No. 4 Clemson baseball capped off a strong weekend in California with a gritty 4-3 victory over the Golden Bears on Sunday afternoon, completing a three-game series sweep at Stu Gordon Stadium. Luke Gaffney’s sacrifice fly in the seventh inning broke a 3-3 tie and ultimately secured the win for the Tigers, who improved to 30-5 overall and 9-3 in ACC play.
“It’s tough to sweep, tough to win on the road — and our guys earned a hard-fought sweep this weekend against a really good Cal team.”
Head Coach Erik Bakich
The win marked Clemson’s fifth in a row and showcased the Tigers’ ability to win tight games on the road. California, meanwhile, fell to 16-15 overall and 6-9 in the conference.
It was a back-and-forth contest from the start. Cal struck first in the opening inning when Alex Birge connected on a solo home run, giving the Bears early momentum. The Tigers responded in the fourth inning with a timely substitution. Tristan Bissetta, called upon as a pinch hitter, took a 3-0 pitch deep over the left-field wall for a two-run homer, putting Clemson on top 2-1.
Coach Bakich on Tristan Bissetta, “The two-out RBIs, the timely hits — none bigger than Tristan Bissetta’s pinch-hit, 3-0 count, two-out, two-run jack to take the lead. That was big.”
One inning later, Gaffney came through with a two-out single through the infield to drive in another run and extend the lead to 3-1. His performance at the plate would prove crucial as the game tightened up in the later innings.
Cal clawed back in the sixth inning, scoring two runs with two outs to tie the game. The equalizer came off the bat of Max Handron, who singled home the tying run to make it 3-3.
Clemson wasted little time reclaiming the lead. In the top of the seventh, after a leadoff walk and a well-executed sacrifice bunt, the Tigers moved a runner into scoring position. Gaffney then lifted a fly ball deep enough to center field to bring home the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly.
From there, the bullpen took over. Drew Titsworth earned the win in relief, improving his record to 2-0, while closer Lucas Mahlstedt handled the ninth inning with confidence to record his 11th save of the season. Mahlstedt allowed a two-out single but quickly shut down any hope of a Cal rally.
Sunday’s win was a continuation of a well-rounded series for Clemson, which showed its versatility across the three-game set. Friday’s opener featured an offensive explosion. Saturday’s game leaned on pitching and defense. And in the finale, it was about capitalizing on key moments and staying composed in a close contest.
The Tigers also demonstrated the strength of their bench, with Bissetta’s pinch-hit home run proving to be one of the game’s biggest turning points. Clemson has relied on its depth throughout the season, and the ability to get production from all areas of the lineup has made them one of the most balanced teams in college baseball.
“It’s huge. It’s hard to win on the road, and it’s even harder to sweep.”
Tristan Bissetta
Now sitting with 30 wins and a firm grip on the top of the ACC standings, Clemson looks ahead to a midweek matchup against Gardner-Webb on Wednesday. The game will be held at Doug Kingsmore Stadium and will feature Military Appreciation Day. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. and will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra.
With the sweep in Berkeley, Clemson adds another quality series win to its resume and continues to build momentum heading into the back half of the season
