A seven-run fifth inning helped the Florida Gators to a 10-7 victory over Clemson in Game 1 of the best-of-three Clemson Super Regional Saturday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
Florida (33-28 overall) batted 11 times in the fifth and scored seven runs on four hits, an error and three walks. Jac Caglianone provided the big blast with a three-run homer off Tigers starter Tristan Smith that gave the Gators a 5-4 lead.
Florida also got run-scoring hits from Luke Heyman and Michael Robertson in the fifth. Heyman later homered in the top of the ninth off Jacob McGovern for an insurance run.
Right-hander Brandon Neely closed things out in the bottom of the ninth, completing four scoreless innings of one-hit ball to put the Gators one win shy of a return trip to the College World Series in Omaha. Neely threw 59 pitches and struck out seven, allowing one walk.
Things were going Clemson’s way early on as the Tigers (44-15) built a 4-1 lead and got to Florida starter Liam Peterson. After loading the bases with one out in the first inning, Clemson drew first blood when a wild pitch sailed to the backstop and allowed Mathes to score for a 1-0 lead.
Jack Crighton, the seventh batter to come to the plate in the inning, walked on four pitches to force in a run and make it 2-0. Peterson struck out Jacob Jarrell with his 40th pitch to end the first inning.
The Tigers caught a break leading off the second when Jarren Purify hit a ball into no man’s land that dropped in front of right fielder Ashton Wilson for a triple. Two pitches later, another wild pitch from Peterson allowed Purify to score for a 3-0 Clemson lead. Peterson left after throwing 53 pitches in one-plus inning of work.
Right-hander Fisher Jameson took over in relief and rallied to strike out Blake Wright and get Cam Cannarella to fly out to keep it a 3-0 game.
An inning later, Clemson made it 4-1 when Jimmy Obertop led off the bottom of the third with his 21st home run — a mammoth shot that left the stadium. Obertop’s blast tied Wright for the team lead in home runs.
The Gators began chipping away in the fourth when Tyler Shelnut homered to deep left center with one out to cut the lead to 4-2 before Florida’s seven-run explosion in the fifth.
Jameson (5-0) was the winning pitcher with four innings of work. Smith (2-1) suffered the loss after allowing five runs on five hits in four-plus innings.
Mathes led Clemson at the plate with three hits in a 3-for-5 performance.
Game 2 of the series is scheduled for Sunday at 2:30 p.m EDT. The game will be televised by ESPN. Freshman Aidan Knaak (5-1, 2.96) will start for Clemson against Florida’s Caglianone (5-2, 4.57).
Follow us @Clemson_Wire on X and on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news, notes and commentary.
For coverage of the Florida Gators, head over to Gators Wire.