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Kentucky dominates Clemson 16-4 to clinch spot in Regional Final

Danby:Daniel Hager•06/01/25•

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Kentucky-dominates-Clemson-clinch-spot-Regional-Final
Kentucky's Nick Mingione (Photo via UK Athletics)

No. 3 seed Kentucky kept its season alive for at least one more game with a dominant 16-4 win over No. 1 seed Clemson in Sunday afternoon’s Clemson Regional elimination game. The ‘Cats will immediately have to bounce back Sunday night however, as they will face West Virginia in the Clemson Regional Final at 6:00 pm EST.

If Nick Mingione’s team can win on Sunday night, a winner-take-all Final is set for Monday at 6:00 pm EST. Winner to the Super Regionals.

This is the third consecutive season that Kentucky has made it to a Regional Final, with wins in its prior two appearances (2023 vs. Indiana, 2024 vs. Indiana State). Kentucky’s win was also the first for an SEC team over an ACC team in the 2025 NCAA Tournament (previously 0-5).

The Wildcat lineup exploded against Clemson’s pitching staff, as they totaled 16 runs on 13 hits. They were also aided by seven Clemson defensive errors. Eight of Kentucky’s nine offensive players recorded a hit, with four recording multiple hits. Junior center fielder Carson Hansen and freshman right fielder Ryan Schwartz led the way, as Hansen went 3-4 with two RBIs and Schwartz went 2-4 with four RBIs.

Freshman right-hander Nate Harris was stellar in his first career NCAA Tournament start on Sunday, as he held Clemson to just three runs on six hits in six innings. He tied his career-high with seven strikeouts and threw a career-high 106 pitches.

Wild first inning has ‘Cats and Tigers tied at two

Freshman right-hander Nate Harris made his first career postseason start and ran into some immediate trouble on Saturday.

After striking out Clemson star center fielder Cam Cannarella on three pitches, Harris walked second baseman Jarren Purify and shortstop Andrew Ciufo and allowed a single to left fielder Dominic Listi to load the bases. Purify then scored on a wild pitch and Listi scored on an RBI-groundout hit by DH Collin Priest.

Before Kentucky’s offense got an opportunity to hit, it trailed by two. This deficit however didn’t last long.

Luke Lawrence and Cole Hage were quickly retired, but a returning Tyler Bell and James McCoy were plunked in back-to-back at-bats to keep the inning alive. This brought center fielder Carson Hansen to the plate, who belted a three-run home run in Saturday’s 7-3 win over USC Upstate.

Hansen continued to produce from the five-hole as he ripped an RBI-single to left field, scoring Bell from second. Clemson left fielder Dominic Listi attempted to throw Bell out at home, but the throw was errant and got away from catcher Jakob Jarrell. McCoy was able to score as well, tying the game at two.

Five-run third inning propels Kentucky to 7-2 lead

After allowing two runs in the first, Harris bounced back and kept the Clemson offense scoreless over the next two innings. This brought the ‘Cats back to the plate in the bottom of the third with a chance to break the tie. And break the tie they did.

With one out in the inning, Cole Hage hit a chopping ground ball to the left side that shortstop Andrew Ciufo fielded in the shallow outfield. He attempted a jumping throw to throw out Hage at first, but it was errant and bounced down the right field line.

Hage grabbed second on the errant throw, and then nabbed third on an errant pickoff attempt to second which landed in shallow right center field. His wild trip around the bases finally came to an end after taking home on a wild pitch thrown by Clemson left-hander Talan Bell. The score was now 3-2, but Kentucky wasn’t done scoring.

Tyler Bell, who was now at second after drawing a walk and advancing on a wild pitch, was driven home by an RBI-single hit by Carson Hansen, his second of the game. The frame was then capped off by James McCoy scoring on a passed ball and Ryan Schwartz driving in two more runs with a two-run single to left field.

In just one half inning, Kentucky had gone from tied to a five-run lead.

Wildcats pour it on in fourth inning

If a five-run inning in the third wasn’t good enough for Kentucky, it one upped itself with six more runs in the fourth inning.

Senior catcher Devin Burkes broke his slump with a leadoff single to left field, and scored all the way from first on an RBI-double hit by Luke Lawrence to the left center field fence. Cole Hage followed Lawrence with an RBI-double of his own, driving in Kentucky’s ninth run of the game.

The ‘Cats then crossed the 10-run threshold on a James McCoy RBI sac-fly, reached 12 runs on another two-run single hit by Ryan Schwartz, and settled at 13 runs on a dropped Hudson Brown fly-ball down the left field line by Clemson’s Dominic Listi.

Sunday’s game had quickly gone from bad to a complete and utter disaster for the Clemson baseball program.

Kentucky advances to Clemson Regional Final

Now out to a controlling 13-3 lead, Kentucky outscored Clemson 3-1 over the final five innings to cement a dominant 16-4 win. Kentucky’s 16 runs tied the program record for most runs scored in an NCAA Tournament game (2023 vs. Indiana).

Left-handed pitcher Evan Byers, right-handed pitcher Nile Adcock and left-handed pitcher Leighton Harris finished out the game on the mound for Kentucky. The trio allowed just three hits and one run over the final three innings, finishing off the 16-4 victory.

For the third consecutive season, Kentucky is now headed to an NCAA Tournament Regional Final.

What’s next for Kentucky?

Following its win, Kentucky will now face West Virginia in the Clemson Regional Final tonight at 6:00 pm EST.

If Nick Mingione’s team can win on Sunday night, a winner-take-all Final is set for Monday at 6:00 pm EST. Winner to the Super Regionals.

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2025-06-04