After being on the right side of some thrilling comeback wins this season, it was Clemson’s turn to be on the other side of that on Friday.

After the Tigers’ bullpen held a potent Georgia Tech offense to just one run across the final six innings in an 11-4 victory in the first game of a doubleheader on Friday, Clemson relievers combined to allow 11 runs over the final three innings in the second game as the Yellow Jackets overcame a five run deficit on multiple occasions to beat the Tigers 14-12.

While Ethan Darden gave Erik Bakich’s team a quality start, holding Tech to just three runs in six innings of work, the bullpen just couldn’t hold it down for him.

“Darden was great, gave us a quality start,” Bakich said. “Got him out of there because he was on one day short rest and this time of year we’re trying to be smart with pitch counts and rest.”

“We just didn’t finish the game. For us to be the team we want to be we have to finish. We’ll be fine. We’ll bounce back.”

Reed Garris came on to start the seventh, and after walking the leadoff hitter, allowed three earned runs, while recording just one out. Freshman Drew Tittsworth would then come on in relief and allowed just his second long ball of the season before getting the Tigers out of the inning.

In the eighth, Nick Clayton issued two walks and allowed a hit without registering an out. Closer Austin Gordon would then come in and get the first two hitters he faced before throwing two wild pitches and allowing a 3-run homer that pulled the Yellow Jackets to within a run.

In the ninth, things got even worse for Gordon, as a fielding error allowed the leadoff runner to reach. Gordon struck out the next two hitters swinging, then the wheels came off as he allowed two more home runs, with Tech completing the comeback. All three runs given up in the inning were unearned.

“We just had a meltdown in the bullpen,” Bakich said. “11 runs in the final three innings.”

“When we’ve had some trouble in the bullpen it’s been free passes or errors or something that has led to big innings. Then they are just exacerbated when you have home runs like that. If you have a walk or an error, you just got to be able to shut it down. They’re a dangerous offense and you can’t give good offenses extra outs, can’t give them free passes, can’t give them errors.”

After the game, Bakich said his message to his relievers was simple and he insists that he won’t hesitate going right back to those pitchers, maybe even as early as Sunday’s crucial rubber matchup.

“You just got to flush it, have amnesia,” Bakich said. “They’ve been go-to guys all year. They have pitched in huge spots, high-leverage spots all year. They’ve pitched in nail biters. They have helped us win a lot of close games. Been a part of some thrilling victories, come from behinds, just putting zeros up. All those things. We’re not going to let it ruin our confidence.”

“But we’re going to to go to those guys again. Back to Garris and Tittsworth and Clayton and Gordo. Those guys have done it all year, it just wasn’t our day today. Not time to make excuses, we just blew it.”