After finding no success on a recent road trip, dropping six of seven games, Clemson returned home and picked up a 9-7 victory over Duke at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, Friday.
The sixth-ranked Tigers were down 2-0 when the offense ignited for a six-run fourth inning capped by Cam Cannarella’s three-run double down the third base line. Cannarella added singles in the first and the eighth to finish 3-for-4 and raise his average to .308. Andrew Ciufo and Jack Crighton also drove in three runs, apiece.
Clemson is now 26-5 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
Duke trimmed the lead to 6-5 in the seventh, but Clemson (38-13, 15-10) put the game out of reach one inning later with a two-run homer from Ciufo. Aidan Knaak (7-1) picked up the win after fanning eight and holding the Blue Devils to two earned runs over 5.1 innings. The bullpen was shaky and allowed Duke back in it, but Lucas Mahlstedt escaped a ninth-inning bases loaded jam with a 6-4-3 double play for the final outs.
Just hours removed from his graduation ceremony, Ciufo was in the middle of all the action, Friday. He drove in a run and scored as part of the six-run fourth, extended the lead with his two-run homer in the eighth and started the game-ending twin killing.
The win leaves the Tigers one game ahead of Duke (34-15, 14-11) in the conference standings.
Clemson will honor its seniors ahead of Saturday’s game. The pregame ceremony is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. with first pitch set for 2 p.m.