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COLUMBIA, S.C. – Andrew Ciufo hit a walkoff solo homer with two outs in the 12th inning to lift No. 10 Clemson to a 5-4 win over No. 12 South Carolina at Segra Park on Saturday. The Tigers, who took a 1-0 lead in the season series, improved to 8-1, while the Gamecocks dropped to 8-2.
Cam Cannarella, who earlier extended his hitting streak to 17 games dating to 2023, ripped a two-out double in the fourth inning to score the game’s first two runs. Will Tippett led off the fifth inning with a homer to cut Clemson’s lead in half. In the eighth inning, Jacob Hinderleider ripped a two-run homer, his third of the year.
In the ninth inning, pinch-hitter Blake Jackson hit a run-scoring triple. Two batters later, Ethan Petry belted a two-run homer to tie the score 4-4. After the Gamecocks had retired 12 Tigers in a row, Ciufo stepped to the plate with two outs in the 12th inning and sent a home run to left-center for his second long ball of the year. His home run marked Clemson’s first walkoff home run to beat South Carolina in series history in the 334th all-time meeting.
Matthew Marchal (2-0) earned the win, while Garrett Gainey (0-1) suffered the loss. Tiger starter Tristan Smith pitched 5.0 strong innings, allowing three hits, one run and one walk with a career-high nine strikeouts.
The series continues Sunday when the two teams play at Doug Kingsmore Stadium at 2 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.
Photos By Peter McLean
