The stands at Doug Kingsmore Stadium buzzed with anticipation as the sun set on Saturday night, the crowd energized as Army West Point took the field against No. 19 Clemson. Army wrapped up its season-opening weekend with a 7-0 defeat, as the Tigers completed a three-game sweep.
CLEMSON, S.C. – Army West Point Baseball wrapped up its season-opening weekend with a 7-0 defeat to No. 19 Clemson on Saturday night at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, as the Tigers completed a three-game sweep.
Game Recap
The Black Knights (0-3) battled throughout the nightcap and kept within reach for most of the contest, but a late surge by Clemson (3-0) proved decisive. Starting pitcher Kevin Reavey turned in a strong outing, tossing five innings and allowing just one earned run while striking out two, but was tagged with the loss. Army’s bullpen saw Trey Ates, Jakob Vanderhave, and Michael Delph combine for the final three innings.
Clemson took a 1-0 lead in the third on a two-out RBI single. Army threatened in the fourth inning when William Parker doubled and David Dubrule advanced to third, putting two runners in scoring position with just one out. As Parker took a cautious lead off second and Dubrule bounced at third, 5,623 fans held their breath, the stadium buzzing with nervous energy. The moment stretched as the tying run stood just seventy feet from home. After a tense pause, Clemson’s pitcher delivered two sharp strikeouts, deflating Army’s hopes and sending the crowd into a collective sigh as both runners were left stranded. The Black Knights put runners in scoring position in multiple frames but were unable to capitalize.
The Tigers added another run in the sixth after loading the bases, but Ates limited the damage to keep it 2-0. Army’s best chance came in the seventh when Carter Hewitt laced a two-out double, but he was left aboard. Clemson broke the game open in the late innings, scoring two runs in the seventh and three more in the eighth to seal the win. The seventh-inning troubles stood out compared to last season, when Army’s bullpen posted a 3.45 ERA and often shut down opponents in tight spots. While late-inning struggles were rare in 2023, Saturday’s slip was a departure from the program’s typical resilience, offering a benchmark as the team looks to steady its bullpen early this season.
Black Knights News:
- Army Finishes the Sweep and Runs American Off the Floor, 86-56
- Army Black Knights Fall to American for Fourth Straight Loss, 75-63 Road Setback
- Clemson Rolled in Game 2 and Blanked Army 10-0 to Take Control of the Series
- Army Had No. 19 Clemson on the Ropes—Then One Mistake Flipped Opening Day
- Army Women’s Tennis Sweeps UT, 4-0, Wins 10th Straight Ahead of Rival Air Force Showdown
Inside the Numbers
- Army Defensive Highlights
- Army turned five double plays across both games Saturday, adding to two on Friday. The Black Knights played error-free defense in the nightcap for their first clean sheet of the season.
Roster & Milestone Notes
- Freshman Josiah Overbeek made his first career start as the designated hitter in Game 3.
- Catcher McGlone caught his first runner stealing since 2024 in Game 1 of the doubleheader.
- Freshman right-hander Joe Vaccarella made his collegiate debut Friday.
- Head coach Chris Tracz made minor tweaks to the lineup for the nightcap, keeping the core largely intact.
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Next Up
Army heads back to the Palmetto State for three games February 20-22, facing South Carolina, Air Force, and The Citadel. The first two contests will take place at Founders Park in Columbia, S.C., before closing the weekend at The Citadel in Charleston.
The Black Knights will look to build on the positives from opening weekend as they continue their early-season road swing.
Bad Dawg Sports: Real reporting – Real access – No nonsense
Doug Kingsmore didn’t hand Army a soft landing—it handed them a measuring stick. Clemson finished the sweep, but the Black Knights leave opening weekend with clear benchmarks: clean defense, missed chances, and a bullpen standard to reassert fast. Want every boom and echo? Don’t miss our upcoming coverage—where we break down every ripple, every shockwave, and what it means for the season ahead.
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