ELON, N.C. – The three-game series between the Elon University baseball team and the 12th-ranked Clemson Tigers witnessed a pitcher’s duel that kept the game scoreless until the 13th inning when Clemson’s Seth Beer drove in the game-winning run with a single in a 1-0 contest.
Elon (3-2) starter Ryan Conroy went a career-long 8.2 innings and struck out three while scattering six hits. The loss went to George Kirby (0-1) who allowed one run on four hits in 2.2 innings of relief work.
Clemson (3-2) saw starter Charlie Barnes strike out 11 in 7.2 innings. He also allowed six hits. The win was picked up by Brooks Crawford (2-0) who gave up one hit in an inning of work.
The Phoenix offense saw Kyle Jackson record three of the team’s eight hits, including a double.
For Clemson, both Chase Pinder and Grayson Bird had two-hit games. Beer’s 13th-inning hit extended his streak of reaching base safely to 65 consecutive games.
How It Happened: With the game scoreless in to the seventh inning, Elon got back-to-back one-out singles from Jackson and Cam Devanney before the Tigers were able to escape the threat by turning a double play. Clemson looked to build on that momentum in the bottom half when Pinder reached on an infield single to start the frame. After a strikeout, Pinder was caught stealing and then Conroy struck out the third hitter of the inning to keep the game scoreless.
In the last of the ninth, Pinder grounded a ball through the left side for a two-out single and went to second on a pinch-hit single by Andrew Cox. Derek Pike then replaced Conroy and retired Logan Davidson on a fly ball to left.
Elon threatened again in the 12th as Ryne Ogren reached on a wild pitch on a third strike and Jackson doubled to left with one out before Ryley Gilliam stuck out the next two to keep the game deadlocked.
In the 13th, Byrd led off with a single and went to second on a sacrifice bunt. A single and intentional walk loaded the bases for pinch-hitter Jordan Greene. Greene tapped one back to the mound and the Phoenix got the force out at the plate for out number two. Beer then grounded a 1-1 pitch back up the middle to score the game-winning run.
Notes: The game was tied for the sixth-longest game in Elon history… The game featured just one walk – the intentional pass in the 13th inning.
On Deck: Elon and the Tigers will play game two of the three-game series on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.