Tigers wrap sweep of Xavier in back-and-forth battle |
CLEMSON - In a back-and-forth game that featured 22 hits and the bases loaded at least once in five different innings, No. 9 Clemson pulled away late to win the last game of the series 11-7 and sweep Xavier to start the season.
The action started right away in the first inning, with Xavier striking first once again. With two outs and two runners on base, graduate infielder Jared Cushing hit a single, sending graduate outfielder home to give the Musketeers the 1-0 lead. Clemson quickly responded in the bottom of the inning. With freshman infielder Nolan Nawrocki on second and sophomore outfielder Cam Cannarella on third, senior infielder Blake Wright hit a trip to send both of them home, giving the Tigers a 2-1 lead. Graduate outfielder Alden Mathes then grounded out, allowing Wright to come home to extend the lead to 3-1 at the end of the first inning. Xavier responded in the top of the third inning with a total of four hits and two runs to tie the game at 3-3. Following a pitching change in the top of the fourth, the Musketeers extended their lead to 5-3 as senior infielder Matt McCormick hit a single with the bases loaded. After getting the bases loaded, Clemson shortened Xavier’s lead in the bottom of the fourth inning with one hit and three walks, the third of which ultimately sent Wright home again. The Tigers would get the lead back in the bottom of the fifth. With one out and the bases loaded once again, Wright hit a flyout, giving sophomore outfielder Jack Crighton the opportunity to tie the game at 5-5. Then, with two outs and a runner on second and third, graduate outfielder Alden Mathes hit a double, which sent Cannarella home. Because of a throwing error, Nawrocki also made it home unearned to give Clemson a 7-5 lead. In the bottom of the sixth, the Tigers extended their lead. With two outs, graduate infielder Jacob Hinderleider got his first hit of the game with a double. This was followed by a double by Crighton, which sent Hinderleider home, giving Clemson an 8-5 lead. The Musketeers continued to respond. In the top of the seventh, they cut into Clemson’s lead. With a runner on first and third, sophomore catcher Hayden Christiansen hit a flyout to make the game 8-6. This was followed by a double, and as a result of a fielding error on Clemson, Cushing was able to get home and cut the Tigers’ lead down to 8-7. Errors continued to have an impact on this game. In the bottom of the seventh with one out and the bases loaded, graduate infielder Andrew Ciufo hit a flyout that sent Wright home for the third time this game. Xavier, with their fourth error of the day, had a throwing error that ultimately sent Mathes and graduate infielder Jimmy Obertop home as well, clearing the bases and giving Clemson an 11-7 lead. Neither team scored in the final two innings of the game. Freshman right-hander Aidan Knaak was the starting pitcher in this game for the Tigers. He played a total of 70 pitches, allowing six hits but also having six strikeouts. In the top of the fourth inning, graduate right-hander Matthew Marchal came into the game; he would also play three innings but only allowed one hit and had four strikeouts. Fellow graduate righty Rob Hughes played two innings, only allowing one hit and being the only Clemson pitcher in this game to play multiple innings and not allow a run. Freshman lefty Justin LeGeuric, in his first career appearance, would finish the game pitching the top of the ninth inning. LeGeuric did not allow any hits. Leaving runners on base continues to be a problem for the Tigers, particularly when the bases are loaded. In the second game of the series, Clemson left 11 runners on base. They left even more runners on base in this final game of the series with 12 runners on base. This primarily comes from the second, third and fourth innings when the Tigers left three runners on base each inning. Clemson will play their next game against Presbyterian on February 20 (4 p.m./ACCNX), followed by the beginning of their series against Kennesaw State starting on Friday, February 23 (5 p.m./ACCNX).
Three games, three comeback wins.
— Clemson Baseball (@ClemsonBaseball) February 19, 2024
🎥 Clemson vs. Xavier Highlights ➡️ 2/18/24 pic.twitter.com/1D2BHKY4s7
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