Dominic Listi went deep and drove in three runs, as No. 6 Clemson knocked off Cal 5-2 in the series opener at Stu Gordon Stadium in Berkely, California, on Friday night. The game marked the first time the Tigers have played in California since going out west for the Fullerton Regional in the 2015 NCAA Tournament.
Listi finished the night 2-for-5 for Clemson (28-5, 7-3 ACC) with two runs driven in. Josh Paino went 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Jarren Purify finished the night 1-for-5 and drove in a run.
Aiden Knaak had another solid outing in picking up the win (5-0). The sophomore held the Bears in check for most of the night, allowing four runs on five hits in 7.1 innings of work. Knaak retired 13 in a row at one point before an infield single ended the streak in the eighth. He struck out four and walked one. The 7.2 innings were a season-high.
Lucas Mahlstedt got the final three outs in the ninth to notch his nation-leading 10th save of the season. After giving up a leadoff single, Mahlstedt struck out the next three hitters.
For six innings, Clemson had no answer for Cal (16-13, 6-7 ACC) starting pitcher Austin Turkington, as the junior right-hander had allowed just one run on two hits. That was until the Tigers tagged him for four runs in the seventh, knocking him out of the game. Turkington, who suffered the loss (4-3), struck out nine hitters and walked two in 6.2 innings of work. He allowed all five runs on five hits.
A one-out walk to Alex Birge would come back to haunt Knaak in the bottom of the first. Birge advanced to second on a wild pitch and then came around to score on an RBI single by Jacob French.
The Bears would tack on another run in the second on a sacrifice fly by Dominic Smaldino, putting Clemson in a 2-0 hole.
The Tigers finally got on the board in the top of the sixth when Listi hit a solo shot out to center. It was Listi’s second home run of the season. Clemson had a chance to do more damage in the inning after putting runners on first and second with two outs, but Collin Priest struck swinging out to end the threat.
The Tigers would then get something going in the seventh. After Jacob Jarrell walked to start the frame, Tryston McCladdie laid down a bunt that the catcher could not field, putting runners at first and second. Josh Paino followed with a bunt of his own, moving the runners to second and third with one out. Turkington then struck out Andrew Ciufo swinging for out number two, before Listi tagged him for a two-run double, giving Clemson its first lead at 3-2.
Purify then grounded one into the hole that went off the third baseman’s glove. Listi would come around to score and Purify husteld into second with an unusual infield double. That would end Cal starting pitcher Turkington’s day. A passed ball after a second pitching change allowed Purify to score, making it 5-2.
The Tigers added an insurance run in the eighth. After Jarrell singled to start the inning, he would move to second on a passed ball. After McCladdie struck out, Paino would drive Jarrell in with a single right back up the middle, giving the Tigers the 6-2 lead.
Reed Garris relieved Knaak in the seventh with one out and runners on first and second. Garris struck out the first hitter he faced, then allowed back-to-back singles, allowing both inherited runners to score and Cal to pull to within 6-4. He struck out the next hitter after falling behind 3-0, stranding runners at first and second and getting out of the jam.
Up Next
The same two teams will face off again tomorrow in game two of the weekend series. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. and the game will be streamed on ACCNX.