Hear from Clemson players Blake Wright, Jimmy Obertop and Austin Gordon after Sunday’s game.
The Clemson baseball team’s hopes of reaching Omaha and taking home a national championship in the College World Series ended Sunday in a wild, 13-inning 11-10 loss to the Florida Gators at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
The Tigers ended their season at 45-16 overall. They got home runs from senior second baseman Blake Wright and senior first baseman Jimmy Obertop in Sunday’s game — the 22nd of the year from each player. Wright had four hits as part of a 4-for-6 game.
Cam Cannarella added four RBIs, including his 11th home run. The Tigers’ centerfielder made a spectacular catch in centerfield to preserve a 9-9 tie in the 10th inning.
After the game, Wright, Obertop and pitcher Austin Gordon met with reporters. Here’s a video of everything the players said.
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Jimmy Obertop’s three-run homer in the eighth inning and bases-loaded walk in the ninth gave Clemson an 8-7 come-from-behind win over Louisville Friday.
Jimmy Obertop hit a game-tying three-run home run in the eighth inning and drew a bases-loaded walk off Tucker Biven in the ninth to give Clemson an 8-7 comeback victory over Louisville in both teams’ final game at the ACC Baseball Tournament Friday at Truist Field in Charlotte.
The Tigers (41-14 overall) now wait to learn which teams they’ll host in the four-team, double-elimination Clemson Regional to begin the NCAA Tournament. The final field of 64 will be unveiled beginning at noon EDT Monday on ESPN2. Clemson is a projected No. 6 national seed by both D1Baseball and Baseball America.
Friday’s win may have secured that projection. The Tigers rallied from a 6-0 deficit against Louisville starter Sebastian Gongora to earn their 24th come-from-behind victory of the season.
The Cardinals (32-24) jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead off Clemson starter Rocco Reid, who lasted only 1 2/3 innings. Reid served up a solo home run to JT Benson leading off the game before allowing a two-run shot to Luke Napleton and an RBI double to Dylan Hoy in the second inning.
The Tigers didn’t get on the board until the fourth inning when Tristan Bissetta, who just missed a go-ahead home run in the ninth inning of Thursday’s loss to Miami, singled to score Cam Cannarella.
Louisville held a 6-1 lead until the bottom of the sixth. With Gongora laboring at 94 pitches, Bissetta stayed hot with a two-out RBI triple just past the reach of a diving Eddie King Jr. in right-center that cut the deficit to 6-2.
After Gongora departed, Jacob Jarrell gave the Tigers a jolt with a no-doubt two-run homer to left off Evan Webster that made it 6-4 and capped a three-run inning. It was Jarrell’s sixth home run of the season.
Louisville tacked on an unearned run in the seventh inning before the Tigers tied it in the eighth. After Blake Wright singled and Cannarella walked, Obertop sent the first pitch he saw from right-hander Tucker Biven over the wall in left for his 19th home run of the season, tying the game at 7-7.
Clemson’s Austin Gordon worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning on just six pitches.
Jacob Hinderleider, Wright and Cannarella all singled with one away in the bottom of the ninth to put the winning run at third. Obertop’s game-winning walk off Biven came on four pitches that weren’t close.
Gordon (2-2) earned the win with Biven (4-3) suffering the loss. Gordon, Jacob McGovern and Drew Titsworth combined to hold the Cardinals to just one run over the final five innings.
Clemson outhit Louisville, 14-8. In addition to Obertop’s 2-for-4, four-RBI day, the Tigers got three hits from Cannarella, who went 3-for-3 with two walks to reach base all five times he batted. Bissetta (3-4) added three hits as well with Wright (2-5) notching two hits.
The Clemson Tigers clinched the ACC Atlantic Division title Saturday and assured themselves of no worse than a No. 2 seed in next week’s ACC Tournament in Charlotte.
