Clemson Baseball Starts Season Off Right With Win Over No.13 Oklahoma State

Cam Cannarella as the Tigers faced Oklahoma State in Arlington, Texas. (Photo Courtesy of Clemson Athletics)

The Clemson Tigers Baseball team faced off against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the first game of the Shriners Children’s College Showdown. No. 8 ranked Clemson was able to hold off No. 13 ranked Oklahoma State 6-5 after five strong innings from the Tigers bullpen. Nathan Dvorsky picked up the win for the Tigers, while Noah Wech picked up the loss for the Cowboys. 

Knaak Picks Up Right Where He Left Off, Davis Finds Way Out Of Jam

Aidan Knaak started this game perfectly, striking out the side in his first two innings. Knaak struck out preseason Big 12 Player of the Year favorite Nolan Schubart after controversy over whether his long fly ball was foul or fair. The Tigers Sophomore had all three of his pitches working, striking out hitters on his fastball, changeup and curveball. For the Cowboys, Gabe Davis got out of a jam in the second inning relatively unscathed. After loading the bases, Davis got Jarren Purify to seemingly ground into an inning-ending double play. But catcher Ian Daugherty missed home plate, allowing Dominic Listi to score and put the Tigers up 1-0 at the end of the second. 

Oklahoma State Responds in Big Way

After Aidan Knaak had retired the first eight batters of the game, Avery Ortiz stepped up to the dish. The career .258 hitter put Knaak’s inside changeup into the seats to knot the game up at one apiece. The Cowboys continued to pressure Knaak with a Brayden Smith walk and a Jayden Jones single, leading to Nolan Schubart’s double, which put Oklahoma State up 3-1. The Cowboys scored all their runs with two outs in the third inning. They continued to dominate Knaak in the top of the fourth inning after Donovan LaSalle’s home run put the Cowboys up by three. 

Clemson Cuts Into Oklahoma State Lead

Jarren Purify started off the bottom of the fifth inning with a double into left field, followed by a Luke Gaffney walk and Tryston McCladdie single to load the bases. Oklahoma State’s reliever, Ethan Lund, walked Dominic Listi and Josh Paino to cut the Cowboys lead to just one. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Luke Gaffney’s double down the right field line scored Cam Cannarella to negate Ian Daugherty’s RBI double the inning before. 

Clemson Capitalizes on Oklahoma State’s Mistakes

The Tigers took their first lead of the game since 1-0 after a wild pitch by Drew Blake, which gave the Tigers a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the seventh. The inning started with a Dominic Listi single and error, which advanced him to third base. After a walk and stolen base by transfer Josh Paino, Tristan Bissetta grounded out to tie the game up at five apiece before Paino scored on the wild pitch. The score would stay at 6-5 after Lucas Mahlstedt collected the six-out save for the Clemson Tigers to give them their first win of the year.

Key Takeaways from Clemson’s Performance

• Luke Gaffney was a terrific transfer recruit by Erik Bakich. The transfer from Purdue made multiple incredible plays at first base while also picking a double and two walks.

• Bullpen: There were questions about Clemson’s pitching coming into this game, but Jacob McGovern, Nathan Dvorsky and Lucas Mahlstedt shut those questions down after five strong innings in relief. 

• No Bakich, Leggett, Crighton, No Problem. Head Coach Erik Bakich, Assistant Coach Jack Leggett and outfielder/first baseman Jack Crighton were suspended for today’s win over Oklahoma State, but the Tigers overcame their absences.