DURHAM, N.C – In Clemson’s three wins over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets this season, junior catcher Jacob Jarrell has lofted three home runs, a fifth of his season total of 15. 

On Friday, March 28, in Clemson’s 9-7 victory over the Yellow Jackets, Jarrell launched two solo shots to decide the score. In the fourth inning, the Florence, S.C., native blasted his third jack of the season to right center. In the eighth, he sent another ball 356 feet in the air at 105 mph to add an insurance run to the Tigers’ 9-6 lead.

These home runs, in addition to 12 others this season, were crucial. However, none of them were as important as his two-out, no-doubt, grand slam in the semifinal round of the ACC Tournament against the Jackets on Saturday.

Thanks to Jarrell’s four-run shot, Clemson took a two run lead, its first of the game, and never trailed again in the 9-4 victory at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

After the Tigers (44-15) fell into an early 3-0 deficit in the first two innings, shortstop Andrew Ciufo doubled to start the third inning. He was knocked home by a sacrifice groundout from centerfielder Cam Cannarella and a single from second baseman Jarren Purify.

After designated hitter Collin Priest struck out swinging for the second out of the inning, it appeared that Ciufo’s run would be the only offensive success the Tigers would see in the third. However, a walk and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with Jarrell due up. 

On the second pitch of his at-bat, Jarrell blasted a 391-foot shot for his second grand slam this season. As soon as the ball left his bat, Jarrell, the Clemson dugout, and fans in the left field plaza knew the ball was gone. 

As Purify, Dominic Listi, Josh Paino, and Jarrell ran home, the Durham Bulls scoreboard operator updated it with a 5-3 Clemson lead.

“We had six two-out RBIs today and none bigger than JJ’s two-out grand slam to flip the scoreboard, which was huge,” Clemson head coach Erik Bakich said. “JJ’s had a ton of big hits, I don’t know if any of his hits were bigger than the one today. That was massive at the time and allowed us to continue to tack on some runs.”

The grand slam also took pressure off Clemson’s pitching staff, especially after initially trailing in the first two innings. 

“It was awesome to see one of my teammates get to experience something like that,” pitcher Jacob McGovern said about the game-changing moment. “He’s the one doing it, but we all feel the joy from it, so it was huge to pull ahead in

the lead like that early in the game, and I feel like it set the tone for the rest of the game.”

In his most recent five games, dating back to the Tigers’ 6-1 win over Pittsburgh, Jarrell has launched four home runs. After Clemson’s win over NC State in the ACC Tournament Thursday, which featured one of these home runs, Bakich called Jarrell the “hardest working kid in college baseball.”

After Saturday’s grand slam, he doubled down.

“The game rewards hardworking people and life rewards hardworking people, but like I mentioned the other night, nobody works harder than JJ,” Bakich said. “For him to see the game give him these opportunities, it’s no surprise that he comes through and cashes in on them because of the investment of time and energy and blood, sweat, and tears he’s put in those deposits over the years, his whole life really.”

The Tigers need Jarrell to stay hot as they prepare to face No. 3 seed North Carolina Sunday at noon in the ACC Championship Game. Clemson, the fifth seed, looks to win its second ACC Championship in three years and seventh game in a row. 

According to Bakich, Jarrell is “built” for the championship pressure.

—photo courtesy of ACC Communications