Blake Wright went 4-for-5 at the plate and hit his 20th home run of the season, Jimmy Obertop drove in four runs, and No. 4 Clemson defeated Boston College, 11-6, Friday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
The win clinched the ACC Atlantic Division title for Clemson (39-13 overall, 19-10 ACC) and a series victory in the Tigers’ final regular-season set ahead of next week’s ACC Tournament in Charlotte.
After Boston College (22-30, 8-21) jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a second-inning home run from John Collins off Tristan Smith, Clemson responded for nine unanswered runs over the next three innings.
The Tigers manufactured a run in the second inning on an RBI groundout from Jacob Jarrell, and in the third, Wright’s 20th home run off Boston College starter A.J. Colarusso tied the game.
Cam Cannarella and Jimmy Obertop followed with back-to-back doubles to put Clemson ahead, and Tristan Bissetta added a run-scoring single as part of a three-run inning that made it 4-2.
The Tigers erupted for five runs in the fourth, beginning with Wright’s second run-scoring hit of the afternoon — an opposite-field RBI single that made it 5-2. Later that inning, Obertop cleared the bases with a three-run homer, his 18th of the season to up the score to 9-2.
Clemson tacked on two more runs in the sixth inning. Bissetta picked up his second RBI of the day with a double down the right field line, and Jack Crighton followed with an RBI sacrifice fly to cap the Tigers’ scoring and make it 11-3.
The Eagles got an RBI double from Kyle Wolff and a two-run single from Adam Magpoc off reliever Chance Fitzgerald in the eighth for the game’s final runs.
Billy Barlow (6-1) earned the win in relief with three solid innings after Smith started and received a no-decision. Smith pitched four innings and gave up two runs on four hits to go with four walks and two strikeouts.
Drew Titsworth recorded the final six outs in relief, retiring all but one of the seven batters he faced without allowing a hit. He struck out four and walked one. Fitzgerald allowed all three Boston College runs in the eighth without recording an out.
In addition to Wright’s four hits, Clemson got three-hit games from Obertop (3-for-5) and Bissetta (3-5). Cannarella (2-3) stayed hot by notching two hits and scoring three runs. Jarren Purify (2-5) also had two hits.
Colarusso (3-8) suffered the loss for Boston College, allowing six runs (four earned) on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.
The series concludes Saturday with first pitch scheduled for noon EDT. The game can be seen on ACC Network.
Clemson defeated Boston College in the series opener, 12-10, on Thursday night.
CLEMSON, S.C. – Cam Cannarella’s three-run homer in the eighth inning lifted No. 4 Clemson to a 12-10 victory over Boston College at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Thursday night. The Tigers, who took a 1-0 lead in the series, improved to 38-13 overall and 18-10 in the ACC. The Eagles dropped to 22-29 overall and 8-20 in ACC play.
The Eagles took advantage of two errors in the first inning to score five runs, capped by Parker Landwehr’s three-run homer. After the Tigers plated a run in the second inning, Cameron Leary belted a leadoff homer in the top of the third inning to build a 6-1 lead. With two outs in the bottom of the third inning, Jimmy Obertop hit a three-run homer, his 17th of the year.
John Collins led off the top of the fourth inning with a homer, then the Eagles added a run later in the frame to take an 8-4 lead. Jacob Jarrell flared a run-scoring single in the bottom of the fourth inning, then Jacob Hinderleider lined a two-out, run-scoring single later in the frame. Three two-out errors allowed Clemson to plate two runs in the fifth inning to tie the score 8-8.
Alden Mathes led off the sixth inning with a homer, his ninth of the year, to give Clemson its first lead, then Barry Walsh’s two-out double scored the tying run in the seventh inning. Leary hit his second homer of the game in the top of the eighth inning to give Boston College a 10-9 lead.
With one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, Cannarella laced a 3-2 pitch, the ninth pitch of his plate appearance, over the fence in left field for his ninth long ball of the season.
Reed Garris (1-1) earned the win in relief, while Austin Gordon pitched the ninth inning to record his ninth save of the year. Tyler Mudd (2-3) suffered the loss.
The series continues Friday at 1 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.
