CLEMSON, SC - What a night at Doug Kingsmore! Everything from the old hidden ball trick to late drama and fireworks. It was a historic night, as the Tigers advanced to a Super Regional for the first time since 2010 and their first home regional win since Kyle Parker's walk-off single against Oklahoma State in 2009. I high-fived a young Dabo in the stands right after Parker's game-winning hit, telling him the freshman was a winner. That was before Parker led the football team to its first division title and ACC Championship Game in Dabo's first full season as head coach. Hard to believe it's been that long for this blue blood baseball program.
Unlike their last 3 wins, the Tigers led throughout, with Captain Blake Wright fittingly driving in the first run of the game in the first inning. The Tigers had several chances to blow the game wide open but left the bases loaded twice and stranded runners at the corners with one out twice. Some of that was bad luck, with two bases-loaded line drives hit right at defenders. But you had to wonder if the squandered opportunities would end up haunting the Tigers because their 6-2 lead suddenly vanished in the 8th inning when Coastal smashed back-to-back 2-out homers for 3 runs to make it 6-5! It felt like legendary head coach Gary Gilmore, who built the Coastal program into a force with a National Championship in 2016, would not fade off into retirement without a fight.
However, the tension was brief. Newly ordained closer Austin Gordon came in from the pen and got a strike out on a 97 MPH fastball to end the 8th and preserve the one-run lead. That got the crowd fired up again, and Cam Cannarella pounced on the moment, smashing a leadoff HR for some big insurance, making the score 7-5. That opened the flood gates for this offense that was stuck in neutral all weekend. Bakich told us last night that he felt as if the offense was ready to explode, and it finally did in the 8th! The Tigers batted around and doubled their runs to take a 12-5 lead into the 9th. Gordon, who earned the win on Friday night and a save last night, didn't waste any time, quickly getting a fly, a strikeout and another fly to end the regional.
Hinderleider, who was voted Regional MVP by the media, had another great game, going 3-5 with a double, walk and 3 RBI's after his 5 hit night on Saturday. He also had another great defensive game, making 3 outstanding plays consecutively in the 5th inning to record all 3 outs. Jimmy Obertop, who was the hero against Louisville last weekend in Charlotte, had a slow start to the regional at the plate, going 0-7, but he hit the Tigers' first HR of the regional to dead center and drove in 2 of their first 4 runs tonight.
It was quite a scene after the Alma Mater, as the Tigers rushed the Cheap Seats in right field, leaping onto the fence. Bakich followed suit and did one better, leaping on top of the fence and into the stands! He proceeded to try to high-five every fan in DKS over the next few minutes and received a Gatorade bath from the players. It felt like a whole lot of demons from the past 14 years were exorcised tonight! The crowd was electric for all 3 games this weekend, but it was on a whole other level tonight.
The Tigers will host either Florida or Oklahoma State, who play a rubber match on Monday in Stillwater for the right to play in the Clemson Super. Either one would be a great matchup, but I'm personally hoping it's the Gators and former Clemson assistant Kevin O'Sullivan. Bakich and Sully were coach mates here under Leggett, and that would be a heck of way for Bakich to take the Tigers back to Omaha for the first time since 2010!
Be sure to watch the video above of what transpired after the Alma Mater! I'll have post-game interviews posted shortly!
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