The Tigers bounced back in impressive fashion on Saturday, with a dominant offensive display that saw them defeat Duke 14-9 in the second game of a doubleheader. The Tigers, who had lost the first game, evened the series at 1-1, and improved their overall record to 12-7, including a 1-1 mark in ACC play. The Blue Devils, on the other hand, dropped to 12-7 overall and 2-3 in conference play.
The game was a showcase of the Tigers’ powerful offense, as they racked up 18 hits and scored 13 runs in the first four innings alone. Cam Cannarella was the star of the show, going 5-for-6 with two doubles, two RBIs and three runs, marking his second five-hit game in the past two weekends. Nathan Hall and Caden Grice also contributed significantly, each recording three hits.
The game started with the Tigers taking an early lead in the first inning, with Hall driving in two runs with a two-out single, followed by Riley Bertram scoring on a double steal. Duke responded with two runs in the second inning to tie the score, but the Tigers quickly took back the lead with a run in the bottom of the second. However, Duke wasn’t going down without a fight, as they added two more runs in the third inning to take the lead.
But the Tigers refused to be outdone, mounting a massive comeback in the bottom of the third with five runs, highlighted by Grice’s run-scoring double and Cannarella’s two-run double. Duke managed to cut the lead in half in the fourth inning with a two-run homer by Jay Beshears, but the Tigers responded with a three-run blast by Jacob Jarrell, and continued to pile on the runs, with Grice hitting his first home run of the year in the fifth inning.
Despite Duke’s valiant effort, the Tigers held on for the victory, with Casey Tallent earning the win in relief, and Nick Hoffmann recording his first save of the year. Jason White took the loss for Duke.
The series concludes on Sunday, with both teams looking to claim the crucial third game. Clemson will be hoping to build on their impressive offensive display, while Duke will be eager to bounce back from their defeat and take the series.