Down to their last out, the second-ranked Clemson Tigers baseball team found a way to rally past Charlotte, 14-12, Tuesday.
No. 2 Clemson scored four runs in the ninth inning to storm from behind and defeat Charlotte, 14-12, in a wild midweek contest on Tuesday night at Truist Field.
The win was the 16th come-from-behind victory for the Tigers (37-10 overall) this season.
Jacob Jarrell finished 3-for-4 at the plate and broke a 12-all tie in the ninth with a two-run double that scored the eventual winning runs.
The Tigers totaled 15 hits in Tuesday’s victory, and they started collecting them right from the beginning by getting on the board in the first inning. Cam Cannarella hit a two-out RBI triple to score the game’s first run before Jimmy Obertop singled home Cannarella for an early 2-0 Clemson lead.
After Nolan Nawrocki lined an RBI double down the left field line as part of a two-run second inning, Obertop led off the third with a solo home run. It was Obertop’s 16th blast of the year and it gave Clemson a 5-0 lead.
Tigers starter Rocco Reid gave up a pair of third-inning runs before the Clemson bats struck again in the fourth. Jacob Hinderleider launched a three-run home run, his 11th of the year, that made it a 9-2 game on a night where it looked like the Tigers would have their way with a struggling Charlotte (22-27) club.
That all changed a half-inning later.
The 49ers got back into the game in the bottom of the fourth when Shane Taylor clubbed a two-out grand slam home run off Drew Titsworth, punctuating a five-run Charlotte inning and cutting the Clemson lead to 9-7. Counting the fourth-inning rally, the 49ers would go on to score 10 of the game’s next 11 runs to build a 12-10 lead before the ninth inning dramatics started.
Facing Charlotte reliever Joseph Taylor, Cannarella started the rally with a one-out double. Obertop followed with a single to put runners at the corners before Tristan Bissetta plated a run with an RBI sacrifice fly to cut the Charlotte lead to one.
With Clemson down to its last out, Jack Crighton kept the Tigers’ hopes alive with a game-tying triple to right field that scored pinch-runner Devin Parks and set the stage for Jarrell’s game-winning heroics two batters later.
Crighton and Obertop collected three hits apiece for Clemson.
Charlotte attempted one last rally in the bottom of the ninth by getting runners to second and third with no one out against Austin Gordon. Gordon then struck out Dante DeFranco before getting Kaden Hopson to hit a pop up near home plate. With the 49ers down to their last out, pinch-hitter Jacob Goolsby struck out on three pitches.
The Tigers used five pitchers in the game with Gordon earning his eighth save. Jacob McGovern (2-0) earned the win after tossing a scoreless eighth inning. Taylor (2-2) suffered the loss for Charlotte.
NEXT UP
Clemson travels to Winston-Salem for a key three-game ACC weekend series against No. 13 Wake Forest. First pitch Friday is scheduled for 6 p.m. EDT. The game can be seen on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX).
Clemson Tigers Baseball: A series preview, plus how Clemson fans can watch, stream and listen to the Tigers’ weekend series vs. Georgia Tech.
It’s officially the home stretch of the regular season for No. 4 Clemson as it heads into this weekend’s conference series against Georgia Tech.
The Tigers (34-9 overall, 15-6 ACC) have just three remaining weekend series left, beginning with Friday’s series opener against the Yellow Jackets (27-15, 11-10).
Due to inclement weather forecasts, the two teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader Friday beginning at noon EDT at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Game 2 will begin approximately 60 minutes after the conclusion of Game 1. Sunday’s series finale is still scheduled for 1 p.m. EDT.
Clemson is in the driver’s seat for a top national seed for the 2024 NCAA Tournament. For the second straight week, coach Erik Bakich’s club is projected as a No. 3 national seed in the latest Field of 64 projections from On3, Baseball America and D1Baseball. Only No. 1 Texas A&M and No. 2 Arkansas are projected higher.
The Tigers will be facing a Georgia Tech team that’s been hot at the plate over the past month. The Yellow Jackets led the ACC in runs per game (9.3) and on-base percentage (.436) in April. Those numbers allowed Georgia Tech to win every series during the month (against Pitt, Virginia Tech, Virginia, and most recently Miami).
