No. 16 Clemson Edges Duke 3-2

DURHAM, N.C. – Chris Okey belted a two-out triple on an 0-2 pitch in the ninth inning to score two runs, giving No. 16 Clemson a come-from-behind 3-2 win over Duke at Jack Coombs Field on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers, who evened the series 1-1, improved to 23-8 overall and 8-6 in the ACC. The Blue Devils fell to 16-15 overall and 5-9 in ACC play.

Duke scored two runs in the second inning, then Clemson cut the lead in half in the fifth inning on Reed Rohlman’s two-out, run-scoring single. With two outs and the bases empty in the ninth inning, Chase Pinder reached on a throwing error, Duke’s first error of the series. After Jordan Greene walked, Okey laced an 0-2 pitch to deep right-center, just out of the reach of Evan Dougherty, to score the tying and go-ahead runs. Seth Beer went 0-for-3 with two walks, including an intentional walk after Okey’s ninth-inning triple, as his 26-game hitting streak came to an end.

Tiger starter Charlie Barnes (3-3) earned the win in a career-long 8.0 innings pitched. He allowed just four hits, two runs and one walk with three strikeouts. Pat Krall pitched a perfect ninth inning to record his second save of the season. Mitch Stallings (1-2) suffered the loss, as he gave up two unearned runs in the ninth inning.

The series concludes Sunday at 1 p.m.

[View the story “Clemson at Duke (April 9, 2016)” on Storify]