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CLEMSON, S.C. - No. 8 Clemson overcame a 5-2 deficit with eight runs in the fifth inning and three runs in the sixth inning in its 13-7 victory over No. 3 Georgia Tech at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers improved to 16-4 overall and 1-2 in the ACC. The Yellow Jackets, who won the series 2-1, dropped to 17-3 overall and 4-2 in ACC play.
The Tigers took their first lead of the series in the first inning with two runs on Jacob Jarrell’s RBI groundout and Jack Crighton’s two-out, run-scoring single. Will Baker crushed a solo homer in the second inning, then Ryan Zuckerman led off the top of the fifth inning with a homer to tie the score. Three batters later, Carson Kerce drilled a three-run homer to give the Yellow Jackets a 5-2 lead.
Jarrell responded in the bottom of the fifth inning with a two-run homer, his eighth of the year. Two batters later, Crighton lined a double to score the tying run. After the Tigers took the lead on a passed ball, Ty Dalley grounded a two-run single, then Tryston McCladdie belted a two-out, two-run double to cap the eight-run frame.
In the sixth inning, Dalley grounded another run-scoring single, Jarren Purify walked with the bases loaded and Nate Savoie hit a sacrifice fly to up Clemson’s lead to 13-5. Kerce grounded a run-scoring double in the seventh inning and the Yellow Jackets added a run in the eighth inning.
McCladdie paced Clemson’s 14-hit attack with a career-high four hits, including a school-record-tying three doubles, while Crighton and Dalley added three hits apiece.
Dion Brown (2-0) pitched 3.0 innings in relief to earn the win, while Yellow Jacket starter Jackson Blakely (1-1) suffered the loss.
The Tigers play five road games next week, beginning with a game at College of Charleston on Tuesday at 6 p.m. on FloCollege.