Clemson did it again. For the eighth time this season, the Tigers won a one-run game. This time, it was Louisville that was forced to swallow the bitter pill, falling to Clemson 12-11 after blowing a seven-run lead, Friday.
The Cardinals are in good company as Clemson has victimized some of the nation’s best with clutch performances in the late innings. In addition to their success in one-run contests, the Tigers are 4-1 in extra innings and have multiple come-from-behind victories.
On March 2nd, the Tigers outlasted rival South Carolina 5-4 in 12 innings. On March 17th, Clemson scored three runs in the tenth to take the series finale at Duke 8-6. On March 23rd, Clemson overcame a seven-run deficit, scoring eight runs in the ninth to stun Florida State 9-8. The following day, the Tigers bested that effort by erasing FSU’s 11-2 lead en route to a 14-12 victory. Louisville joined the list when Cam Cannarella singled through the right side to plate Jacob Hinderleider with the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth, Friday.
Fourth-ranked Clemson entered the ninth trailing 11-8 thanks to the Cardinals’ 10-run fourth. With one away, Tristan Bissetta got the rally in motion with a walk. Nolan Nawrocki followed with a single. Alden Mathes’ third hit of the night, another single, loaded the bases for Hinderleider. Hinderleider followed suit, singling back up the middle to score Bissetta and put the pressure on Louisville. Nawrocki crossed home on Blake Wright’s sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 11-10. With two outs in the inning, Clemson needed Jimmy Obertop to reach in order to stay alive. Obertop came through with a base hit to score Mathes and knot the game at 11 runs, apiece. Cannarella fouled off three pitches and worked the count full before singling through the right side to cap the rally and sink the Cards in thrilling fashion.
Austin Gordon pitched the ninth for his seventh save and Matthew Marchal (5-0) threw four scoreless innings of relief to pick up the win.
Clemson (33-8, 14-5) and Louisville (24-17, 9-10) will square off in Game 2 of the series from Jim Patterson Stadium at 1 p.m., Saturday.
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