Georgia was just a little better than Clemson in a battle of bullpen arms, Tuesday, and made a brilliant defensive play to preserve a 5-4 win at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Bulldogs relievers held Clemson scoreless over the last seven innings, giving the Dawgs a chance to overcome an early deficit and earn a split of the season series. The clubs combined to use 13 pitchers on Military Appreciation Day, with no pitcher exceeding 2.2 innings.
Georgia (20-17) took a 2-0 lead on a first-inning homer, but their advantage was quickly erased as Cooper Ingle (2-4) and Billy Amick (2-4) each posted RBI doubles in the bottom half of the inning. Will Taylor’s two-out single plated Cam Cannarella (2-4, 2 runs) and Nathan Hall to put the Tigers in front 4-2 after two innings. But the Bulldogs bullpen shut Clemson (22-16) down from there, surrendering just three hits the rest of the way.
The Dawgs knotted it up with a pair of runs in the third and a fourth-inning RBI double from Josh Stinson proved to be the game-winner. Clemson had a chance to send the game into extra innings, but Georgia executed a relay from right field to home plate, cutting down Cannarella for the final out as he was trying to score from first on Ingle’s double.
Clemson lefthander Ryan Ammons returned from injury and retired all four batters he faced in his first action since Feb. 24th.
The Tigers return to conference play with a series at NC State beginning Friday. First pitch from Raleigh is set for 6 p.m. Clemson is looking to take its third ACC series in a row after winning two of three against Florida State and Notre Dame the last two weekends.