Trey Yunger leads the Yellow Jackets in hitting with a .381 average in 39 games. Drew Burress is the team’s biggest power threat with 18 home runs and 50 RBIs. He has a slash line of .368/.486/.798 and has played in all 42 games this season. Georgia Tech is batting .315 as a team, good for fourth in the ACC.
For its part, Clemson sits atop the ACC standings and is two full games ahead of Florida State. The Tigers swept the Seminoles in a memorable head-to-head series earlier this year and are coming off a 2-2 week that saw them take two of three at Louisville. They’ve lost only one weekend series this season.
Freshman sensation Aidan Knaak (4-0, 2.59 ERA) will return to the rotation this weekend after being held back a start last week. Bakich said on ACC PM Wednesday that he’d wanted to give Knaak a weekend off against Louisville. Tristan Smith (2-0, 3.26) will start Game 1 of Friday’s doubleheader with Ethan Darden (5-2, 4.06) scheduled to start Game 2. The Tigers’ collective 4.08 team ERA is just a nick behind North Carolina’s 4.02 mak for best in the ACC.
Georgia Tech will counter with right-hander Aeden Finateri (5-1, 4.40 ERA) and southpaw Cam Jones (3-1, 4.07) in Friday’s doubleheader. Tate McKee (4-3, 6.39) is scheduled to face Knaak in Sunday’s finale.
Alden Mathes leads Clemson in hitting (.344) and on-base percentage (.469). Blake Wright and Jimmy Obertop have combined for 31 home runs as the main power threats in the Tigers’ lineup. Cam Cannarella, meanwhile, is coming off his best week of the season. The sophomore center fielder was named ACC Player of the Week on Monday.
“Cannarella was 9-for-20 (.450) with two homers, two doubles, six RBIs, four runs, an .850 slugging percentage, two walks and a .500 on-base percentage in four games on the road, including a series win at Louisville over the weekend.
He had at least two hits in each of the four games, including a homer at No. 17 Georgia on Tuesday. He went 7-for-14 with a homer, two doubles and five RBIs in the three-game series at Louisville.”
The Tigers are averaging 8.0 runs per game and are batting .294 as a team.
SERIES HISTORY
Clemson leads the all-time head to head series, 120-116-3. The two schools first met in baseball in 1902. The Tigers dropped two of three at Georgia Tech in their last meeting in March of 2023.
Where to Watch/Stream/Listen
Here’s a look at how Clemsons fans can watch, stream, and listen to this weekend’s series against Georgia Tech.
When: May 3-5
Where: Doug Kingsmore Stadium
Start Times (ET)
Friday (Game 1), noon EDT
Friday (Game 2), approximately 60 minutes after the conclusion of Game 1
Sunday, 1 p.m.
Broadcast Info
Live Video Stream: ACC Network Extra, ESPN+
Radio: Clemson Athletic Network | TuneIn App
Clemson Radio:
Broadcast Teams
ACC Network Extra: William Qualkinbush, Bobby Moranda
Clemson Tigers Baseball: A series preview, plus how Clemson fans can watch, stream and listen to the Tigers’ weekend series at Louisville.
With four weekends left in the regular season, Clemson heads to Louisville with the hope of continuing its dominant tear through the ACC.
The Tigers (32-8 overall, 13-5 ACC) are ranked No. 4 in the latest USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll and are also No. 4 in the NCAA’s RPI rankings.
Coach Erik Bakich’s team has lost only one series in conference play — two weeks earlier against NC State — and has a chance to secure a top five national seed for the 2024 NCAA Division 1 Baseball Tournament over the course of the next month.
Clemson enters the weekend as the No. 3 overall seed in the latest Field of 64 projections from both D1Baseball and Baseball America. In keeping with this week’s Top 25 polls, only No. 1 Texas A&M and No. 2 Arkansas have higher projected seeds than Clemson.
