Clemson and Duke played two vastly different games as part of a doubleheader on Saturday, with each team claiming a victory. The Blue Devils won game one 3-2 before the Tigers roared back to claim a 14-9 win in the nightcap. With the split, Clemson moved to 12-7 overall and 1-1 in the ACC. The Blue Devils also finished the day at 12-7, staying a game below .500 at 2-3 in the league. The rubber game of this weekend’s ACC series is set for Sunday at 1pm at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
Game #1: Clemson got ’em on and even moved them up, but for the most part, they couldn’t drive ’em in against the Devils. The Tigers stranded sixteen runners against five different Duke pitchers in the 3-2 loss. As a matter of fact, Clemson left the bases loaded in the first and stranded at least one runner in every inning thereafter.
Trailing 3-2, Clemson left the potential tying run at second base in the eighth and stranded Riley Bertram at third base with the tying run in the bottom of the ninth as Billy Amick struck out and Nathan Hall flew out to end the game.
Charlie Beilenson (1-1) earned the win in relief for Duke, tossing an inning and a third of scoreless baseball with James Tallon recording the final five outs to earn his third save of the year. Tiger starter Austin Gordon (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing three runs on four hits with no walks and six strikeouts in a career-high six innings pitched.
Game #2: Unlike the opener of the doubleheader, Clemson had no problem plating runs against Duke pitching in game two, as the Tigers scored a 14-9 victory to even the series at a game apiece. The Tigers swatted two home runs and recorded six doubles as part of an eighteen-hit attack to overwhelm the Blue Devils as night fell on Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
Cam Cannarella led the offensive attack by going 5-for-6 with two doubles, two RBIs, and three runs scored. Nathan Hall and Caden Grice added three hits apiece, as Clemson tallied all fourteen of its runs in the first five innings of the game. Grice also blasted his first homerun of the season, a solo shot in the fifth inning.
Casey Tallent (1-0) earned the win in relief, but Nick Hoffmann was the story out of Clemson’s bullpen. The redshirt junior worked the final 4.2 innings to record his first save of the year, allowing two runs on two hits while striking out two. Jason White (2-1) took the loss for Duke.
