CLEMSON, SC - The Tigers played a doubleheader on Saturday after Friday's game was rained out, and the Tigers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the 1st. They scored again to make it 2-0 in the 4th, but starter Austin Gordon ran into trouble with 2 outs in the 5th, as he has done a few times this season. He gave up a 2-out, 3-run HR to give Duke all 3 of its runs, and the Tigers wound up losing by that score.
However, the Tigers bounced back in the second game on Saturday, winning 14-9 in a wild, offensive game that was the opposite of the pitchers' duel that preceded it. That set the table for a rubber match on Sunday, and it was back-and-forth. The Tigers held leads on a couple different occasions and took a 7-6 lead into the 9th. They were just 2 outs away from taking the series when Barlow gave up a HR to tie the game. As it has done so often this season, the bullpen fell apart and proceeded to give up 4 more runs in the 9th to make it 11-7. The Tigers would get one back in the bottom half to make the final score 11-8. The Tigers could have and should have swept this series, but instead they won just one of three to start ACC play. They should have won the Palmetto Series with the Gamecocks as well, but, again, the bullpen let a late lead slip away in game two. It's going to be a frustrating season like that for the Tigers, I'm afraid! The bullpen is dreadful right now, and they don't even have a reliable closer, as they always have had. Last year, it was Ammons, who has been elevated to starter this season and has been out the past couple weeks with an injury. They need to find some answers in the bullpen in a hurry!
Post-game comments are below.
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