CLEMSON — Nate Savoie blasted a walk-off grand slam as No. 10 Clemson cruised to a 16-3 run-rule win Sunday over La Salle, clinching a four-game sweep at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

Savoie’s slam came with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh and no outs. All the Tigers needed was one run to get their third run-rule victory of the weekend and fourth of the week, and the catcher came through four-fold.

Seven Tigers recorded hits and four had multi-hit performances as Clemson secured its third weekend sweep of the young season. Savoie finished 3-for-3 with two hit-by-pitches and six RBIs, while centerfielder Tryston McCladdie finished 3-for-5. Leadoff hitter Jarren Purify finished 3-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs.

Clemson scored in five of its seven offensive frames and held the Explorers scoreless after the first two innings. With the win, the Tigers improve to 15-1 ahead of ACC-play, which started next weekend against No. 3 Georgia Tech.

For the second time in the series, La Salle (8-6) got the scoring going first. After starting pitcher Talan Bell forced the first batter of the day into a groundout, he gave up a deep solo home run to right field, for a 1-0 score.

Bell gave up a double before getting out of the inning with his first strikeout of the afternoon.

The Tigers answered back in the bottom of the frame, as Purify drew the 28th walk of the weekend in the leadoff spot. Savoie was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second, and both players stole bases on the next pitch.

Purify scored on a throwing error. A single from shortstop Tyler Lichtenberger scored Savoie to take a 2-1 lead.

In the second inning, La Salle’s leadoff hitter drew a leadoff walk to get things started. The Explorers’ eight-hole hitter launched the second home run in two innings to take a 3-2 lead.

Bell issued two more walks, his second and third of the afternoon, before forcing La Salle into a double play to end the frame. La Salle’s first three hits of the afternoon came with extra bases.

In the bottom of the frame, freshman designated hitter Jason Fultz drew a walk. Jackson Moore, in his first collegiate start, doubled down the right field line to move Fultz to third, and Purify sent him home with a sacrifice fly. McCladdie singled to score Moore to re-take a 4-3 lead.

The Tigers added to their lead in the third, with consecutive doubles from third baseman Jay Dillard and right fielder Ty Dalley. It was Dalley’s first double of the year and scored two runs, giving Clemson a 6-3 advantage.

Purify broke the game open with a three-run homer, his second of the year and the weekend to make a five-run third inning and a 9-3 lead. The inning marked Clemson’s second-highest scoring frame of the series, after an eight-spot in the second game Saturday.

Two innings later, Fultz drew his third walk of the afternoon, and Purify sent a two-out single to send him to second. McCladdie followed it with a single through the middle to hang one more run. Savoie launched a double for his second hit of the day to score Purify and take a 11-3 lead to end the fifth.

After a scoreless inning and a half from both teams, Moore drew a leadoff walk, and Purify and McCladdie both singled to load the bases. Savoie stepped up and sent his fifth long ball of the year over the fence to ensure an early ending for the Tigers.

Bell got roughed up in his fourth start of the season. The sophomore recorded two innings of work, allowing three extra-base hits and, in turn, three runs. He struck out one and walked three across the 11 batters he faced.

Fellow sophomore Dion Brown came in relief for Bell to start the third, for his fourth appearance of the season. Brown gave the Tigers three innings of work, allowing no runs on one hit, along with three walks and four strikeouts.

It marked the longest outing of the season for the York, S.C., native.

Redshirt freshman Brendon Bennett replaced Brown in the sixth, throwing a 1-2-3 inning with three strikeouts. Senior righty Joe Allen closed it out, giving up no runs in the seventh.

LINEUP CHANGES
Originally, senior Jacob Jarrell was listed as the sixth player in the order and the designated hitter. Minutes before first pitch, however, Jay Dillard moved into the six-hole and Fultz got the start as the designated hitter, batting eighth. Jackson Moore got his first collegiate start in left field.

BATS ON FIRE
Sunday marked the third game of the series where Clemson notched 10 or more hits. Seven of the Tigers’ nine starters in the lineup notched a hit, and all of them touched base at least once. Clemson averaged 12 runs per game across the four-game series with La Salle.

Purify, McCladdie and Savoie had three hits each on Sunday. 

DOMINANCE ON THE MOUND
Over the four-game series against the Explorers, Clemson’s pitching staff held La Salle to an average of three runs per game. Eight of the 14 pitchers used by the Tigers this weekend did not allow a run. 

Up Next
The Tigers are back for some midweek action on Tuesday, when they will take on the Georgia Southern Eagles at SRP Park in North Augusta, S.C. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.