CLEMSON — Coastal Carolina scored five runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth, overcoming a six-run deficit as the No. 15 Chanticleers beat Clemson 11-9 on Tuesday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
The Tigers got home runs from Jacob Jarrell and Ty Dalley, and every starter but one had at least one RBI, but it wasn’t enough, as the Chants handed Clemson (18-8) its fourth straight loss.
Jack Crighton was 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.
Dylan Harrison came on in relief to start the second with the Tigers already in a three-run hole. The freshman was once again superb, holding the Chanticleers scoreless over the next three innings, while striking out four.
The Chants (17-7) wasted no time in jumping on starter Dane Moehler. After the redshirt freshman struck out the first hitter of the game, he walked Blake Barthol, then hit Walker Mitchell. Rex Watson then smashed a pitch out to center, his eighth homer of the season, giving Coastal a quick 3-0 lead.
Clemson had the first two runners reach in the bottom half of the inning, but could not push a run across.
The Tigers would put runners on first and second with two outs in the bottom of the second. Crighton’s single on a 0-2 pitch would then cut the deficit to two at 3-1.
Tryston McCladdie walked to start the bottom of the third. Jarrell was then hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second. A sac fly by Dalley moved McCladdie to third, and he would come home on a throwing error on a pickoff attempt, making it 3-2. The Tigers would then load the bases with one out, but Tyler Lichtenberger would strike out, and Jason Fultz grounded out, stranding all three runners.
The Tigers then put up a crooked number in the fourth, plating five runs. The first two runners once again reached. An RBI single by Nate Savoie tied things up, and an RBI groundout by McCladdie gave Clemson its first lead. Jarrell then launched a bomb out to left, a two-run shot, making it 6-3. It was his team-leading 11th long ball of the season. A two-out RBI single by Lichtenberger made it 7-3.
Ty Dalley’s 405-foot homer out to right in the sixth, a two-run shot, pushed Clemson’s lead out to 8-3. An RBI triple by Fultz then made it 9-3.
The Chants cut into the lead in the seventh after loading the bases with one out. An infield single brought home one run, then a bases-loaded walk by Talan Bell pushed across a second, making it 9-5. Brice Estep then popped one up to first, but the first-base umpire collided with Crighton trying to make the play, and the ball fell to the ground, allowing two more runs to score. The Chants pushed across one more during a run-down, cutting the lead to one at 9-8.
The first two Coastal hitters reached against Danny Nelson in the eighth. With one out and runners on second and third, Walker Mitchell laid down an excellent bunt, allowing the Chants to execute a perfect squeeze to tie it up. Mitchell was thrown out at first for the second out. A fielding error by Jay Dillard at second then allowed the Chanticleers to retake the lead, 10-9.
Coastal added an unearned run in the ninth on a sac fly.
Too Many Free 90s
While Clemson pitchers combined to strike out 14 hitters, they also issued six walks and hit six batters. That is 12 free passes, and it’s hard to win when you are putting that many runners on base.
Up Next
Clemson begins a three-game series here at Doug Kingsmore on Thursday against Miami. First pitch is at 7 p.m. and the game will be televised on the ACC Network.