Instant Replay: North Carolina 6 Clemson 3
By: clemson May 23, 2015

By Trey McCurry.

DURHAM, NC — TCI takes a look back at Clemson’s (32-27) 6-3 setback to North Carolina (34-24) in both team’s final game of the ACC Baseball Championship at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

 

 

 

 

What happened?

The Tar Heels took a 3-0 lead in the third inning as Skye Bolt blasted a two-out, three-run homer. North Carolina added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to extend their lead to 5-0. The Tigers cut into the lead in the top of the sixth frame. Eli White hit a one-out single, stole second base, and came in to score on a RBI single from Tyler Krieger. After a single from Reed Rohlman put runners on the corners, Chris Okey walked and a wild pitch on ball four allowed Krieger to score to bring the deficit to 5-2. The Tar Heels got a run back in the bottom of the inning to increase their lead to 6-2. Clemson added a run in the eighth as Rohlman and Okey hit one-out singles before Weston Wilson scored Rohlman with a single through the left side. The Tigers were unable to get any closer as North Carolina took home a 6-3 win.

Game-Changing Moment:

The game had a couple of big moments for each team. In the third inning, Steven Duggar just missed catching a foul ball off the bat of Bolt that would have ended the inning but instead Bolt took advantage and put the Tar Heels on the board. Later in the game, Clemson had scoring opportunities in the sixth, seventh, and eighth but stranded two runners in each inning as they couldn’t get the clutch hit to cut into the deficit.

What went right?

Charlie Barnes did a good job out of the bullpen, allowing a single unearned run in 3.1 innings while the Tigers attempted a comeback while Pat Krall struck out two of the three batters he faced in his only inning. Rohlman had three hits to pace Clemson’s nine hit attack while Krieger and Wilson each had an RBI.  

What went wrong?

Despite outhitting North Carolina nine to five, four Tiger errors allowed four unearned runs and Clemson missed several chances to end innings that the Tar Heels would eventually plate runs. Offensively, the Tigers stranded eight runners in the game (including five in scoring position) while striking out 10 times.