Georgia beats Clemson to earn series split

CLEMSON, S.C. – Georgia defeated Clemson 5-4 Tuesday in front of a crowd of 4,645 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium to earn a split in the season series.

“I thought the bullpen won us that game, and it started with Collin Caldwell settling the game down for us,” said Georgia’s Ike Cousins head baseball coach Scott Stricklin. “Dalton Rhadans got some big outs, Chandler Marsh, that’s the best he’s looked this year, and Leighton Finley closed it out. Also, (outfielder) Josh Stinson is an energy giver. He expects to do good things. He’s getting an opportunity, and he’s a valuable member of the team.”

The Bulldogs improved to 20-17 with their first one-run victory of the year and not without some drama in the ninth. Georgia carried a 5-4 lead and Marsh struck out the first two Tigers. Then, Cam Cannarella reached on a single. Cooper Ingle followed with a double down the right field line. Stinson chased it down and threw it to Mason LaPlante who turned and fired a strike to Fernando Gonzalez who tagged out Cannarella to end the contest.

In the first with two outs, Georgia graduate Connor Tate reached on a four-pitch walk from Rocco Reid. He then stole second base to improve to 4-for-4 on the year. Junior Parks Harber compiled a 12-pitch at bat that culminated with a two-run blast, his 11th of the season, to give the Bulldogs an early lead. Clemson answered in the bottom of the inning off graduate Kyle Greenler. Georgia employed a staff approach on the mind with Greenler getting his first start since his freshman year at Elon in 2019. Tuesday’s start was a planned one-inning outing as this was his first action since March 29 due to a forearm strain. The Tigers got run-scoring doubles from Ingle and Billy Amick to make it 2-all.

Clemson jumped ahead 4-2 in the second, and the Bulldogs tied the game in the third. Redshirt freshman Charlie Condon crushed his 17th home run off the batter’s eye to lead off the frame and extend his on base streak to 36 games. Tate followed with a double, the 46th of his career, and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Corey Collins. In the fourth, Georgia went up 5-4. Sebastian Murillo got the inning started with a double and Stinson delivered a one-out, run-scoring double that proved to be the eventual game-winner.

Junior Collin Caldwell provided a career-high 2.2 scoreless innings of relief. He did not allow a hit and struck out four to improve to 2-0. Also of note from the bullpen, Dalton Rhadans pitched 1.2 scoreless innings and Chandler Marsh provided two scoreless frames with four strikeouts. Georgia freshman Leighton Finley notched his third save. B.J. Bailey dropped to 1-2 for the Tigers (22-16).

Georgia begins a Southeastern Conference series Thursday in Athens against fifth-ranked Arkansas (29-7., 11-4 SEC). First pitch will be at 7:02 pm on the SEC Network and available on the Georgia Bulldog Sports Network.