DURHAM, N.C – The fifth-seeded Clemson Tigers are heading to an ACC Championship Game for the second time in three years after defeating the top-seeded Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 9-4 at Durham Bulls Athletic Park Saturday in the semifinal round of the ACC Tournament.
The Durham Bull, mounted on the left field plaza, lit up twice Saturday afternoon as catcher Jacob Jarrell hit a grand slam and designated hitter Collin Priest launched a solo shot to account for five of the Tigers’ eight runs. After Georgia Tech put up three unanswered runs in two innings, Clemson stung the Jackets back, never losing the lead again.
The Tigers’ (44-15) defense got off to a rare shaky performance behind their freshman starting pitcher, Talan Bell. In the first inning, the Yellow Jackets had a one-out runner from a Fielder’s Choice on first base. A muffed routine throw from second baseman Jarren Purify allowed Yellow Jackets (40-17) first baseman Kent Schmidt to score, though catcher Jacob Jarrell tagged another baserunner out at the plate.
A single from the next batter and a solo-shot home run in the second inning extended Georgia Tech’s lead 3-0. However, the Tigers were unwilling to roll over and make the four-hour trip home Saturday afternoon.
After all, traffic is horrible in the late afternoon.
After two innings of relative silence from Clemson’s lineup, Andrew Ciufo doubled to right center in the third to give the Tigers their first hit of the day and first leadoff baserunner. Cam Cannarella, fresh off of a 4-for-5 day Thursday against the NC State Wolfpack, grounded out but knocked Ciufo to third. A single from second baseman Jarren Purify brought Ciufo home for the first Clemson run of the day.
After designated hitter Collin Priest struck out swinging for the second out of the inning, third baseman Josh Paino drew a four-pitch walk, and left fielder Dominic Listi was hit by a pitch to load the bases in a two-out rally.
As the energy in the park bubbled, Jarrell, the six-hole hitter in the Tigers’ lineup, watched a ball at his knees on the first pitch of his second at-bat. Then, he took a breath, got in his stance, and launched a 391-foot, 104 mph grand slam to take a 5-3 lead.
The home run marked Jarrell’s 15th of the season, compared to 11 across his first two seasons at Clemson. The junior and team captain leads his team in home runs this season. Paino, a graduate student, ranks second with 10 jacks.
In the fifth inning, Georgia Tech sliced the lead in half when left fielder Caleb Daniel drew a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored on an RBI single from second baseman Will Baker.
Two innings later, in the top of the seventh, Clemson answered again when Ciufo recorded his second leadoff double of the day. Cannarella followed the shortstop with a single of his own, his first of the day, to leftfield to drive Ciufo home.
Two batters later, Cannarella scored on another poor throw from the Yellow Jackets to extend the Tigers’ lead 7-4. The Tigers tacked on another run in the eighth when Listi singled to left center and Wentworth sent him home with a double that hit the left field scoreboard with a ‘thud.’
In the ninth inning, Priest blasted a right centerfield home run to cement the final 8-4 score.
Bell (1-1) got the start and the win for the Tigers in his seventh start and eighth appearance this year. He gave up four hits, three earned runs, two walks, with three strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings and 74 pitches, his career high.
Junior righty Joe Allen relieved Bell, allowing two hits, no runs, with one walk and one strikeout in 1 1/3 innings. Jacob McGovern pitched four scoreless innings to stifle the Jackets.
Yellow Jackets’ hurler Brady Jones picked up the loss after giving up five runs on three hits with five strikeouts in three innings. With the loss, his record falls 7-3.
Up Next
The Tigers will take on the winner of ACC No. 2 seed Florida State and No. 3 North Carolina at noon tomorrow in the ACC Tournament Championship game at Durham Bulls Athletic Complex.
An ACC Tournament win would mark the Tigers’ second in three years and second in a row in Durham. Clemson leads the ACC with 18 Championships and 11 ACC Tournament Championships.
—photo courtesy of ACC Communications