Box Score

Clemson, S.C. - Twelfth-ranked Clemson erased Western Carolina's four-run, 5-1, advantage with back-to-back, five-run frames in the seventh and eighth innings on Wednesday to thwart the Catamounts upset bid, handing WCU an 11-5 loss at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in the lone scheduled meeting between the two regional rivals.

Looking in the same form as it did last Saturday in the upset road win over No. 9 Coastal Carolina, the Catamounts jumped out to a 5-1 lead, carrying it into the bottom of the seventh inning. Clemson managed to load the bases before the first out was recorded in the seventh. However, left-hander Brendan Nail (0-2), who suffered the loss in a relief role, recorded back-to-back strikeouts including fanning All-American, Seth Beer, to move to two outs.

Nail then appeared to be out of the inning when he got outfielder Chase Pinder to send a fly ball to center field. However, the pop-up was anything but routine, finding the turf in the proverbial Bermuda triangle in center that allowed two runs to score. The next batter, Weston Jackson, then belted the decisive blow with a bases-clearing three-run home run to left center as Clemson took its first lead of the game, 6-5.

The home-standing Tigers found their groove from there, adding a second, five-run inning in the eighth to pull away for the six-run victory. The loss was WCU's eighth-straight in the head-to-head series with the Tigers.

Clemson's late-inning comeback spoiled the return of WCU left-hander Tristan Baker, who was solid in his first game action since April 10 of last season. The Charlotte, N.C., native scattered seven hits over five innings in the starting role, limiting the Tigers to one run with a pair of strikeouts against two walks. He factored in a no-decision, exiting the game with a 3-1 lead.

Nail was the second of four Catamount pitchers to toe the rubber on Wednesday, striking out a team-best four.

Offensively, three Catamounts recorded multi-hit games in the loss with junior shortstop Brett Pope singling three times including one on a beautiful drag bunt to the right side. Redshirt sophomore Matthew Koehler doubled twice in a 2-for-4 outing, while senior Nobu Suzuki finished 2-for-3 with a RBI, adding a sacrifice bunt to his tally.

Senior Matt Smith finished 1-for-5 on the day with a team-best two RBI, while classmate Bryson Bowman drove in a run on a sacrifice fly. Both Pope and Bowman scored two runs apiece.

Tiger reliever Brooks Crawford (1-0) scored the victory with Ryley Gilliam collecting his first save of the year, both tossing an inning and a third out of the bullpen. But it was the four-inning effort of Jacob Hennessy, who limited WCU to two runs on five hits, that stemmed the tide and kept Clemson within arm's reach until the late-inning heroics.

Western Carolina returns to action this weekend as the Catamounts welcome former Southern Conference foe, Marshall, to Cullowhee for a three-game set. The home-opening, nonconference series is scheduled to open Friday at 4:00 pm with Saturday's first pitch at 2:00 pm and concluding with a 1:00 pm start on Sunday. Fans are encouraged to check social media and CatamountSports.com for any weather-related schedule changes.

WCU will celebrate its home-opening weekend with a couple of giveaways. The first 100 fans through the gates on Friday will receive a free autographed team schedule poster. On Saturday, the first 100 fans will receive an autographed commemorative 2016 SoCon Championship poster signed by WCU head coach Bobby Moranda. Sunday is "Get It Signed Sunday" with the Catamounts available postgame for autographs. As is the case with every Sunday home game, kids are invited to run the bases following the series finale on Sunday afternoon.

Both season and single-game tickets are on-sale now through the Catamount Athletic Ticket Office on the first floor of the Ramsey Center, or by phone at (800) 34-GOWCU or (828) 227-2401, or online at CatamountSports.com.