#12 Clemson beats Presbyterian
Austin Gordon made his 2024 debut on the mound and threw two scoreless innings and Cam Cannarella hit his first home run of the year in the first inning, but Clemson once again trailed in the early goings for the fourth straight game. Joe Allen, who came on in the 3rd inning to relieve Gordon, gave up 2 runs on 2 hits as the Tigers found themselves trailing 2-1. That deficit didn't last long however, as Michigan transfer catcher Jimmy Obertop hit a solo shot to left in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game 2-2.
From there it was all Clemson as Joe Allen settled down for three solid innings before making way to Ethan Darden and Ty Olenchuk. The two latter pitchers combined for three shutout innings. The game was still close at the 7th inning stretch, with Clemson clinging to a slim 3-2 lead. Then the Tigers loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the 7th and added another run following a Jack Crighton RBI walk. That brought up freshman infielder Jarren Purify, who was starting in his first collegiate game. He drilled a pitch to deep left that just cleared the wall for a grand slam, the third already of Clemson's young season. Presbyterian never threatened after that and the Tigers remain undefeated following the 8-2 win.
Key Pitching Lines
Austin Gordon- 2 IP | 0 ER | 0 H | 2 K | 2 BB |
Ethan Darden- 2 IP | 0 ER | 1 H | 2 K | 0 BB |
Top Performers
CF Cam Cannarella (So) 3-5, HR (1), RBI
C Jimmy Obertop (Sr) 3-5, 2B, HR (1), 2 RBI
SS Andrew Cuifo (Sr) 2-4
2B Jarren Purify (Fr) 1-4, HR (1), 4 RBI
#1 Wake Forest stunned by UNC-Greensboro
Wake Forest went on the road for the first time this year and things did not go well for the Demon Deacons. The offensive woes continued as they failed to get more than five hits in a game for the third time this season. Nick Kurtz and Seaver King went a combined 1-9 as UNC-Greensboro stunned the #1 team in the country, 4-3.
Highly touted freshman was particularly impressive in his first collegiate start, throwing four innings of one run ball and striking out 8. But with the game tied 1-1 heading to the bottom of the 6th, UNC-Greensboro were able to get to relievers William Ray and Cam Nelson. Greensboro add a run in the 6th and 2 in the 7th to make it 4-1. Wake Forest had plenty of chances to score following an RBI double by Tate Ballestero that made it 4-2 in the 8th. With the bases loaded, Austin Hawke drew an RBI walk with to draw the Deacons back within a run. An Adam Tellier base knock could've given them the lead, but he struck out swinging to end the threat.
Wake Forest then had another good opportunity in the 9th when Marek Houston led off with a walk as stars Nick Kurtz and Seaver King loomed on deck and in the hole. But Kurtz, King, and Jake Reinisch went 1-2-3 and UNC-Greensboro celebrated the massive midweek upset on their home field.
Key Pitching Lines
Haiden Leffew: 4 IP | 1 ER | 2 H | 8 K | 2 BB | 67 pitches
David Falco Jr: 1.2 IP | 0 ER | 1 H | 3 K | 0 BB | 30 pitches
Top Performers
C Tate Ballestero (Sr) 1-2, 2B, 2 RBI
SS Marek Houston (So) 1-4, 2B
RF Jake Reinisch (Sr) 1-4, 2B
#17 North Carolina holds off Elon
The Tar Heels jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second thanks to three straight RBI singles by Casey Cook, Parks Harbor, and Anthony Donofrio. Freshman Jason Decaro, who is only 17 years old, had pitched well through three innings when he ran into trouble against a talented Elon lineup. The Phoenix ended up tagging the first year pitcher for four runs and taking a 4-3 lead in Chapel Hill.
Vance Honeycutt got all those runs back in the 5th as he slammed his third home run of the year to right field for a grand slam and a 7-4 lead. Casey Cook would add insurance with an RBI single in the 7th and bullpen studs Connor Bovair and Dalton Pence would hold off surging Elon for hard earned 8-7 win.
