The Tigers had opportunities aplenty, but were unable to come up with the finishing blow. The Cardinals ultimately pulled away in the 12th inning, winning the matchup 8-6. With the loss, the Tigers fell to 35-7 (13-5).
Clemson stranded the bases loaded three separate times in the contest, leaving three men aboard in the third, fifth and seventh innings. Overall, Clemson left 16 runners on base and went just 3-22 with runners in scoring position. However, the Tigers were relentless, and kept threatening late in the game.
Louisville ultimately won behind a 2-run homer to straight away center field in the top of the 12th, hit by Tague Davis. In the home half of the frame the Tigers would go down in order, ending the nearly five hour contest.
The crazy finish of this matchup began in the 9th, when both teams were tied at 3 apiece. In the top half of the frame, Louisville put together a 2-out rally driving home a run on a pop fly to shallow center field that Cam Cannarella initially misread.
However, the Tigers didn’t give up, and struck back in the home half of the ninth almost immediately when Josh Paino drilled a solo home run out to right field to lead off the frame.
In the top of the tenth, Clemson’s Hudson Lee faced the first four batters of the frame, acquiring an out with the first batter he faced and allowing three baserunners subsequently via 2 walks and a single.
That’s when the pitching carousel began, as Nathan Dvorsky and Noah Samol each faced just one batter. Dvorsky forced a sacrifice fly, driving home a run. Samol allowed a single to right field, driving in a second run in the frame. Following this, Joe Allen entered the game, allowing a walk before striking out Collin Mowry to finally end the inning.
However, Clemson would once again not let their afternoon end in this manner. Dominic Listi led the inning off with a walk. Things looked grim for the Tigers at Doug Kingsmore Stadium when Cam Cannarella and Jarren Purify both record outs. Collin Priest worked a walk before Jacob Jarrell laced a single to left, scoring Listi. That’s when chaos ensued, as Paino reached on a throwing error from the shortstop, effectively tying the game.
Cam Cannarella took over the early stages of the contest, sending a 2-run homerun to the opposite field in home half of the first to grant the Tigers an early lead. It was just his second home run of the season and his first since March 9th against Davidson.
Cannarella continued his exhilarating day with a home run robbery to straightaway centerfield. The star outfielder sprinted to the wall and timed his leap perfectly to take one away from Louisville outfielder Eddie King Jr.
Chance Fitzgerald made the start for Clemson, the first of his career. The righty threw 2 frames allowing 2 hits and a solo homerun in the second. Louisville left fielder King Jr. powered a strong line drive over the left-center field wall. After Fitzgerald, Clemson went to their typical Sunday starter BJ Bailey. The lefty threw 7 strong frames, allowing just 3 runs on 6 hits while striking out 4.
Clemson will be back in action on Tuesday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, when they take on No. 5 Georgia at 8 p.m.
