CLEMSON – Chris Okey’s game winning home run in the eighth lifted the Tigers to a 5-4 victory over Georgia Southern.

Zack Erwin earned his fifth win of the year going 8.0 innings and giving up five hits, four runs and one earned run.  Taylor Vetzel closed out the ninth for Clemson.

The Tigers jumped out to an early lead in the first.  With one out Steven Duggar singled to left.  Tyler Krieger reached on a fielder’s choice with Duggar advancing to second on an error.  Reed Rohlman singled to score Duggar.  Chris Okey hit a sacrifice fly to score Krieger and put Clemson up 2-0.

Georgia Southern bounced right back to tie the game with two in the second.

Clemson regained the lead in the fourth.  Reed Rohlman reached on a fielding error.  Chris Okey singled to left and Rohlman was out trying to get to third while Okey advanced to second on the throw.  Tyler Slaton singled to left to score Okey and put Clemson up 3-2.

The Eagles tied  the game with a solo home run in the sixth.  Two errors later in the sixth they took a 4-3 lead.

A Georgia Southern error helped the Tigers tie the game in the bottom of the sixth.  Weston Wilson reached on a ground ball but Okey was out at second.  Wilson was caught stealing.  Tyler Slaton just beat out an infield single.  Drew Wharton hit a ground ball to third and the throw to first got away allowing Slaton to score all the way from first.

Chris Okey’s solo home run off the CWS sign on the scoreboard put the Tigers up 5-4 in the eighth.  It was Okey’s second home run of the series.

Clemson moved to 27-24 on the season with the win.  The Tigers go for the sweep Sunday afternoon at 1 PM.