Tigers take sting out of Jackets, sweep series

Following two big wins on Friday and Saturday to secure the series, Clemson came out hot once again with a 14-2 win over No. 21 Georgia Tech Sunday afternoon, garnering their first ACC series sweep of the season. It was a game of deep balls for the …

Following two big wins on Friday and Saturday to secure the series, Clemson came out hot once again with a 14-2 win over No. 21 Georgia Tech Sunday afternoon, garnering their first ACC series sweep of the season.

It was a game of deep balls for the Tigers, who scored eight of their runs off five homers inside Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

Right-hander Jay Dill earned the win for the Tigers, dishing three strikeouts and only allowing two hits, one run, and one walk in his two innings of work. Starter Chance Huff tallied the loss for Georgia Tech.

Clemson struck first for the third straight time this weekend. With bases loaded and two outs, Dylan Brewer reached on a walk, scoring Max Wagner from third to give Clemson the early 1-0 lead in the first.

Leading off the second, catcher Jonathan French went yard, sending a solo bomb to right field. With runners on first and second, Cooper Ingle sent another ball out of the park, this time a three-run no-doubter to center, good for the 5-0 lead through two.

Following a scoreless fourth inning, Max Wagner hit yet another deep ball to left center, scoring Will Taylor, to tack on two more runs. Bryar Hawkins launched the Tigers’ fourth home run of the game, this one a solo shot to center. Clemson led 8-0 in the fourth.

Into the fifth, the Tigers continued to bring power to the plate. Leading off, freshman Camden Troyer sent a solo shot to right field, good for his first career home run and a 9-0 lead after five.

Later in the seventh with a runner on first, infielder Drew Compton delivered an RBI single down the right side to score the Yellow Jackets’ first run of the day. In the bottom half of the inning with runners on first and second, shortstop Benjamin Blackwell hit a clutch RBI double to right, scoring Caden Grice. Taylor followed suit with an RBI single to left center to score French. Clemson extended their lead to 11-1 through seven.

Clemson struck for the final time in the eighth. With bases loaded and one out, Troyer hit a two-RBI single through the right side, scoring Grice and Brewer. Blackwell brought in the Tigers’ final run of the game thanks to his sac-fly out to right that scored French for a score of 14-1.

Georgia Tech tacked on the another run in the ninth with John Giesler’s RBI double down the third-base line, but it proved to not be enough. Clemson overtook the Yellow Jackets by a final score of 14-2 to sweep the series.

With the win and ACC series sweep, the Tigers improve to 31-17 overall and 9-14 in ACC play.

Clemson travels to Columbia on Tuesday to face the College of Charleston Cougars for a midweek game at Segra Park for the second time this season. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. on ACCNX.