Clemson Wins Military Appreciation Game Over Gardner-Webb, 4-2

Jacob Jarrell came up big for the Tigers with two home runs, in their 4-2 win over Gardner-Webb. (Photo Courtesy of Clemson Athletics)

A Special Night at Doug Kingsmore Stadium

Military Appreciation Day at Doug Kingsmore Stadium saw the No. 3 Clemson Tigers take on the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs in a midweek matchup. The Tigers donned a special olive-green uniform with "Clemson" scripted in orange, featuring an American flag design incorporated into the tail of the script. They also wore olive-green hats with orange bills. Clemson emerged victorious with a 4-2 win, improving to 31-5 on the season. Let’s take a look at how the action unfolded.

Early Innings: A Pitching Duel

Freshman left-hander Talan Bell got the start for Clemson, facing off against Gardner-Webb’s Gavin Schmitt. Bell pitched a clean first inning, allowing no hits and one walk. The Tigers couldn't capitalize offensively in the bottom half of the frame, aside from a hit-by-pitch drawn by Cam Cannarella.

Bell continued his strong start in the second inning, giving up just one hit while striking out one. Clemson got a single from Collin Priest in the bottom of the second but left two runners stranded.

After a leadoff walk in the third, Clemson head coach Erik Bakich made an early move to the bullpen, bringing in Joe Allen. Bell’s final line: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K. Allen quickly induced a double play and a flyout to escape the inning unscathed.

Tigers Strike First in the Third

Clemson broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the third. Dominic Listi led off with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Jarren Purify also walked, and both runners moved into scoring position on a passed ball. Cam Cannarella drove in Listi with a groundout, and Collin Priest followed with an RBI single to bring in Purify. The Tigers led 2-0 after three innings.

Allen delivered a 1-2-3 fourth inning with a strikeout, while Clemson failed to capitalize on two walks in the bottom half of the inning.

Gardner-Webb Evens the Score in the Fifth

Allen exited in the fifth after allowing a leadoff walk, a wild pitch, and a sacrifice bunt. His final line: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K. Nathan Dvorsky entered in relief, but after issuing a walk and allowing a run on a single, Bakich made another pitching change, bringing in Drew Titsworth. A caught stealing ended the inning, but Gardner-Webb had tied the game at 2-2.

Clemson threatened in the bottom of the fifth with a Cannarella walk, but he was caught stealing, and the Tigers failed to score.

Jarrell's Power Provides the Difference

Titsworth settled in and dominated the latter innings. He delivered a flawless sixth, and in the bottom half, Jacob Jarrell blasted a solo home run to left field, his sixth of the season, giving Clemson a 3-2 lead.

Titsworth continued his dominance with a perfect seventh, striking out two batters. Clemson had a chance to add insurance in the bottom of the seventh but left runners in scoring position.

The Tigers’ closer remained untouchable, firing another 1-2-3 inning in the eighth, recording two more strikeouts. Jarrell came through again in the bottom of the eighth, launching his second solo homer of the game—this one to the same spot as his earlier blast—to push the lead to 4-2.

Titsworth Slams the Door

With Clemson up by two, Titsworth returned to the mound for the ninth and delivered yet another perfect inning, striking out two more batters to seal the 4-2 victory.

His final line: 4.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K, a dominant performance to close out the game and a new career high in strikeouts.  

Up Next

Clemson will host a pivotal ACC weekend series against the Stanford Cardinal at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

Final Thoughts 

Titsworth’s performance was the biggest takeaway from this game. Coming in during a tied fifth inning, he provided stability and shut down the Runnin’ Bulldogs with ease. His command and efficiency were impressive, as he didn’t allow a single baserunner in his 4.1 innings of work.

Offensively, Jarrell’s power surge was crucial in securing the win. His two home runs proved to be the difference in a game where runs were hard to come by. Moving forward, Clemson will look for continued production from him as they gear up for a tough series against Stanford.

With their depth on the mound and timely hitting, the Tigers continue to showcase why they are one of the top teams in the country.