The Clemson Insider looks back at top-seeded Clemson’s 4-3 extra-inning win over fourth-seeded Morehead State at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in the Clemson Regional opener for both teams.

What happened?

The Eagles (37-25) took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the second as they used two hits and two costly errors to plate two unearned runs. The Tigers (46-14) cut the lead in half in the fifth inning as Seth Beer launched a solo homer deep to right field. Morehead State would push the lead back to 3-1 in the sixth on a RBI groundout but Clemson answered and tied the game in the bottom of the frame. Drew Wharton worked a leadoff walk and Jordan Greene hit a one-out single before a RBI double by Justin Hawkins made it 3-2. Later in the inning, Kyle Wilkie would hit a RBI single to tie the game at 3-3. Both teams missed several chances to break the tie in the later innings, but the Tiger finally broke through in the tenth inning. Wharton led off with a bloop single and advanced to second on a sac bunt to set up Greene for a walk-off RBI single and send Clemson to the winner’s bracket game on Saturday night.

Game-Changing Moment:

The game had several momentum swings and missed opportunities for both teams, but the Tigers had the biggest moment in the tenth inning by playing some small ball. A bloop single started the inning and Clemson successfully used a sacrifice bunt to get the runner in scoring position before a single brought the winning run in.

What went right?

Facing an Eagle team that had a collective .317 average, Brooks Crawford pitched well in a no decision as he allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits in 5.1 innings. The Clemson bullpen combined for 4.2 three-hit innings of scoreless relief. Offensively, the Tigers collected 11 hits led by two-hit days from Wilkie (who extended his hitting streak to 26 games), Wharton, Greene, and Hawkins.

What went wrong?

Clemson played sloppy in the field as they committed three errors, including two which directly led to runs in the second inning. At the plate, the Tigers had 11 hits but also stranded 11 runners as they struggled to pick up some big hits. On the mound, Clemson pitched very well but used more of their key relievers more than they would have liked in a game one of a regional.