Clemson Baseball Loses Second Regional Game to West Virginia

Clemson got by late in their first game against USC Upstate to put themselves into the winner's bracket of their regional, but that momentum ended on Saturday.

Facing a West Virginia team that was coming into this matchup with supreme confidence on the heels of having a successful regular season, the Mountaineers jumped all over the Tigers early with a three-run first inning.

Things looked dire after the fifth frame when Clemson still had not scored and West Virginia tacked on another run to take a 4-0 lead, but the Tigers were able to answer back in the bottom of the sixth when Cam Cannarella hit a two-run homer that was followed up by an RBI double from Jack Crighton and later a sacrifice fly by Jacob Jarrell.

After that point, it seemed like Clemson found their mojo.

Cannarella put the Tigers up 5-4 after he hit an RBI double, and it looked like Clemson was on their way to securing a spot in the Super Regional.

However, West Virginia tied things up in the top of the eighth with a two-out RBI single, then turned around and delivered a knock out blow in the top of the ninth with four runs on an RBI double and an RBI single before two batters were hit with the bases loaded that plated two more.

Now, Clemson will face Kentucky in an elimination game on Sunday at noon.

This will be an interesting matchup because the Wildcats lost in walk-off fashion to the Mountaineers in their regional opener.

To this point, Kentucky had not had a successful season with a 30-25 record, but all it takes now is one win for them to eliminate Clemson.

The Tigers will have to be ready to go, getting out to a fast start so they can avoid putting themselves into an early hole like they have the past two games.

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