A five-run sixth inning and a fantastic relief outing from Dylan Harrison helped pace Clemson to a 12-5 series-clinching win over Stanford on Sunday at Sunken Diamond in Palo Alto. This marks the Tigers’ first ACC series win of the season.
Harrison came on with two outs in the fifth with Clemson trailing by a run, with the freshman holding the Cardinal scoreless across 2.1 innings of work, allowing just one hit while striking out two in picking up the win (2-1). Danny Nelson went the final 1.2 innings.
Clemson totaled a season-high 18 hits, with Jack Crighton and Nate Savoie both having three-hit days. Jackson Moore, Bryce Clavon, Jacob Jarrell and Jason Fultz all had two-hit games. Savoie drove in three runs, while Crighton finished with a home run and two RBI. Clavon also went deep in the game.
Teddy Tokheim’s tenth homer of the season and his second of the weekend, a solo shot in the bottom of the first, put Stanford on top early, 1-0.
Stanford had runners on second and third in the bottom of the third, and a passed ball allowed a run to score, pushing the lead out to 2-0.
Clemson (21-12, 4-8 ACC) knotted things up in the fourth. Crighton’s first home run of the season, a solo shot out to left to start the fourth, got the Tigers on the board. A two-out RBI single by Jason Fultz later in the inning tied the score at 2-2.
The Cardinal (14-15, 4-8) went right back on top in the bottom half of the inning, getting a 422-foot solo shot from Eric Jeon, his seventh home run of the season. Starter Drew Titsworth hit the next batter, then got a ground ball that looked like a sure-fire double play. Instead, the ball went off Tyler Lichtenberger’s glove, putting runners on the corners with no outs. Originally ruled an error, it was later changed to a base hit. Titsworth walked the next hitter to load the bases.
Brendon Bennett then came on in relief, getting a fly ball to center, just deep enough to allow a run to score, making it 4-2. Bennett then got a pop-up in foul territory and got Tokheim to fly out to center to escape any further damage.
A 410-foot solo homer by Clavon to start the fifth pulled Clemson back to within a run. It was his third long ball this season. Tryston McCladdie followed with a single, then quickly stole second, his 13th stolen base of the season. Crighton then struck out looking, Luke Gaffney popped out, before Savoie delivered a two-out single to tie the score at 4-4.
A two-out blooper into shallow right off the bat of Cort MacDonald plated Charlie Bates from first, who was in motion stealing second when the ball was hit, put Stanford back out in front, 5-4. The hit was ruled a double, even though MacDonald advanced to second on the throw home from Crighton.
After Fultz walked to start a big sixth for the Tigers, Moore hit an infield single, putting runners at first and second with no outs. Clavon then ripped one through the left side, plating one run. The left fielder did not field it cleanly, allowing a second run to score, giving Clemson its first lead at 6-5. Clavon would make it all the way around to third on the error.
McCladdie then took a pitch off his face, forcing him to exit the ballgame. Briggs Sullivan pinch ran for him at first, giving the Tigers runners at first and third and still with nobody out. Crighton singled into the gap in right-center, plating Clavon. Gaffney doubled down the third-base line, driving in Sullivan, the first run of his career. A fielder’s choice off the bat of Savoie pushed across another run, giving Clemson a 9-5 lead.
In the eighth, Savoie, Jarrell and Lichtenberger had back-to-back-to-back RBI doubles to push the lead out to 12-5.
Fielding Getting Cleaner
The Tigers did not commit an error in the series finale. The team has now only committed one over its past four games.
Dalley’s Day Off
Ty Dalley, who has three hits and two RBI over the past three games, sat this one out. Freshman Jackson Moore was the DH, while Jack Crighton moved over to play right field. It is the first game Dalley has not started this season.
Stanford Pitching Parade
The Cardinal used eight different pitchers in Friday’s series-opening loss, four in Saturday’s win, then eight again in this one. Only three of those went longer than 1.2 innings.
Up Next
The west coast swing continues as Clemson faces Santa Clara on Monday night. First pitch is scheduled for 9 p.m.
Freshman Dylan Harrison pitches for Clemson. Jason Priester/The Clemson Insider