Notre Dame bounces Clemson from ACC baseball tournament
Clemson sophomore Jarren Purify (23) throws out a USC Upstate runner at first during the bottom of the second inning at Fifth Third Bank Park in Spartanburg, S. C. Tuesday, May 12, 2026.
| Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images As Clemson fell 5-4 in Charlotte Tuesday nigh, many of the familiar elements of this season reared their ugly heads. Michael Sharman gave up a leadoff homer to Drew Berkland, which immediately set the tone. Clemson fought back, and Sharman and the pitching staff settled in for a commendable performance, but it wasn’t enough.
It wasn’t an elite pitching performance by any means (the Tigers surrendered two homers and eight hits), but it was enough to keep Clemson in the game. Clemson’s offense had it’s moments, but also plenty of miscues. In the fourth Luke Gaffney led things off by reaching on a dropped fly ball, one of the few errors the left side of Notre Dame’s infield made all night.
Jack Crighton bunted him to second, but then Jacob Jarrell struck out and Tyler Lichtenberge grounded out to end the inning. Nate Savoie had a big one out single in the sixth, and then was caught stealing soon after not because he was too slow or because of a good throw, but because he over slid the bag. Just over and over again, Clemson was not able to get out of it’s own way to take advantage of opportunities.
In the top of the ninth, Clemson trailed 5-3. Luke Gaffney led things off working a 3-1 count. Then, a pitch that looked like a clear ball four was called a strike.