Tigers Break Out the Brooms; Survive Cincinnati Scare
CLEMSON, S.C. – James Parker’s walkoff single to deep left-center with no outs in the 10th inning scored Dylan Brewer and gave No. 25 Clemson an 8-7 win over Cincinnati at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The Tigers completed the three-game sweep with the one-run victory.
Brewer and Parker, who extended his hitting streak to 10 games dating to 2020, both laced two-run homers in the first inning, their first long balls of the year. Cincinnati answered with two runs in the second inning, then Clemson (3-0) plated two runs in the fourth inning, one on Jonathan French’s leadoff homer, his second of the year, and one on Pierce Gallo’s run-scoring single.
After Cincinnati (0-3) scored three unearned runs in the top of the fifth inning to narrow Clemson’s lead to 6-5, Davis Sharpe belted a two-out, run-scoring double in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Bearcats plated two runs in the eighth inning to tie the score 7-7.
In the 10th inning, Brewer led off with a single and Bryar Hawkins followed with another single. After a wild pitch moved the runners up a base, Parker belted a 3-1 pitch to left-center to plate Brewer for the walkoff run.
Centerville, Ohio native Nick Hoffmann (1-0) earned the win by retiring all seven batters he faced. Nathan Moore (0-2) suffered the loss.
Player of the Game: Jonathan French continued his outstanding play filling in for injured starting catcher Adam Hackenburg. French connected for his second home run of the season with a solo blast in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Stat of the Game: Five Free 90s...Free 90s, aka walks, are hated by all coaches, but especially head coach Monte Lee.
Injury Report: Catcher Adam Hackenberg, Sam Hall, outfielder Kier Meredith, infielder Chad Fairey, pitcher Keyshawn Askew and catcher Cooper Ingle were out injured.
"We are banged up, I mean we've got we've got a fairly long list of guys that are not available to play due to injury," Lee said. "But my guys show up every day and compete, work hard, and they're ready to go. And they're gonna do whatever is asked of them to help us win a ballgame and that's what they've done. It's a selfless group, it's a competitive group, they pull for each other."
Up Next: Clemson host South Carolina on Friday afternoon for the opening game of their annual rivalry series with the Gamecocks. The first pitch is slated for 4 p.m.