Clemson baseball’s struggles are evident after swept by Notre Dame
Erik Bakich and the Clemson baseball team struggled mightily against Notre Dame getting swept in the three game series.
Missed chances told the story again for Clemson baseball on Sunday. Even with traffic on the bases throughout the game, the Tigers couldn’t deliver in key spots, falling 7-4 to Notre Dame as the Irish completed a three-game sweep in South Bend. Clemson collected 13 hits, but every one of them was a single.
That lack of impact swings showed up when it mattered most, as the Tigers went 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position and stranded 12 runners. Nate Savoie turned in one of the team’s best individual efforts of the season, going 4-for-5 at the plate. Luke Gaffney and Jack Crighton each added two hits, but the lineup never found the one big hit needed to flip the game.
Drew Titsworth got the start and was charged with the loss after allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits over four innings. He struck out five without issuing a walk, but Clemson’s defense didn’t do him many favors. Notre Dame grabbed control early, using a leadoff double in the first inning to set up the opening run.
Clemson answered in the third when Savoie came around on a sacrifice fly to tie things at 1-1, but the response didn’t last. The Irish quickly pushed back ahead in the bottom half of the inning. An RBI single, followed by a Clemson error, allowed two runs to score and put the Tigers back in a hole.