CLEMSON — West Virginia scored a run in the eighth to tie it, then four more in the ninth to break it open, as the second-seeded Mountaineers rallied to beat top-seeded Clemson 9-6 in the winner’s bracket of the Clemson regional on Saturday night at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

Lucas Mahlstedt blew a save opportunity for the second night in a row and just the third time all season, allowing three runs on five hits in just one inning of work, as the Tigers gave up a one-run lead they had heading into the eighth. Clemson had been 37-1 this season when leading after seven innings.

Clemson did load the bases with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, bringing the tying run to the plate. Collin Priest walked, forcing in a run and pulling the Tigers to within three. Jack Crighton, who represented the game-winning run, then came up and struck out to end it, stranding all three runners.

Cam Cannarella stayed hot, hitting his third home run in as many games, but it wasn’t enough. The centerfielder finished 4-for-5 with three RBI, giving him seven total over the first two games of the regional.

Andrew Ciufo also had a multi-hit game, while Jacob Jarrell and Jack Crighton each drove in a run.

Aidan Knaak went six innings, allowing four runs on eight hits. He struck out four and did not walk a batter.

Reed Garris made his first appearance since the Duke series, pitching 1.2 innings of scoreless baseball in relief of Knaak.

Knaak hit the very first batter of the game on an 0-2 pitch. Logan Sauve then singled into left, putting runners on the corners with no outs. After Sauve stole second, a ground ball to second would plate a run, giving the Mountaineers a quick lead. Knaak then allowed an RBI single and a run-scoring double, putting West Virginia up 3-0.

Clemson’s first hit didn’t come until the fourth, when Canarella grounded one back up the middle off the pitcher’s glove. A throwing error on the play would allow him to move to second, and the hit extended Cannarella’s hit streak to 21 games. Kartsonas retired the next three hitters, stranding Cannarella at second.

The Mountaineers then extended the lead in the fifth, with Suave’s RBI single to right making it 4-0. West Virginia would then load the bases with one out, with Knaak striking out the next two hitters to escape any further damage.

Clemson finally got to Mountaineers starting pitcher Jack Kartsonas in the sixth, and it was Cannarella doing damage. After Andrew Ciufo singled to start the inning, Cannarella lined an opposite-field shot into the left-field stands, cutting the West Virginia lead in half. It was his fifth long ball of the season, and third in the past three games. One batter later, Kartsonas’ day was done.

Carson Estridge then came out of the West Virginia bullpen and hit Dominic Listi before walking Collin Priest. Reese Basinger then came on in relief with runners on first and second. Crighton then doubled into left, plating Listi. Jacob Jarrell then hit a sacrifice fly, tying the game at 4-4.

Ciufo hit his first triple of the season to lead off the bottom of the seventh. Cannarella then went took a 2-2 pitch the opposite way, lining one off the left-field wall for a double, while driving in Ciufo and giving the Tigers their first lead of the game at 5-4.

West Virginia’s Armani Guzman sent the first pitch he saw from Mahlstedt with two outs in the eighth into the left-field gap, plating a run and tying it back up at 5-5.

Two-Out Damage

West Virginia hitters were 6-of-14 with two outs, and also scored three of their seven runs with two outs. All the ninth-inning damage came with two outs.

Clemson was just 1-for-9 with two outs.

Up Next

Clemson will now face off with Kentucky at noon on Sunday in an elimination game.