He pounded his chest three times … paused … and then he did it one more time.
That’s how 11th-seeded Miami’s dramatic 8-7 victory against second-seeded Clemson ended on Thursday in an ACC tournament game in Charlotte, North Carolina.
How big was this upset?
Clemson (40-14) is ranked third in the nation. Miami, meanwhile, last week concluded its first losing regular season in 67 years.
“We made big plays when we needed them,” Miami’s first-year coach J.D. Arteaga said following Thursday’s victory. “We played winning baseball, and that’s something we weren’t doing all [regular] season.”
On Thursday, Miami (27-29) led 8-6 heading into the ninth. Clemson’s Jacob Hinderleider hit a leadoff homer to tighten things up, and Blake Wright drew a no-out walk.
But closer Myles Caba — who earned a six-out save — settled down. He got a pop out and a groundout before facing fellow lefty Tristan Bissetta.
That’s when things got really wild.
On a 1-1 breaking pitch low in the zone, Bissetta lofted the ball high to left. Villegas waited … jumped … and snatched the ball an inch before it would have hit high off the wall.
At the very least, that would have been a score-tying RBI double had Villegas not made the grab of his life.
The play withstood a video review, during which. Miami starter Gage Ziehl approached Villegas.
“Please tell me you caught it,” Ziehl said. “He told me, ‘I got you.’”
Now, the Canes are halfway home.
With their losing record, the only way for Miami to make an NCAA regional would be to take the ACC title this week.
If they are successful there, Miami would play in Sunday’s all-or-nothing ACC final.
Arteaga was asked after Thursday’s win what he told his team.
“The message was delivered before we got on the plane on Monday,” he said.
“We have to win the tournament. At one point today, we had Saturday’s starter, Herick Hernandez, warming up in the bullpen. … Whatever it takes.”
Three freshmen led Miami’s offense Thursday: shortstop Antonio Jimenez blasted a three-run homer; Jake Kulikowski added a crucial pinch-hit homer in the eighth; and third baseman Daniel Cuvet went 2 for 4 with two RBI.
Ziehl, who pitched a 15-strikeout, no-walk, complete-game 3-2 masterpiece win against Clemson earlier this season, wasn’t quite that good Thursday.
But he still earned the win with a quality start, allowing six hits, three walks and three runs. He struck out four in a 103-pitch effort.
“That’s probably his worst game of the year,” Arteaga said. “But that’s the sign of a great pitcher — up against the ropes in the third inning … and then you look up, and he gets us through six.
“Even on his worst day, Gage will give his best effort.”
Caba, who got a 10-out save Tuesday, came through again.
Miami opened the scoring in the first as Cuvet singled and score from first on Dorian Gonzalez’s double off the wall in left.
Clemson took a 2-1 lead in the second on Jarren Purify two-out, two-run double.
In the bottom of the second, Miami’s first three runners reached on Carlos Perez’s single, Lorenzo Carrier’s double and Jimenez’s opposite-field homer to right.
The rally continued when Jacoby Long reached on a throwing error, and Villegas walked. Cuvet then drove a two-run double to right for a 6-2 lead.
Clemson cut its deficit to 6-3 in the third, scoring on a two-out passed ball charged to Perez.
A pair of errors — fielding by Jimenez at shortstop and throwing by Ziehl on a failed pickoff — put a Clemson runner on third with one out in the fourth. But Ziehl struck out the next two batters to end the threat.
Miami nearly scored again in the bottom of the fourth as Villegas singled and advanced on a groundout. But, after a Gonzalez single to left, Villegas was thrown out at the plate.
Not to worry for Villegas or the Canes, who got that seventh run in the sixth inning. Jimenez drew a leadoff walk and scored on Villegas’ single.
After Ziehl exited, reliever Nick Robert struggled, allowing one run in the seventh and two with no outs in the eighth.
Caba came in with runners on first and second. First baseman JD Urso made a great play on a sacrifice bunt, throwing the lead runner out at third.
Urso is a natural shortstop who is playing out of position due to an injury to first baseman Jason Torres.
“He’s probably never played first base before,” Arteaga said, “but he’s figuring it. out.”
With one out, Caba got a pop fly and a strikeout to end the threat.
In the bottom of the eighth, Kulikowski got an off-speed pitch, and he pulled it to right for a 390-foot homer to give Miami an 8-6 lead. Clemson right fielder Alden Mathes knew it was gone, and he didn’t even move.
That left it up to Miami’s ninth-inning heroics and this quote from Arteaga:
“We’re halfway there.”