Key Pitching Lines
Jason Decaro 3.1 IP | 4 ER | 5 H | 3 K | 3 BB | 55 pitches
Dalton Pence 1 IP | 0 ER | 0 H | 2 K | 0 BB | 7 pitches
Top Performers
CF Vance Honeycutt (Jr) 2-4, HR (3), 4 RBI
LF Casey Cook (So) 2-2, 3 BB, 2 RBI
RF Anthony Donofrio (Sr) 1-3, 2 BB, 1 RBI
Florida State rallies late to beat Jacksonville
With Florida State only able to play two games over opening weekend due to weather, Connor Whittaker took the mound for the Seminoles in their midweek road matchup at Jacksonville. Daniel Cantu got the scoring started right away for Florida State with a one out, 2 RBI single to make it 2-0. Jacksonville would get one back in the 4th with a sacrifice fly before James Tibbs would single in a run and Jaime Ferrer would drive another with a sac fly to make it 4-1 Florida State.
As the Seminoles looked to be pulling away, the Dolphins rallied in the 6th to chase Whittaker from the game after 5.1 innings of work. JUCO transfer Carson Dorsey came on in relief and was able to escape with the game tied following an outstanding play at second by Alex Lodise. The USF transfer made a diving stop to prevent the ball from reaching the outfield and then threw home to cut down the go ahead run and end the inning.
From there, Dorsey was absolutely lights out. Every single out from that point on was a strikeout as he finished with 10 strikeouts on 69 pitches. The 9th inning started with a Cam Smith double to right, followed by a James Tibbs walk with nobody out. Jaime Ferrer was the hero with an RBI single to center to give the 'Noles a 5-4 lead. Tibbs would then score on a wild pitch and Dinges would hit a sac fly to drive in Ferrer. With a 7-4 lead, Dorsey struck out three hitters to preserve the win.
Key Pitching Lines
Conor Whittaker 5.1 IP | 2 ER | 3 H | 6 K | 2 BB | 77 pitches
Carson Dorsey 3.2 IP | 1 ER | 2 H | 10 K | 3 BB | 69 pitches
Top Performers
3B Cam Smith 3-5, 2B
DH Jaime Ferrer 2-4, 2 RBI
RF James Tibbs III 1-3, RBI, 2 BB, SB
Georgia Tech comes back to beat Georgia Southern
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets took a little while to get warmed up on Tuesday night as they faced in-state rival Georgia Southern on the road. Logan McGuire had a shaky first in which he gave up 3 earned runs but then settled down to pitch very well over his next three innings of work. The offense was struggling through 6 innings with only one run. Georgia State led 4-1. Then young superstar Drew Burress hit a 2 run single to make it 4-3 after 7.
In the eighth, the hero was Mike Bicchetti, who batted after Wofford transfer Trey Yunger singled to tie the game at 4-4. Bechetti slammed a 3-2 pitch off the wall in left center for a double to drive in Jett Lovett and Yunger. Parker Brosius would add in an insurance run to make 7-4. The Jackets scored six runs in the 7th and 8th to take the lead while two way star Cam Jones was on the mound. Jones started the game at first base and went 2-5 at the plate, then relieved Dawson Brown with one out in the 5th inning. Jones was fantastic in relief as he went the rest of the way and kept Georgia Southern scoreless while striking out 8 batters. Georgia Tech won 7-4 in comeback fashion and is now 4-0 on the year.
Key Pitching Lines
Logan McGuire 4 IP | 3 ER | 2 H | 7 K | 3 BB |
Cam Jones 3.2 IP | 0 ER | 8 H | 8 K | 2 BB |
Top Performers
CF Drew Burress (Fr) 1-3, 3 RBI
2B Mike Becchetti (Sr) 2-2, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB
1B Cam Jones (Sr) 2-5
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