Clemson and Georgia both got outstanding pitching performances in Athens, Ga., Tuesday, but the Bulldogs made one fewer mistake and walked off with a 4-3 win in 15 innings in a matchup of top 20 teams.
Trailing by a run entering the third, Clemson put two runners aboard for their heavy-hitting third baseman Blake Wright. Wright came through with a two-run triple to put the Tigers in front. The following inning, Cam Cannarella drove a 1-0 fastball over the fence in right-center for a 3-1 lead. Georgia’s Corey Collins singled home a run in the seventh and another in the ninth to send the game into extra innings.
Both clubs had to dig deep into their bullpens, but the Tigers’ bats went silent, going down in order in the 10th, 12th, 13th and 15th innings. Clemson put runners on first and second in the 14th but couldn’t come up with the big hit and left them stranded.
After Tigers’ relievers fended off threats in the 10th and 14th, the Dawgs finally broke through in the 15th inning. Clemson head coach Erik Bakich called on Chance Fitzgerald to toe the rubber to open the 15th. Fitzgerald fanned the first batter before walking the next two. Lefthander Rocco Reid, the tenth Clemson pitcher of the night, inherited the jam. Reid didn’t have his best stuff, however, and plunked Henry Hunter with the first pitch he threw. With only one out and the bases now loaded, the margin for error was razor thin. With Trey King at the plate, Reid uncorked a 57-footer that skipped to the backstop and sealed Clemson’s fate. Paul Toetz scampered home on the wild pitch and Georgia’s dugout emptied in celebration.
Five different Tigers recorded multiple hits, including a pair of doubles from Jacob Hinderleider, but only one of Clemson’s 11 knocks came in extra innings.
Clemson (32-8) will next hit the road for a conference series at Louisville. First pitch from Jim Patterson Stadium is scheduled for 6 p.m., Friday.
Why no mention of the home run by Purify in the 1st inning that was taken away by the incompetent umpires? Pathetic.