No. 3 Tigers Overcome 11-2 Deficit To Top No. 7 Seminoles 14-12 & Sweep Series
CLEMSON, S.C. – No. 3 Clemson overcame an 11-2 deficit with a five-run sixth inning and six-run seventh inning, capped by Blake Wright’s go-ahead grand slam, in its 14-12 victory over No. 7 Florida State at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The Tigers, who swept the series 3-0 and won their seventh game in a row, improved to 22-2 overall and 5-1 in the ACC. The Seminoles dropped to 19-3 overall and 3-3 in ACC play.
Max Williams grounded a two-run single in the second inning to score the game’s first runs, then James Tibbs III hit a three-run homer with two outs to give Florida State a 5-0 lead. In the fourth inning, Alden Mathes belted a two-run homer, his fifth of the year, to put Clemson on the scoreboard.
Tibbs led off the fifth inning with his second homer of the game, then Alex Lodise and Cam Smith laced two-run homers in the top of the sixth inning. Marco Dinges ripped a two-out, run-scoring single with two outs in the frame to give Florida State an 11-2 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Clemson responded with five runs. Jacob Hinderleider grounded a run-scoring single, Andrew Ciufo lined a two-run single, Cam Cannarella flared a run-scoring single and Wright laced a two-out, run-scoring single to narrow the Seminole lead to 11-7.
In the seventh inning, Jarren Purify and pinch-hitter Jacob Jarrell drew bases-loaded walks to cut Florida State’s lead in half, then Wright crushed a two-out grand slam, his 13th long ball of the season, to give Clemson a 13-11 lead. Ciufo added a run-scoring single in the eighth inning.
Lucas Mahlstedt (1-0) earned his first win as a Tiger by pitching 2.0 scoreless innings in relief, while Rob Hughes pitched 1.2 innings to record his third save of the year. Carson Dorsey (2-2) suffered the loss.
