Clemson Opens ACC Road Play with 9-7 Win Over Georgia Tech

Jacob Jarrell had a hot day in Atlanta with two home runs. (Photo By Charles Mays/Tiger View Media)

The No. 3 Clemson Tigers hit the road for their first ACC away series of the season, taking on the No. 19 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in Atlanta. It was a picture perfect evening at Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium, setting the stage for a showdown between two of the conference's top teams.With two undefeated pitchers taking the mound,Aidan Knaak (4-0) for Clemson and Tate McKee (4-0) for Georgia Tech, fans anticipated a pitcher’s duel in this one. Instead, they got an offensive battle, with Clemson pulling out a 9-7 victory in a high-energy opener. Let’s break down how it all unfolded under the lights in the ATL.

Early Fireworks for the Tigers

Clemson wasted no time getting on the board in the first inning. Jarren Purify led off with a single to left-center, followed by a Cam Cannarella double. Luke Gaffney’s RBI single brought home Purify, and an error by Georgia Tech’s catcher allowed Cannarella to score. Just like that, Clemson had a 2-0 lead.

Georgia Tech responded quickly, as Kyle Lodise launched a solo homer to left-center. Aidan Knaak settled in, striking out two batters and picking off Alex Hernandez at second to escape the inning with Clemson still ahead 2-1.

Trading Blows in the Middle Innings

After a scoreless second and third inning, Clemson struck again in the fourth. Jacob Jarrell crushed a solo homer, and after Collin Priest was hit by a pitch, Dominic Listi delivered an RBI single. Clemson extended its lead to 4-1.

The Yellow Jackets answered back in the bottom half. Caleb Daniel doubled, advanced on a passed ball, and later scored on a sacrifice fly. Georgia Tech cut the deficit to 4-2.

Clemson tacked on another run in the fifth, thanks to a Cam Cannarella single and some aggressive baserunning. However, Georgia Tech came roaring back in the bottom of the inning, tying the game at 5-5 with a pair of doubles and a sacrifice fly.

Big Swings and Clutch Pitching

Collin Priest put Clemson back in front with a solo home run in the sixth, making it 6-5. That would be the end of the night for McKee, who finished with a line of 5.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R (3 ER), 1 BB, and 6 K.

Knaak’s evening also came to an end after five innings (7 H, 5 R, 1 BB, 3 K). Drew Titsworth took over in the sixth but ran into trouble, allowing a game-tying run. That’s when Clemson turned to Lucas Mahlstedt, who slammed the door with a key groundout to get out of the inning.

Late-Game Heroics

The Tigers reclaimed the lead in the eighth, capitalizing on defensive miscues by Georgia Tech. Jacob Jarrell’s single and a fielder’s choice helped Clemson plate two runs, making it 8-6. Mahlstedt continued to dominate on the mound, striking out two in the bottom of the inning.

Clemson added an insurance run in the ninth, courtesy of Jarrell’s second home run of the night. Leading 9-6 heading into the final frame, the Tigers looked for Mahlstedt to finish the job. He would strike out two batters then, Georgia Tech made things interesting, with Drew Burress scoring on a late RBI single. But with the tying run at the plate, Mahlstedt forced a deep flyout to left field, sealing the 9-7 win for Clemson.

Mahlstedt (2-0) earned the victory in relief, continuing his dominance out of the bullpen.

Up Next for Clemson

The Tigers will look to secure the series win in Game 2 on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium. Clemson will send left-hander Ethan Darden to the mound, while Georgia Tech counters with right-hander Brady Jones. The game will be available on ACC Network Extra.

Analyst Takeaways

Offensive Resilience – Clemson’s ability to respond after Georgia Tech tied the game twice showed their maturity at the plate. Jarrell’s two-homer night was huge, and Collin Priest’s long ball set the tone in the sixth.

Bullpen Performance – Despite a shaky outing from Knaak, Mahlstedt’s shutdown relief (3.0 IP, 1 R, 4 K) was the difference-maker.

Defensive Miscues – Both teams struggled with errors, which played a significant role in the high-scoring affair. Clemson will need to clean things up moving forward.

Game one was a thriller, and if it’s any indication, the rest of the series should be must-watch baseball.