It started like so many of Aidan Knaak’s starts at Doug Kingsmore. Two strikes on the first hitter. …and then he hit the West Virginia hitter. And that’s where things were thrown off slightly…but only for a few innings.
The “Cardiac Cats” somehow found a way back into the hotly contested battle of the top two seeds.
#1 seeded Clemson Tigers fell to the 2nd seeded West Virginia Mountaineers in the winner’s bracket of the Clemson regional 9-6.
Knaak uncharacteristically gave up three runs in the top of the 1st inning, digging a hole for the Tigers that was a tough hill to climb. Because that hill was regular “Sunday” starter Jack Kartsonas. The grad transfer from Kent State was locked in from the start, retiring the first nine Clemson hitters in order.
Cam Cannarella finally broke through with a hit that actually ricocheted off of Kartsonas. The Tigers did not do much more as the lanky righty kept the Tigers off-balanced all night.
With a fastball that touched 98, the Tigers were completely baffled.
Until…Postseason Cam hit a two run homerun in the bottom of the 6th to cut the Mountaineer lead to 4-2.
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Listi then got hit by a pitch, his 28th on the season, followed by a walk of Collin Priest and then a Jack Crighton double and the Tigers were only down one. Jacob Jarrell followed with a sac fly to tie the game and get DKS rocking.
Reed Garris came in to relieve Knaak, who finished with 4 earned runs allowed and four strikeouts. Coach Bakich was questioned about the move to pull Garris with two outs in the inning, “if I don’t take him out and he gives up a hit there’s a question there as well…it just didn’t work out for us tonight.”
In the 7th, Piano hit one on the screws but right out the Mountaineer left fielder. What followed was a little rally and a change in momentum.
Andrew Ciufo went shopping at the gap for a hustle triple and scored on a Cannarella double. An error allowed Purify to reach, followed by a Dom Listi single to load the bases. Priest grounded into a double play to end the rally.
Garris was then lifted for Lucas Mahlstedt and uncharacteristically he immediately gave up the slim lead when WVU had back to back doubles.
West Virginia would answer with one in the top of the eighth to tie it right back up, and then four runs in the top of the 9th to take a 9-5 lead.
Clemson had one more 2-out rally in them, started by a Cannarella single, his fourth hit of the night. The rally fell short when Jack Crighton struck out with the bases loaded.
Final Score, West Virginia 9, Clemson 6.
Coach Bakich on going into the losers bracket, “We’re going to empty the tank (against Kentucky), and go one game at a time and we’ll worry about who we have available
Clemson will now play Kentucky at noon tomorrow.
Andrew Ciufo was asked about playing in the early game tomorrow said it simply, “we’ll be ready.”
