Clemson baseball fell to Notre Dame 7-3 on Sunday, snapping their 17-game winning streak and dropping to 19-2, 2-1 ACC. Cam Cannarella went 2-for-3 with a double and BJ Bailey pitched 2.1 hitless, scoreless innings, striking out five. However, it wasn’t enough as Notre Dame (11-6, 1-5 ACC) picked up their first ACC win.
Game highlights
Starting pitcher Justin LeGuernic struggled, lasting just 0.2 innings and giving up three runs on two home runs. Bailey, who came in to replace him, issued a walk to load the bases but then struck out the next batter to minimize the damage. In the bottom of the first, the Tigers put two runners on base but were unable to score them.
Bailey struck out the side in the second inning, and despite singles from Jarrell and Bissetta in the bottom of the second, the Tigers couldn’t capitalize. The third inning told the same story, with neither team scoring. Listi led off with a single again, but Purify grounded into his second double play of the game. Cannarella, who had already walked, doubled, but the Tigers were unable to bring him in. Cannarella’s double marked his 200th career hit.
Hudson Lee replaced Bailey in the fourth inning but struggled right away. He issued a walk, and a fielding error allowed another batter to reach base. A grounder to first brought in a run before the Tigers made a pitching change, bringing in Titsworth. Titsworth allowed an RBI single but managed to close out the dramatic fourth. Clemson finally got on the board in the bottom of the inning, as Jarrell singled and Bissetta walked. Both advanced on a wild pitch, and Jarrell came home on a single to left by Ciufo, cutting Notre Dame’s lead to 5-1.
The Tigers threatened again in the sixth with Cannarella hitting another single and Priest drawing a walk, but they couldn’t score, keeping the game at 5-1.
Titsworth struggled in the seventh, allowing a sixth run after a leadoff walk and a single, failing to record an out. Wentworth came in but also struggled, getting just one out before loading the bases. Fitzgerald, the third Tiger pitcher of the inning, allowed a run on a wild pitch but limited the damage, keeping the score at 7-1. The Tigers couldn’t respond in their half, grounding into yet another double play with runners on.
In the seventh, Clemson closed the gap, scoring two runs on one hit. Listi walked to lead off the inning, and Purify was hit by a pitch, putting two on with no outs. Listi scored on a single by Paino, and Purify came home on a sacrifice fly by Priest, cutting Notre Dame’s lead to 7-3. However, the Tigers were unable to score in the final two innings, going down in order in the ninth.
Up Next
Clemson welcomes The Citadel for a two-game home stand starting on Tuesday, first pitch is set for 6 p.m.
