Clemson Baseball dominated North Carolina A&T with a 12-7 victory on Saturday afternoon at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, delivering an offensive explosion and clutch performances on the mound. From the very first inning, the Tigers set the tone, jumping out to a fast 3-0 lead.
Cam Cannarella got things rolling with an RBI single to put Clemson on the board, and Tristan Bissetta followed up with a clutch two-run hit, giving the Tigers early momentum and putting the Aggies on their heels.
However, North Carolina A&T refused to back down. In the top of the third inning, they flipped the script with an offensive surge of their own. Andrew Tinsley launched a solo home run to get things started, cutting into Clemson’s lead. Then, the Aggies kept the pressure on with back-to-back two-run singles from AJ Jones and Jason Campo, breaking through for a six-run inning and stunning the home crowd as they took a 6-3 lead.
But Clemson wasn’t about to let the game slip away. The Tigers immediately responded in the bottom half of the inning with a massive five-run rally of their own. Collin Priest sparked the comeback with an RBI single, and Jack Crighton chipped in with a sacrifice fly to bring Clemson within one. With the bases loaded, Dominic Listi was hit by a pitch, forcing in the tying run.
The momentum had completely shifted, and Josh Paino capitalized by knocking an RBI single into the outfield, putting Clemson back in front. By the time the dust settled, the Tigers had reclaimed the lead at 8-6.
North Carolina A&T continued to battle, trimming the lead to 8-7 in the fifth inning. The Aggies refused to go away quietly, but Clemson kept finding answers. In the bottom of the frame, Tryston McCladdie came through with a key RBI hit, extending the lead back to two runs and giving the Tigers some breathing room.
As the game entered the late innings, Clemson put the finishing touches on their win with a big offensive burst in the eighth. Luke Gaffney provided the highlight of the night, crushing a solo home run deep over the fence—the Tigers’ first homer of the season.
The crowd erupted as Gaffney rounded the bases, and the Tigers weren’t done yet. McCladdie delivered a sacrifice fly later in the inning, scoring two more runs to push the lead to 12-7 and put the game out of reach.
Clemson’s offense was relentless, racking up 16 hits in total. Every Tiger in the starting lineup recorded at least one hit and scored a run, a testament to the team’s depth and consistency at the plate. McCladdie and Gaffney led the charge with three hits apiece, delivering key performances that fueled Clemson’s explosive offensive output.
On the mound, the Tigers had to overcome some early struggles. Jacob McGovern got the start but lasted only 2.1 innings, giving up five runs before handing things over to the bullpen. Nathan Dvorsky came in and managed to settle things down, picking up the win despite allowing two runs.
But the real hero on the mound was Lucas Mahlstedt, who was lights-out in relief. He dominated the Aggies in the final 2.2 innings, shutting them down completely and picking up his second save of the season.
Defensively, Clemson came up with key stops when it mattered most. The Tigers stranded seven Aggie baserunners, preventing North Carolina A&T from closing the gap late in the game. The pitching staff combined for 11 strikeouts, keeping the Aggies off balance throughout the contest.
With the win, Clemson improves to 4-1 on the season and carries plenty of momentum into the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader. They’ll take on VCU at 4:30 p.m. on ACC Network Extra, looking to keep the bats hot and extend their winning streak. The Tigers’ offense has been firing on all cylinders, and if they keep this energy up, they could be a dangerous team as the season progresses.