The Tigers will try to keep rolling against a Louisville team that’s 24-16 overall and 9-9 in conference play, good for fifth in the ACC. The Cardinals’ .325 average as a club is the third highest tally in the league behind only Virginia (.347) and Florida State (.328). Louisville’s 6.16 ERA is 10th out of the 14 ACC baseball programs.
Shortstop Gavin Kilen has a .368/.402/.651 slash line, including seven home runs and 30 RBIs. Zion Rose (.391/.460/.591) has played in 29 games and is the team’s top hitter for average.
Coach Dan McDonnell’s team won two of three in its last weekend series against Miami. Two weeks before that, they swept then-No. 19 NC State in a weekend series. Those have been the only ACC series victories by the Cardinals this season.
Most recently, Louisville tallied 13 runs in the first inning of a 16-5 win over Western Kentucky in midweek play Tuesday. The Cardinals are averaging 8.7 runs per game.
Clemson is coming off a grueling, 15-inning loss at No. 17 Georgia on Tuesday. The Tigers won two of three in their ACC series against Pitt last week.
Clemson will start left-handers Tristan Smith and Ethan Darden on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Louisville will counter with Sebastian Gongora (4-3, 5.23) Friday and Ryan Webster (3-1, 3.23) Saturday.
Sunday’s probable starters have yet to be announced for either team.
The Tigers’ .286 average as a team ranks ninth in the ACC. Clemson leads the conference in pitching with a combined 3.83 ERA.
Second baseman Blake Wright is the only Clemson player to have started all 40 games this season. The senior from Clearwater, Fla. has a .322/.355/.655 slash line with a team-best 16 home runs and 52 RBIs.
Catcher Jimmy Obertop (.290/.450/.623) has 14 home runs to go with 31 driven in. Obertop had five home runs in two games in the Tigers’ series victory over Pitt.
Clemson is averaging 7.7 runs per game this season.
SERIES HISTORY
Clemson leads the all-time head to head series, 20-14. The two schools first met on the diamond in 1970. Clemson swept Louisville at Doug Kingsmore Stadium a year ago during the Tigers’ 17-game winning streak.
Where to Watch/Stream/Listen
Here’s a look at when, where, and how Clemsons fans can watch, stream, and listen to this weekend’s series against Louisville.
When: April 26-28
Where: John Patterson Stadium (Louisville)
Start Times (ET)
Friday, 6 p.m.
Saturday, 1 p.m.
Sunday, 4 p.m.
Broadcast Info
TV: ESPN2 (Sunday only)
Live Video Stream: ACC Network Extra, ESPN+ (Friday, Sunday)
Radio: Clemson Athletic Network | TuneIn App
Clemson Radio
Broadcast Teams
ACC Network Extra: Joey Lindstrom, Jack Kizer, Jeff Milby
Aidan Knaak pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings and Jimmy Obertop tied a school record with three home runs in No. 4 Clemson’s 9-2 victory over Pittsburgh in the second game of a doubleheader at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Saturday.
CLEMSON, S.C. – Freshman righthander Aidan Knaak pitched 5.2 scoreless innings and Jimmy Obertop tied a school record with three home runs in No. 4 Clemson’s 9-2 victory over Pittsburgh in the second game of a doubleheader at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Saturday. The Tigers, who won the series 2-1, improved to 32-7 overall and 13-5 in the ACC. The Panthers fell to 16-21 overall and 5-16 in ACC play.
Knaak (4-0) earned the win by pitching 5.2 scoreless innings, allowing four hits and two walks with eight strikeouts. He did not allow a baserunner to advance past second base. Pittsburgh starter Ryan Reed (0-5) suffered the loss, as he surrendered eight hits, five runs (three earned) and one walk with three strikeouts in 4.0 innings pitched.
Obertop belted a two-run homer in the first inning and Jacob Hinderleider grounded a two-out, run-scoring double in the third inning. Obertop hit another two-run homer, his second of the game, in the fifth inning. Two batters later, Hinderleider belted a solo homer, his eighth of the year. Jarren Purify’s sacrifice fly in the sixth inning added a run.
