Tigers’ Bats Heat Up in the Eighth Inning to Secure Victory and Advance in Winner’s Bracket
The Clemson Tigers opened regional play Friday night at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, taking on the Big South Champion USC Upstate Spartans. The stakes were high: the winner would advance to face West Virginia in the winner’s bracket, while the loser would meet Kentucky in the elimination game after the Mountaineers walked off the Wildcats 4-3 in the regional opener.
Drew Titsworth (5-1) took the mound for the Tigers, matched by USC Upstate’s ace, Amp Phillips (7-2). Clemson ultimately triumphed 7-3 behind a crucial eighth-inning rally and a lights-out relief appearance from Jacob McGovern. Let’s dive into how the game unfolded under the lights at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
Early Tension and Missed Opportunities
Titsworth started strong, working around a leadoff single with a 6-4-3 double play to escape the first inning. Clemson’s offense threatened in the bottom half, with Jarren Purify singling and swiping two bases, but Phillips stranded him at third.
The Spartans struck first in the second inning on a solo home run to right by Johnny Sweeney. Titsworth rebounded with a strikeout but gave up another single before escaping. Clemson’s offense sputtered, going down in order in the second.
Upstate extended its lead to 2-0 in the fourth on an RBI bloop single by Gage Griggs, but Titsworth kept the damage minimal. The Tigers’ bats remained quiet through four innings.
A Critical Turnaround
Titsworth ran into serious trouble in the fifth, hitting two batters and giving up a single to load the bases with no outs. Head Coach Erik Bakich turned to Jacob McGovern, who delivered a heroic escape: striking out two and inducing a lineout to left.
That momentum shift carried into the bottom of the fifth. TP Wentworth singled, Andrew Ciufo walked, and Cam Cannarella roped a double down the left-field line to tie the game 2-2. Purify’s flyout advanced Cannarella to third, and Collin Priest’s sacrifice fly gave Clemson its first lead at 3-2.
McGovern settled in, striking out two in the sixth and adding two more in the seventh while allowing just one walk. His final line—3.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K—was exactly what Clemson needed.
Late Drama and an Explosive Eighth
With Clemson clinging to a one-run lead in the eighth, Erik Bakich brought in closer Lucas Mahlstedt. After Mahlstedt allowed a game-tying home run to Scott Newman, the Tigers’ faithful at Doug Kingsmore Stadium braced for a tense finish.
But Clemson’s offense delivered the knockout punch in the bottom of the eighth. Dominic Listi singled and stole second and third, showcasing his aggressive baserunning. After a walk to Jack Crighton and a single by TP Wentworth scored Listi, the Tigers tacked on insurance runs. Andrew Ciufo’s sacrifice bunt plated Crighton, and Cannarella punctuated the inning with a towering home run to center field, pushing the lead to 7-3.
Mahlstedt settled down in the ninth, striking out the final batter to secure the victory.
Players of the Game
Jacob McGovern: 3.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K. His clutch relief outing bailed Clemson out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth and gave the offense time to respond.
Cam Cannarella: 3-for-5, 2 R, 4 RBI, 1 double, 1 home run. Cannarella’s bat powered Clemson’s comeback, and his eighth-inning homer sealed the deal.
Analysis: A Tale of Resilience and Relief
This game was a showing of Clemson’s identity: a team that can weather adversity, lean on quality relief pitching, and explode late with timely hitting. Drew Titsworth struggled with command, allowing baserunners in four innings and laboring through his start (4.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 2 K). His departure with the bases loaded could have unraveled the Tigers’ night. Instead, Jacob McGovern’s composure and strikeout-heavy performance flipped the script.
Offensively, Clemson initially struggled to solve Phillips, but once they cracked the code in the fifth inning, their aggressive baserunning and situational hitting turned the tide. Dominic Listi’s stolen bases and Cam Cannarella’s clutch extra-base hits showcased the Tigers’ multi-dimensional offense.
The home run surrendered by Mahlstedt in the eighth was a gut punch, but Clemson’s resilience—answering with four runs in the bottom half—proved decisive.
What’s Next?
With the 7-3 win, Clemson advances to face West Virginia tomorrow at 6:00 pm at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, one step closer to the Regional Final. A win would put the Tigers in the driver’s seat to secure a trip to the Super Regionals.
If the Tigers can continue to get strong performances from their bullpen and capitalize on offensive opportunities like they did tonight, they will be a tough out for any team in the regional.
