CLEMSON — Over the past few weeks, Jack Crighton has found himself scuffling at the plate at times.

Heading into the Stanford series last weekend, Crighton had gone hitless in 10 of his 11 games against ACC competition. However, the junior outfielder kept his head down and plugging away, knowing at some point, the hits would once again start to fall. And that is exactly what has happened.

Last weekend in the series win over the Cardinal, Crighton went 3-for-7 in two games played. In the series-opening win over Louisville on Thursday, Crighton kept that momentum going, coming up with arguably the biggest hit of his Clemson career.

With two on and two out in the bottom of the seventh, and the Tigers trailing by two, Crighton got into one. What resulted was the first home run of Crighton’s collegiate career, a three-run shot out to dead center that gave Clemson its first lead of the contest. A lead it would never relinquish.

“No hit in this game was bigger than Jack’s,” head coach Erik Bakich said. “Two outs, a three-run homer to take the lead. And that proved to be a very important insurance run when we went up by two.”

Ironically enough, the heroics came in Crighton’s 100th game. While the junior has proven to be a productive hitter during his time with the Tigers, it took 244 at-bats before he would hit his first dinger.

Off the bat, Crighton wasn’t sure if he’d gotten enough of it, but he knew it had a chance to go out.

“I had hoped so when I hit it,” Crighton said. “But I wasn’t completely sure.”

“It’s definitely exciting to do that for the team. It was awesome to be able to celebrate with my teammates. They are all the best and all my best friends, and it was just awesome.”

Crighton has been a part of a three-man platoon, along with Tristan Bissetta and Tryston McCladdie, in right field this season.

Each of the three has had their moments this season, but none have really separated themselves from the pack. Over his last three games, Crighton might be in the process of doing just that.

“We’re just trying to play the hot hand and Jack’s been swinging the bat pretty well,” Bakich said. “Had four balls that were hit over 100 MPH last game, and hit that one tonight 104. He is seeing it pretty good.”

Over his past three games, Crighton has been making pretty consistent contact. While the home run was his only hit in Thursday’s win, he had a couple of quality plate appearances. In the fourth inning, Crighton had an eight-pitch at-bat that saw him foul off four pitches. While he eventually grounded out to third, he battled, and it was a sharply hit ball.

With Crighton now starting to heat up, he’s almost certain to earn even more opportunities. If he can string together a few more games like his last three, he just might find himself becoming the everyday right fielder that Bakich has been searching for.

“He deserves to be in the lineup every single day,” Bakich said. “Hate writing a lineup ever without him in there. For him to stay a good teammate, continue to work hard, be patient, get his opportunity, and capitalize on it, that was big time.”

“There was not a bigger hit that could have come at a more clutch spot.”