Clemson Drops First ACC Baseball Series to Georgia Tech Since 2016 in Rout

credit: Jonathan Smith, SB Nation

Clemson, S.C. – The ACC Baseball home opener series for the Clemson Tigers got underway last night at Doug Kingsmore Stadium against the ACC Preseason favorites, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. 

The first game of the series was claimed by the Jackets as they derailed a red-hot Tigers team 10-0 in a seventh inning run-rule game. 

Drew Burress, a projected first-round prospect, went on a heater last night, going 2-for-5 with two hits, three RBI knocks, three strike-outs, and two home-runs. Jarren Advincula went 2-for-4 with two hits and drove in one RBI. Vahn Lackey added to the party for Tech, going 3-for-3 with 3 hits, two runs, a home run, and a walk. 

The Tigers struggled last night, only mustering two hits (Purify and Dillard), no runs, seven strikeouts, and seven hitters left on base, especially after getting five walks from McKee and Lankie. 

The second game of the series featured a duel between left-handed pitcher Dylan Loy, who bolsters a 2.04 ERA, and Clemson lefty Michael Sharman. Sharman, most notably, has a 0.72 ERA with four wins, one complete game, ten hits, two earned runs, one walk, and 26 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting just .115 off of Sharman. 

The game seemed to get off to a competitive start. 

Drew Burress led off for the Ramblin’ Wreck and popped out to Luke Gaffney at first. Sharman got his first punch out of the night, striking out Alex Hernandez on a fastball. Jarren Advincula stepped into the three-hole for the visitors and grounded out to Sharman for the final out of the inning. 

The Tigers looked to strike first as Purify found himself safe at first base on a weak infield single to third base but that was short-lived. Purify was caught stealing and thrown out at first. Almost immediately after, Tristan McCladdie was picked-off at first after Nate Savoie flied-out to Alex Hernandez. 

The Yellow Jackets drew first blood at DKS as Vahn Lackey hit a home run for a third straight game, bringing his yearly total to nine. With two runners on bases, Parker Brosius stepped into the batter’s box. Brosius cleared the bases with a deep double extending the lead to 3-0. This marked the most runs allowed by Michael Sharman so far this season. 

The Tigers quickly answered as Jacob Jarrell hit his seventh home run of the season, a moonshot to deep left field. The clean-up crew proved to be no help as Lichtenberger and Jay Dillard both got out. 

Sharman picked up his second strike out in the third inning but quickly found himself in a hole after Kerce singled home Zuckerman in the fourth. 

Nate Savoie looked to fight back for Clemson in the bottom of the fourth as he hit his sixth home run to the Cajun Café. All batters after were retired in order.

Sharman retired the side in the top of the fifth to send Clemson into the bottom half of the inning only trailing 4-2. 

After a Crighton fly-out to Burress, Jay Dillard was walked and Dalley singled to shallow left field. Purify was sat down on strikes and McCladdie ended the inning after being forced-out by Advincula at second base. 

Hayden Simmerson made his first appearance of the series and sat down Kerce to clear a jam in the sixth inning but his relief was short-lived. In the seventh inning, with Hernandez on base from a throwing error, Lackey on base from a single, and Advincula reaching on a walk, Kent Schmidt hit his first collegiate grand slam. His shot went 398 feet with an exit speed of 103 MPH. This seemed to be the dagger for the Jackets as they extended their lead to 8-2.

Nate Savoie hit his second home run of the evening in the bottom of the eighth inning to bring the Tigers within six, trailing 9-3, but it wasn’t enough to bring the Tigers back within striking distance. 

Not much was left to be said after the Tigers lost their first series of the season and allowed 19 combined runs through two games. Sharman will drop to 4-1 on the year with the loss and Patel will pick up his second win of the season to be 2-0, his first in relief pitching.