Clemson rallied from three-runs down to beat Boston College, 7-6, Sunday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson. James Parker’s fielder’s choice to shortstop, allowed Sam Hall to come home for the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning.
“What a great come-from-behind win,” Clemson head coach Monte Lee said afterward.
The win allowed the Tigers to complete the sweep of BC and improve to 12-3 overall and 3-0 in the ACC.
Davis Sharpe led off the ninth with a drawn walk and Hall came in as the pinch runner. The junior then stole second base before moving over to third on a Chad Fairey sacrifice bunt. He then scored when he outran the throw to home plate when Parker hit a chopper to short and Brian Dempsey’s throw home was in the dirt.
Hall said the plan was for him to run once Parker made contact.
“We have like a certain play that we practice and stuff for situations like that, so it paid off,” he said.
Hawkins led the Tigers with a 3-for-4 day at the plate. He also had 2 RBIs. Elijah Henderson was 2-for-4 and had 2 RBIs as well.
“This weekend, I was really just trying to see the ball up at the plate and get a good swing off it,” Hawkins said.
Clemson trailed 6-3 after the Eagles got two run in the top of the fifth inning. It was the second time this weekend the Tigers rallied to win a game. Clemson trailed BC the entire night in Game 1 on Friday before taking the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning to ultimately win the game.
“We really don’t focus a whole lot on what just happened. I think that is critical. I think that shows what kind of mental toughness your team has,” Lee said. “You can’t focus on the past. As frustrating and as hard as this game is, it will get to you if you focus on your failures during the game. Myself included.
“You have to stay upbeat and positive and you have to move forward. Our guys understand that we have to check in every inning and try to win every inning and put together good at-bats. We could sense that we were going to find a way, though, just because of the at-bats we were having.”
It did not take Clemson long to get on the scoreboard on Sunday. Hawkins singled to right center to score Dylan Brewer from second base for a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Brewer led off the inning with a double to right center field. The ball bounced off the wall and back into the field of play to get things started for the Tigers.
After the Eagles (5-9, 0-3 ACC) answered with two runs in the top of the second inning, Clemson rallied for the first time.
With two outs, and runners on first and second, Elijah Henderson hit a double down the left field line to score Adam Hackenberg and Bo Majkowski. The Henderson double gave the Tigers a 3-2 lead after two innings.
The two-run double was Henderson’s fifth and sixth runs batted in in the last two games, and all came with two outs.
However, Clemson pitching could not hold the lead. Starter Spencer Strider gave up four runs on five hits in just 2 1/3 innings, while reliever Mat Clark allowed two runs on four hits in two innings of work.
But Geoffrey Gilbert cooled the Eagles off after the fifth. The freshman pitched three scoreless innings before giving away to Carson Spiers with one out in the eighth. Gilbert allowed just three hits in his three innings of work.
BC tacked on two runs in the third and two in the fifth to build its 6-3 lead. Luke Gold was responsible for driving in three of the six runs while Jack Cunningham, Dante Baldelli and Ramon Jimenez also had RBIs. Cody Morissette had three hits and scored twice. Joe Suozzi had two hits and scored twice as well.
Clemson began its comeback in the bottom of the fifth inning when Hawkins scored on a fielder’s choice double play to third base from Parker, cutting the Eagles’ lead to 6-4. Hackenberg singled to right with two outs in the seventh inning to drive home Parker, pulling Clemson within one run at 6-5.
Hawkins earned his second RBI of the game when he flew out to left field in the bottom of the eighth inning to bring Brewer home with the sixth run.
The Tigers will be back in action on Tuesday when they host Presbyterian at 6 p.m.