Clemson vs Florida Gulf Coast Baseball Recap - Late Game

Clemson 7 - Florida Gulf Coast 6

A two-run rally in the eighth inning propelled the Clemson Tigers to a 7-6 win over the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles in game two of a Sunday doubleheader in Clemson, South Carolina. 

Continuing their success from game one’s 9-3 win earlier in the day, the Tigers faced more of a fight from FGCU in game two, but the Clemson bats stayed hot.

After losing their 5-4 advantage in the top of the eighth to trail 6-5, the Tigers mounted one more rally. Centerfielder Addison Johnson led off the inning with a single and stole second base on the second pitch of the next at-bat. The hitter for Clemson was Will Lamb, who had just given up the lead on the mound in the top half of the inning. In redemptive fashion, Lamb exacted some revenge by moving Johnson over to third on a groundout, and second basemen Mike Freeman did the rest by knocking a base hit through the infield to tie the game at 6-6. Eagles reliever Jacob Barnes got a fielder’s choice from Tigers third basemen John Hinson to get the force-out on Freeman at second base, but after a four-pitch walk to rightfielder Kyle Parker, Barnes' day was done and FGCU closer Jack Wagoner came in attempting to close out the inning without any further damage.

The Tigers had other plans.

Clemson slugger Jeff Schaus singled in the winning run, Hinson, on the next at-bat to complete his 3-for-4, 3-RBI game. (Schaus went 5 for 8 with 4 RBIs in the doubleheader.) Schaus was one of a number of Tigers who found their stride swinging the bat on Sunday. From the two hole, Freeman hit 5 for 7 in Sunday’s two games with 3 RBIs and scored four times. Hinson relished the move to the third spot in the lineup ahead of Parker, delivering a 3-for-7 day at the plate with 3 RBIs. All in all, 11 Tigers reached base and collected 27 hits between the two games, good for 16 runs in all.  

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Clemson righty reliever Alex Frederick got the win in the nightcap after cleaning up the mess Lamb left him in the eighth – and it was quite an interesting top of the eighth.

After a spectacular comedy of errors that saw Lamb dive for a popped-up bunt; not catch the ball; and make an errant throw that hit the runner, the ensuing throw from the first basemen Richie Shaffer sailed over third, allowing the Eagles to score the tying run (which was on first base at the beginning of the play). Clemson coach Jack Leggett had a meeting on the mound with his infield, and on his way back, he stared down a heckling fan while motioning to the fan to say the jeer again to him on the field. Leggett is a fiery guy, but this was an atypical event for his long career at Clemson. In what was then a 5-5 game, Lamb gave up the lead-changing hit on the next batter, prompting Leggett to bring in Frederick. With a runner on third and one out, Frederick struck out FGCU first basemen Zach Maxfield and induced a groundout for the final out of the inning, setting up the Tigers' heroics in the bottom of the eighth.

The top of the ninth was far less eventful as Frederick finished the Eagles off with a 1-2-3 inning.

The Tigers and Eagles play the finale of the series tomorrow at 6:30 Eastern, weather permitting, as heavy rain is expected to push the game back to Tuesday, when it was originally scheduled. No starting pitchers have been announced for game four of a series that Clemson leads, 2-1.

By: Brandon Rink
DFN Sports Guest Writer