Clemson started Sunday’s game hot, getting four runs in the first, but had to get a walk-off hit in the 10tth to break out the brooms against Cincinnati.
The Tigers sent freshman LHP Cason Grice to the mound on Sunday looking for a sweep of their first series of the season. They came out with a lot of pop but Cincinnati withstood it and made a game of it late, going to extra innings before Clemson was able to get the walk-off win in extras.
The game started with Grice giving up a one out base hit but then Jonathan French threw out the runner attempting to steal second before Grice ended the inning with the first strikeout of his Clemson career.
In the bottom of the first the Tigers began with a base hit by Blake Wright and the next batter, Dylan Brewer, crushed a pitch by Cincinnati starting pitcher Garrett Schoenle to center giving Clemson a 2-0 lead.
Bryar Hawkins was then hit by a pitch and the next batter, James Parker, brought him in with a home-run off of the left field foul pole. The homer gave the Tigers a 4-0 lead and also extended Parker’s hit streak to 10 games.
The top of the second began with the first two Bearcats reaching base. Then Jake Murray brought in Griffin Merritt for their first run on a base hit to center field.
Jace Mercer then scored from third when Tanner Holen hit into a double play. The inning ended with Grice’s second strike out of the game and Clemson holding a 4-2 lead.
The Bearcats began the third inning with two walks that got Grice taken out of the game. RHP Rasesh Pandya came in and got the next three batters out to keep Cincinnati off of the board, which included one strikeout. Grice ended his debut going two innings, giving up three hits, two earned runs, three walks, and the two strikeouts.
Jonathan French then started the bottom of the fourth with a blast to left field making it 5-2. It was his second homer of the weekend.
Davis Sharpe then reached on a hit by pitch and made it to second on a throwing error by Schoenle. Sharpe then was moved to third on a sacrifice by Elijah Henderson and then scored on a base hit to center by Pierce Gallo. This made the score 6-2. The inning ended when Teodosio was thrown out at second after tagging up on a fly out to center by Wright.
The Bearcats began their half of the fifth with a walk to Joe Powell. He then moved to second on a one out hit by Eric Santiago to third that Wright missed (error). Powell later scored on a single by Joey Bellini.
LHP Ryan Ammons then came in to relieve Pandya. A mistake on a pop fly in the infield (scored a hit) then allowed two more runs to score making it a 6-5 game. Pandya ended his day going 2.1 innings and giving up three runs on one hit, one walk, and one strikeout. Ammons lasted only 0.2 innings and gave up 2 hits before RHP Mack Anglin relieved him.
Brewer led off the bottom of the fifth with a walk and then was moved to third on a two out base hit by French. He then scored on a double by Sharpe extending the lead black to 7-5.
Cincinnati made it a 7-6 game in the eighth when Mercer scored from third on a fielder’s choice by Paul Komistek. Wyatt Stapp then scored on a two out base hit to center field by Santiago and tied the game at 7.
RHP Nick Hoffman came on to relieve Anglin and was able to get the final out of the inning. Anglin’s day ended after he went 2.2 innings. He gave up two earned runs, four hits, one walk, and had five strikeouts.
The Tigers 10th began with singles by Brewer and Hawkins. They were able to move up on a wild pitch. Parker then was able to get the walk-off hit to center that ended it.
Clemson now will turn their attention to next weekend’s series with instate rival South Carolina. A series that begins at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Friday at 4pm, will then move to Flour Field on Saturday at 4pm, and will end at South Carolina’s Founders Park on Sunday at 1:30pm
