."
Gordon would last just 4.2 innings, allowing six runs on seven hits. He also struck out eight batters.
The Tigers would answer right back in the bottom of the fifth with four runs of their own, as Nathan Hall came up big, driving in two runs with a two-out single to right that cut the lead to 6-5. Clemson would tie it up in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Blake Wright.
UCF would come right back in the eighth, but with a little help, as the Tigers committed two costly errors and had a passed ball, as the Knights tacked on four more runs to take a late 10-6 lead.
"I thought we beat ourselves a little bit,: Bakich said. "We talk about minimizing what we give the other team, in terms of freebies, errors ot extra 90s. Just way too many. They are a quality ballclub and anytime you give a quality ballclub the extra 90s and free bases they will make you pay for it.
Clemson would add one more run in the bottom of the ninth on a two-out RBI double from Benjamin Blackwell.
Player of the Game: Blackwell continued his hot start, going 3-for-5, with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored. The veteran shortstop is hitting .500 on the season.
Key Moment: With the score tied at 6-6 and after pitching a scoreless seventh, freshman reliever Ethan Darden came back out for the eighth. He would commit a throwing error to allow the first hitter to reach, then hit the second batter of the inning, giving UCF runners at first and second with nobody out. The next hitter had an RBI single to left, putting the Knights right back on top by a run. It killed the momentum the Tigers had just gotten by scoring four runs in the inning prior. UCF would score three more times and blow the game open.
Stat of the Game: After allowing just 10 walks through the first four games, Clemson pitching issued nine free passes on Saturday, with four of those being by way of hit batsmen.
Up Next: The series concludes on Sunday with first pitch scheduled for noon, as the Tigers look to avoid the sweep. Jay Dill takes the mound for Clemson, while the Knights will go with Dom Stagliano.
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