Clemson baseball swept at home by UCF and no, the sky is not falling

I promised myself I wouldn’t read too much into the outcomes of Clemson baseball games this year, realizing the Tigers were in a transition year, playing a mixture of vets, freshmen and transfers.

I also qualified that by saying those were my thoughts when the loss column showed a big fat 0, which it did after the first four games.

My, how quickly things have changed.

The UCF Knights came into Doug Kingsmore Stadium and stole the Tigers lunch money in a three-game sweep.

Sunday’s game was more of the same: Fall behind early, battle back, give up runs and watch UCF circle the bases on long home runs.

At least that’s how the game seemed to me.

All three games were tied late and all three games UCF hit the ball and Clemson couldn’t get it done, especially out of the bullpen.

Friday’s game was pushed into Saturday and then UCF pushed across two unearned runs in the top of the ninth when play resumed in the first game and held on to hand the Tigers their first loss of the season, 4-2.

In Saturday’s regularly scheduled game, Clemson overcame a 6-1 deficit to tie the game at 6 in the bottom of the sixth before the Knights plated four of their own in the top of the 8th and held on for a 10-7 win.

On Sunday, Clemson fell behind 3-0 in the top of the first, rallied to take a 4-3 lead after one and went punch for punch until the top of the seventh, when a two-out bases loaded wild thrown from Ty Olenchuk opened the floodgates for UCF that ended in a 13-6 win for the Knights.

Clemson baseball faces South Carolina next weekend after a disappointing performance against UCF

It wasn’t pretty baseball and while the Tigers certainly have talent, there’s obviously a long way to go.

Oh yeah.  South Carolina is next weekend.

It’s a weird feeling for me as Clemson baseball diehard, knowing this team needs time, but living and dying by wins and losses.

Breathe. It’s baseball.  You aren’t going to win them all.

But, I’d like to have won at least one.