The Panthers dented the scoreboard for the first time in the top of the eighth inning, as two baserunners scored on wild pitches. Blake Wright responded with a solo homer, his 16th of the year, in the bottom of the eighth inning. Obertop followed with a solo homer, his third of the game and 14th of the season.
Obertop became the 18th Tiger in history and third this season (Will Taylor, Blake Wright) to hit three long balls in a game.
The Tigers travel to Athens, Ga. to take on Georgia on Tuesday at 7 p.m. on ESPNU.
Clemson Baseball: The sixth-ranked Tigers rallied from a 4-0 deficit to down Pitt on Friday in ACC play at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
No. 6 Clemson used a pair of home runs from Jimmy Overtop to overcome a 4-0 deficit for a 6-4 victory over Pitt in ACC play Friday night at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
Obertop smacked his 10th and 11th home runs of the season. His first round-tripper of the night came in the fourth inning with two outs and the bases empty against Pitt starter Ryan Andrade. An inning later, the Tigers’ bats awoke for three runs to tie the game.
After Jacob Jarrell lifted a run-scoring sac fly to left to make it 4-2, Cam Cannarella followed with an RBI double to make it a one-run game. The Tigers tied it up when Alden Mathes’ single to center scored Cannarella.
Clemson took the lead in the sixth inning when Obertop launched his second homer of the night, a no-doubt shot to deep right. Later that inning, Jarren Purify reached on an error that was ruled a bunt sacrifice RBI, putting the Tigers on top 6-4.
Pitt threatened in the seventh off Lucas Mahlstedt before Reid Garris entered and proceeded to sit down all six batters he faced over the next two innings. Garris struck out three batters.
Austin Gordon worked the ninth inning and struck out the side for his sixth save. Mahlstedt (3-1) earned the win with 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.
Clemson pitchers finished with 13 strikeouts.
Friday marked the return of Tigers starter Tristan Smith. Smith threw 61 pitches in his first start since suffering an ankle injury just over a month ago. He pitched 2 2/3 innings and surrendered all four Pitt runs on four hits. The left-hander walked two and struck out four in a no-decision.
The Panthers (15-20 overall, 4-15 conference) touched Smith for three runs in the third, the highlight being a two-run single down the third base line from hot-hitting outfielder Dom Popa. Popa had three of the Panthers’ six hits in a 3-for-4 performance.
Clemson (31-6, 12-4) totaled 10 hits with all but one starter finishing with a hit.
Koby Kropt hit a go-ahead grand slam off Rob Hughes in the eighth inning Tuesday, and USC Upstate stunned No. 2 Clemson, 9-5, at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
The Tigers fell to 28-4 overall.
The Spartans (22-12) loaded the bases off Hughes with no one out to begin the eighth inning before Kropt’s home run, his ninth of the season.
Clemson fell behind 5-2 in the sixth inning after Tyler Lang hit a three-run homer off Tigers starter Billy Barlow. For a moment, it looked like the Tigers would do what they’ve done most all season: rally.
Cam Cannarella and Jimmy Obertop hit back to back home runs to tie the game at 5-all in the seventh before Kropt’s eighth-inning blast over Cannarella’s head in straight-away center field landed the decisive blow.
Hughes (1-2) suffered the loss in his 11th appearance in relief. Jake Cubbler (2-1) earned the win in relief with four innings of work. After surrendering the home runs to Cannarella and Obertop, Cubbler retired the final six batters he faced to close out the game.
Barlow received a no-decision in his seventh start. The right-hander surrendered four runs and five hits in five innings. He struck out five and walked one.
Clemson’s offense was held to just six hits. Only Cannarella (2-for-5) had two hits against Spartans pitching. His two-run homer in the seventh was his sixth of the season. Obertop’s solo shot was eighth.
NEXT UP
Clemson will host NC State for a three-game weekend series beginning Friday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The Wolfpack (18-12, 8-7) were swept by Louisville last weekend.
