Tigers complete sweep of Hoosiers with extra-innings walk-off

Grice at the plate after hitting a home run against the Hoosiers. (Tamara Sloan photo)

by Nikki Hood - Staff Writer - Sun Feb 20 17:44:43 GMT-04:00 2022

CLEMSON – The 2022 Clemson baseball season is off to a perfect start after a 5-4 walk-off win over Indiana to sweep the Hoosiers at Doug Kingsmore Stadium Sunday afternoon.

Clemson improved to 3-0 on the young season, while Indiana fell to 0-3.

After leaving the bases loaded in the ninth inning, Clemson and Indiana went to extra innings.

Caden Grice – Clemson’s seventh pitcher of the day - stranded three Hoosiers in the top of the tenth and earned the win, his first of the season. Grice threw 25 pitches – 14 strikes – and gave up one hit and two walks while striking out one.

Clemson's Benjamin Blackwell and Dylan Brewer opened the bottom half of the tenth with back-to-back singles. Cooper Ingle hit into a fielder’s choice to put runners on the corners with just one out. Bryar Hawkins ripped a 2-2 pitch to right field and Blackwell raced home beating the throw for the game-winning run to complete the sacrifice fly.

Grice and Brewer each totaled multi-hit games for the Tigers, with Grice driving in three runs. Braydon Tucker picked up the loss for Indiana, after 2 2/3 innings of relief.

Phillip Glasser put Indiana on the board first with a one-out solo shot to centerfield to give the Hoosiers a 1-0 lead.

Clemson answered, however, in the bottom half of the first. Dylan Brewer led off the inning with a double shallow left and advanced to third on a groundball out. Caden Grice lifted a ball just deep enough to left field to allow Brewer to score from third at the game at 1-1.

Indiana’s Bobby Whalen led off the third inning with a single up the middle, stole second and advanced to third on a check-swing dribbler to first. He scored on a single through the right side by Brock Tibbitts for a 2-1 Indiana lead.

Grice hit his first home run of the season – and the 16th of his career – out of the ballpark and over the Cajun Café. The homer went 413 feet and plated Ingle, who worked a one-out walk for a 3-1 Clemson lead at the end of the third inning.

Clemson pitcher Jackson Lindley walked Tyler Doanes with two outs in the sixth and head coach Monte Lee made the decision to bring on closer Ryan Ammons. Ammons promptly gave up a double and walk to load the bases and tie the game at 3-3. Lee made another call to the bullpen bringing in Alex Edmondson to try and end the threat.

Edmondson walked Ethan Vecrumba giving Indiana a 4-3 lead midway through the sixth.

After Bryar Hawkins worked out a one-out walk, Indiana went to the bullpen and brought in Tucker, who promptly gave up a single to right by Grice and a walk to Chad Fairey. A bases-loaded walk two batters later tied the game at 4-4 after seven innings.

The Tigers missed a golden opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the ninth. The Tigers loaded the bases but failed to push across the winning run, leading to extra innings.

Clemson hosts College of Charleston Tuesday at 4 p.m. before Hartford comes to town for a three-game series.

.@bryarhawkins5 WALK-OFF FOR THE SWEEP! ?????? pic.twitter.com/AEoiIRH6zh
— Clemson Baseball (@ClemsonBaseball) February 20, 2022

Touch 'em all, then celebrate. :muscle: :tada:@CadenGrice3 #NoDoubter pic.twitter.com/JDx4D5Pr8L
— Clemson Baseball (@ClemsonBaseball) February 20, 2022

.@mdwagz9 is too smooth with the leather :fire::fire:

T4 || IND 2, CU 3

?? https://t.co/po89FTS9c9 pic.twitter.com/DxTGGmODjY
— Clemson Baseball (@ClemsonBaseball) February 20, 2022