Clemson baseball fans had plenty to cheer about this weekend, as the Tigers bounced back from a tough Friday loss to claim their second ACC series win of the season, upsetting No. 20 Boston College in dramatic fashion. While the team's postseason hopes remain a long shot, this series victory—set against the backdrop of 90,000 country music fans flooding Tiger Town for George Strait's return to Death Valley—has injected a fresh wave of optimism around Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
Friday's opener followed a frustratingly familiar script. Boston College struck first when outfielder/first baseman Nick Wang took freshman starter Dane Moehler deep in the opening inning for a 1-0 lead. The Eagles added three more runs in the second, but Clemson clawed back with two runs of their own after a throwing error allowed Bryce Clavon to reach first with two outs, bringing home Tyler Lichtenberge and Jason Fultz Jr. BC answered right back with two runs in the third, and though Jacob Jarrell launched a two-run homer to pull the Tigers within two, Clemson's offense couldn't sustain the momentum. The Eagles tacked on two more in the ninth to seal an 8-4 victory.
Saturday, however, was a completely different story—and exactly what Clemson fans had been waiting for all season. The Tigers exploded for 11 runs in the first inning, the most productive opening frame of the Erik Bakich era. Anchored by Michael Sharman's stellar six-inning outing (allowing just two runs), Clemson cruised to a 14-4 run-rule victory, ending the game in the seventh inning and evening the series at 1-1.
Sunday's rubber match started ominously, with BC's Julio Solier scoring on a throwing error to give the Eagles an early 1-0 lead. But this time, the Tigers held firm and limited the damage. The breakthrough came in the seventh inning, when Jarren Purify—playing in just his second game back from injury—crushed his first home run to cut BC's lead to 3-2. In the eighth, Tryston McCladdie delivered a clutch single to score Jackson Moore and tie the game at 3-3. Nate Savoie attempted to score the go-ahead run on the same play but was thrown out at the plate. Undeterred, Purify came through again, singling to bring home Jacob Jarrell and give Clemson a 4-3 lead. Closer Hayden Simmerson shut the door in the top of the ninth, sealing the comeback victory and sending the Tigers home with their second ACC series win.