Jacob Jarrell got his pitch and he did not miss it.
Trailing Georgia Tech 3-1 in the third inning of the ACC tournament semifinals, Jarrell came up with the bases loaded and on a 1-0 pitch launched a grand slam high over the left field wall to give Clemson baseball a lead they would not relinquish in a 9-4 victory over the Yellow Jackets.
With the win, the Tigers (44-15) advance to the ACC championship game on Sunday where they will take on the winner between North Carolina and Florida State.
Georgia Tech (40-17) jumped out to the early lead, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first and another in the second to take a 3-0 lead, but Clemson would roar back. A one-out single in the third from Jared Purify would make the score 3-1 and precede Jacob Jarrell’s heroics. Following the Jarrell slam, the Yellow Jackets would briefly cut the Clemson lead to 5-4 in the fourth, but Joe Allen would come on in relief with two outs in the fourth, put out the fire, and from there it was all Tigers.
Allen (5-0) picked up the win, tossing 1.1 scoreless innings. He would get some help from his defense, too. With two on and one out in the home fifth, T.P. Wentworth made a spectacular sliding catch in right field and quickly threw back to the infield to complete a 9-3 double play. It would be the last gasp for Georgia Tech as the Clemson offense would pour on the runs in the late innings.
Cam Cannarella singled in a run in the seventh which was followed by a Georgia Tech error to to make the score 7-4. Wentworth doubled in the eighth run with two outs in the eighth inning, and Collin Priest added the dagger in the ninth with a bomb to straightaway center than nearly cleared the stadium entirely.
Talan Bell started the game on the mound for the Tigers, lasting 3.2 innings and surrendering four runs on four hits. Jacob McGovern covered the final four innings with brilliant relief for the save, allowing only one hit and striking out three.
Andrew Ciufo added two hits for Clemson.
Clemson vs. Georgia Tech Game Highlights | 2025 ACC Baseball Championship (Semifinals)
Now, Jacon Jarrell and the Tigers have a chance to complete the turnaround from a late season swoon that saw Clemson fall a bit from grace in the national rankings. The Tigers are hot at the right time, having won their last five games, and with one more victory, can waltz into the NCAA tournament with a conference championship and all the momentum on their side.
