In a marathon showdown that kept fans on the edge of their seats, the Georgia Bulldogs edged out the Clemson Tigers 4-3 in an epic 15-inning battle at Foley Field on Tuesday night. The showdown between No. 4 Clemson and No. 17 Georgia wasn’t just any game; it was a real marathon. This epic match lasted for five hours and thirty minutes and wasn’t over until early Wednesday morning.
“We didn’t do enough at the end from a pitching standpoint, they scored in the end without getting a hit,” said Coach Erik Bakich. “But for the majority of the game, I was proud to coach that effort. We will move on and get better from the loss against a very good opponent. We will regroup and move on to get ready for Louisville.”
Coach Erik Bakich
The Bulldogs scored early with an unearned run in the second inning, courtesy of Paul Toetz’s two-out single. Clemson responded swiftly when Blake Wright delivered a two-out, two-run triple in the third inning, extending his remarkable hitting streak to 10 consecutive games. The Tigers responded again with power, as Cannarella blasted his seventh homer of the year in the fourth inning, giving Clemson a 3-1 lead.
Georgia’s resilience was epitomized by Corey Collins, whose seventh-inning run-scoring single halved Clemson’s lead, only to return in the ninth with another single that tied the score. Alden Mathes’ precise throw to the plate retired Charlie Condon, who would have been the winning run in the ninth inning.
The victory, however, was to be decided by the slimmest margins. In the 15th inning, the Bulldogs capitalized on two walks and a hit-by-pitch to load the bases with one out. The climax reached its peak when a wild pitch allowed Toetz to dart home, scoring the winning run in a scene that Foley Field won’t soon forget.
But this game did have some controversy in the 5th inning. With two outs and runners on first and third, Jarren Purify hit a deep fly ball down the left field line that went over the outfield fence and was called foul. Video replay showed that the ball was actually fair, but the call stood and Purify eventually struck out to end the inning. If called fair this would have given Clemson the win in nine innings. You make the call.
For Clemson, Blake Wright continued to demonstrate why he’s one of the most consistent hitters in college baseball, with his timely triple. Cannarella provided a spark with his solo homer, reminding everyone of his ability to change the game with a single swing.
Pitching was a tale of resilience and strategy as both teams put 10 pitchers on the mound for their respective teams. It was Chandler Marsh (1-0) of Georgia who secured the win and Chance Fitzgerald (0-1) who took the brunt of the loss.
As the Bulldogs improve their season to 30-10 and the Tigers adjust to 32-8, both teams look ahead to their respective challenges, with Clemson preparing for a three-game series against Louisville, set to start this Friday at 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.
