Tyler Krieger singled home Tyler Slaton with one out in the bottom of the 14th inning on Saturday afternoon, lifting Clemson University to a 5-4 baseball victory over the University of Maine in the first game of a doubleheader at Augusta, Georgia.
The Tigers (4-2) completed the sweep with a 10-2 win in Saturday’s second game.
In Saturday’s opener, Krieger’s game-winner spoiled an outstanding relief performance by the Black Bears’ Charlie Butler (0-1), who allowed only two hits and an unearned run in 5 ⅓ innings of relief. He struck out five and walked three.
Clemson managed only 10 hits against three UMaine pitchers. Starter Scott Heath of Westbrook scattered eight hits and four runs through six innings, then Logan Fullmer pitched two innings of hitless relief.
Eli White collected three hits out of the No. 9 spot in the order for the Tigers, while Andrew Cox singled twice.
Luke Morrill of South Thomaston and Brian Doran stroked two hits each among only seven in the contest for the Black Bears (1-6).
Slaton opened the 14th by working a walk, then moved up on an errant pickoff throw by Butler. He struck out the next batter, but Krieger singled to center on an 0-1 pitch to win it for Clemson.
The Tigers scored an unearned run in the first on Duggar’s sacrifice fly, but UMaine tallied two in the fourth. Heath reached on a fielder’s choice for the first out and Morrill singled, before Brett Chappell’s grounder to the mound resulted in a throwing error and a run. Danny Diaz’s sac fly made it 2-1.
Clemson tied it in the fifth and went ahead with two in the seventh. Cox doubled, White reached on a bunt single and Slaton hit an RBI single, chasing Heath.
Fullmer struck out the next hitter and issued an intentional walk before Duggar hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-2.
UMaine went back on top 4-3 with two runs in the eighth. Shane Bussey doubled with one out and later scored on a dropped fly ball. Heath walked, moved up on a wild pitch and came home on Morrill’s single.
In Game 2, Brody Koerner held UMaine to eight hits and two runs over eight innings to help the Tigers complete the sweep.
Koerner (1-1) struck out three and did not walk a batter. Chris Okey and Cox sparked the offense with two hits and two RBIs each.
Morrill collected three hits to lead the Black Bears, who posted nine hits. Freshman starter Justin Courtney of Bangor (0-2) suffered the loss, allowing eight hits and four runs in 5 ⅓ innings.
Clemson, which scored eight runs over the last three innings, broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth.
Okey singled with one out, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Weston Wilson. Chase followed with a single that led to Courtney’s departure.
Pinder advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Cox.
Clemson added two in the seventh with the help of an error, then tacked on four in the eighth, highlighted by a two-run single by White.