DOUG KINGSMORE STADIUM: Upstate was not caught up in the moment of the school’s first ever game in the NCAA Baseball Tournament Friday night at Clemson. The Spartans led 2-0 going into the fourth, and had chance for a possible knockout punch by loading the bases with no one out.
But reliever Jacob McGovern stymied the Spartans at that point, and the Clemson offense responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame, and the Tigers pulled away to a 7-3 win in the Clemson Regional opener.
It’s the Tigers’ 21st come from behind win on the season.
A raucous crowd of 6046 did their best to unnerve the Big South Conference champions, but when Johnny Sweeney blasted a long home run to center off of Drew Titsworth in the second, and the Spartans added a two-out run in the fourth, the Clemson fans figured out this was not going to be a walk in the park.
Amp Phillips shut out the Tigers on three hits over the first four innings. It appeared he would have more breathing room as the Spartans loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the fifth. Then came the pivotal decision of the game by Clemson coach Erik Bakich.
McGovern was called in from the bullpen and proceeded to retire the heart of the order. Scott Campbell and Sweeney struck out swinging for the first two outs. Scott Newnan then laced a line drive to left that Dominic Listi made a diving catch on to end the threat, and perhaps save the Tigers’ hide.
That turn of events in the field seemed to inspire the entire Clemson dugout. The Tigers came out swinging in the bottom of the fifth as TP Wentworth led off with a single. Andrew Ciufo followed with a walk. Cam Cannarella then continued his hot hitting by lacing an opposite field line drive down the left field line to drive in both runners to tie the score at 2-2.
Cannarella went to third on a fly ball to right that drifted into foul ground, and then he scored on a sac fly to center by Collin Priest for Clemson’s first lead at 3-2.
McGovern dominated the Spartans over the next two innings not allowing a hit while striking out three. He did walk one and hit one, but neither runner reached scoring position.
After striking out Sweeney to open the eighth, McGovern was pulled for closer Lucas Mahlstadt. His first pitch to Newman was greeted with anger as Newman drove it deep over the center field wall for a 3-3 tie.
The Tigers, however, responded with a four-run outburst in the bottom of the eighth to put the game away. With one out and runners on the corners, Wentworth singled in one run. Ciufo followed with a sac bunt that scored the runner from third. Cannarella then cleared the bases with a two-run homer to center, his fourth homer of the season, to make it a 7-3 game.
Mahlstedt (4-0) allowed a leadoff single in the top of the ninth then retired the next three batters to send the Tigers forward into the winner’s bracket game Saturday night at 6:00 PM against West Virginia.
The Mountaineers, the #2 seed in the regional, rallied for a 4-3 win over Kentucky in Friday’s first game scoring the winning run on a sac fly in the bottom of the ninth.
Clemson, which is now 45-16 and 27-7 at DKS, will start their ace righty Aidan Knaak (9-1, 4.06 ERA).
The Mountaineers, who won the Big 12 regular season championship, are 42-14, including an impressive 25-7 outside of Morgantown. Their Saturday night starter could be 6-4 righthander Jack Kartsonas. The transfer from Kent State is 6-3 with a 2.90 ERA. His last start was May 23rd against Arizona in the Big 12 Tournament. He took the loss after allowing five runs on eight hits over four innings.
Upstate, which falls to 36-24, will play Kentucky Saturday at Noon in an elimination game.
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