In a hard-fought matchup at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Tuesday night, the Georgia Bulldogs rallied from an early deficit to secure a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Clemson Tigers. The Bulldogs evened the series 1-1 in the final game between the two teams during the 2023 regular season, improving their record to 20-17, while the Tigers’ record has fallen to 22-16.
The game got off to a flying start when Parks Harber hit a two-run homer with two outs in the top of the first inning on a 3-2 pitch, the 12th pitch of his plate appearance. Clemson responded with two runs in the bottom of the first inning on Cooper Ingle and Billy Amick’s scoring doubles. In the second inning, Will Taylor grounded a two-out, two-run single to give Clemson the lead.
However, the Bulldogs refused to back down and mounted a comeback. Charlie Condon led off the third inning with a homer, and Corey Collins’ sacrifice fly later in the inning tied the score. Georgia then regained the lead in the fourth inning on Josh Stinson’s run-scoring double.
What made the victory even more impressive for Georgia was its pitching performance in the latter stages of the game. After giving up four runs in the first two innings, the Bulldogs held Clemson scoreless in the final seven innings of the game. This was a testament to the team’s resilience and ability to make in-game adjustments, as they shut down a potent Clemson lineup that had scored 13 runs in their previous game.
Reliever Collin Caldwell played a key role in the Bulldogs’ success, tossing 2.2 hitless and scoreless innings with four strikeouts. He earned the win with his performance and showcased his importance to the team’s bullpen. Leighton Finley also played a crucial role, pitching the ninth inning to record his third save of the year.
For the Tigers, the loss was a bitter pill to swallow, but there were still some positive signs. Junior Ryan Ammons made his first appearance since suffering an arm injury on Feb. 24, providing a much-needed boost to the team’s morale. Although B.J. Bailey suffered the loss, he pitched well in relief and gave his team a chance to win.
Looking ahead, the Tigers will travel to Raleigh to take on NC State in a three-game series starting on Friday at 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra. The team will be hoping to bounce back from the disappointment of the Georgia series and get back on track in ACC play.
In summary, the Georgia Bulldogs delivered an impressive performance on Tuesday night, rallying from an early deficit to secure a hard-fought 5-4 victory over the Clemson Tigers. The team’s resilience and ability to make in-game adjustments were on full display as they held Clemson scoreless in the final seven innings of the game. With this win, the Bulldogs evened the series 1-1 in the final game between the two teams during the 2023 regular season, improving their record to 20-17. While the Tigers’ record has fallen to 22-16, they will be looking to bounce back in their upcoming series against NC State.
