CHARLOTTE, N.C.- Jimmy Obertop’s bases loaded walk with one out in the ninth plated Jacob Hinderleider as Clemson got an 8-7 walk-off victory over Louisville on Friday at Truist Field in both team’s final game of pool play. It was the 24th time the Tigers have come back to win a game this season.

Trailing 7-4 entering the bottom of the eighth, Blake Wright would lead off the inning with a single. Cam Cannarella then worked a walk, putting two on and nobody out. That’s when Louisville brought in closer Tucker Biven. His first pitch to Jimmy Obertop was deposited just over the left-field wall, his 19th homer run of the season, tying things up at 7-7.

Clemson improves to 41-14, while Louisville drops to 32-24.

Rocco Reid got the start for the Tigers, but just like Ethan Darden did on Thursday, he would fail to get out of the second inning, as the Cardinals touched the lefty up for four runs on four hits. He also hit two batters and threw a wild pitch.

Billy Barlow would come on in relief of Reid in the second and didn’t fare much better, allowing two runs on three hits with a walk. Freshman Jacob McGovern then came on in the fourth and settled the game down, going a career-high 3.1 innings while allowing just one unearned run on one bloop hit.

Drew Tittsworth threw 1.1 innings of scoreless baseball and Austin Gordon retired the Cards in order in the top of the ninth to pick up his first win of the season (1-2).

JT Benson took the third pitch of the game out to right to quickly put the Cardinals up 1-0.

Gavin Kilen would then lead off the second with a double, with Luke Napleton following with a 416-foot moonshot out to left, making it 3-0. After Reid retired the next two hitters, he would then hit a batter, his second hit batsmen of the game, before a allowing an RBI double down the left-field line to Dylan Hoy, who many Clemson fans might remember for his taunting antics during the regular season series.

Barlow then walked Isaac Humphrey to lead off the third. He would move to second on a wild pitch, then to third on a sacrifice fly, before coming home on a fielder’s choice to make it 5-0.

The Cardinals would continue to tack on to the lead in the fourth, getting an RBI double from Hoy to extend the advantage to 6-0.

The Tigers would finally get on the board in the bottom of the fourth, when an RBI single from Tristan Bissetta made it 6-1 and put runners at first and third with just one out. Jacob Jarrell would then hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat.

Bissetta was at it again in the sixth, as his 2-out run scoring triple pulled Clemson to within 6-2 and also chased Gongora. The next hitter, Jacob Jarrell then launched a 2-run shot out to left-center that cut the Cards’ lead to 6-4.

A fielding error on Jacob Hinderleider in the bottom half of the inning would allow an unearned run to score off McGovern and give Louisville a three run cushion at 7-4.

Up Next

The Tigers will now await their postseason fate, as regional matchups, will be announced on Monday.

Courtesy of ACC Communications

A limited number of signed footballs from Clemson’s 2022 class are still available.  Get yours while supplies last!  Visit Clemson Variety & Frame or purchase online!