Behind home runs by Jonathan French, Caden Grice and Max Wagner, Clemson defeated No. 10 Georgia 8-4 at Foley Field on Tuesday night. The Tigers (23-13) swept the home-and-home season series 2-0 against the Bulldogs (26-11) and improved to 5-0 against SEC teams in 2022.
French started the scoring with a leadoff home run in the third inning, his fifth of the year. In the fourth inning, Grice crushed an opposite-field, three-run homer, his seventh of the year, to give Clemson a 4-0 lead. The Bulldogs dented the scoreboard with four in the fifth inning, highlighted by Ben Anderson’s three-run triple, to tie the score 4-4.
With two outs in the sixth inning, Bryar Hawkins ripped a run-scoring double, then Benjamin Blackwell grounded a run-scoring single. Wagner belted an opposite-field, solo homer, his 12th of the year, in the seventh inning. In the eighth inning, Clemson added a run on a wild pitch.
Tiger reliever Jackson Lindley (5-0) earned the win, as he allowed one hit, no runs and no walks with two strikeouts in 2.0 innings pitched. Bulldog reliever Will Pearson (2-2) suffered the loss.
The Tigers return home for a six-game homestand, beginning Wednesday against East Tennessee State at 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.