Unlikely hero rallies Clemson past Louisville for big series-opening win in Top 25 matchup

USA Today

18-04-2025

Unlikely hero rallies Clemson past Louisville for big series-opening win in Top 25 matchup
Jack Crighton picked an opportune time to hit his first home run for the No. 2 Clemson Tigers.
Crighton's three-run blast to straightaway center with two out in the seventh inning off Louisville reliever Wyatt Danilowicz gave the Tigers their first lead of the night at 7-5. The bullpen held on in the eighth and ninth inning for a 7-6 victory over the 17th-ranked Cardinals in the opener of a Top 25 series in ACC baseball play Thursday night at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
With Louisville threatening in the ninth with the potential go-ahead run at the plate, Crighton drifted back to snag a well-hit fly ball in deep right by No. 3 hitter Garret Pike for the game's final out.
Clemson, ranked No. 2 by Perfect Game and No. 4 in the Coaches Poll, won its 34th game and improved to 34-6 overall and 12-4 in ACC play. Louisville dropped to 27-10 and 9-7 in conference action.
Crighton's blast, which traveled 397 feet and was 104 mph off the bat, was the second three-run shot of the night by the Tigers' offense. Earlier, Clemson got a similar blast from Collin Priest in the first inning to tie the game after Louisville stormed to a 3-0 lead off Tigers starter Aidan Knaak.
Knaak, who left after giving up five runs (only two earned) in six innings, received a no-decision to avoid his first loss of the season on a night when things looked bleak at times for Clemson.
After the Tigers tied it on Priest's eighth home run, Louisville plated two runs on a pair of RBI groundouts with runners in scoring position from Zion Rose and Pike for a 5-3 lead in the second inning that held until Crighton's first collegiate home run in 240 career at-bats entering the night.
Lucas Mahlstedt worked a five-out save to lower his ERA to 0.86 on the season. The right-hander picked up his 13th save, the most in Division I baseball. Jacob McGovern (2-0) got the win in relief for Clemson, with Danilowicz suffering his first loss in 15 appearances. Entering the night, Danilowicz had allowed just one earned run in 14 2/3 appearances.
Instant reaction
Clemson was held to just five hits but made the most of them with the clutch home runs from Priest and especially Crighton. The infielder/outfielder was playing in his 26th game of the season and his 15 start. The Tigers played from behind for most of the night but good teams find ways to win. Clemson continues to do that.
Clemson baseball schedule 2025
Game 2 of the series is scheduled for 5 p.m. (ET) Friday. The game can be streamed via ACC Network Extra and ESPN+.
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