Max Wagner's grand slam powers Tigers over No. 9 Seminoles

Max Wagner tied up the game midway through and gave the Tigers the lead late on home runs (File photo).

by Brandon Rink - Staff Writer - Fri Apr 22 21:11:37 GMT-04:00 2022

CLEMSON - Max Wagner's eighth-inning grand slam out of the left field grandstands at Doug Kingsmore Stadium rallied the Tigers to take the opener over No. 9 Florida State on Friday, 6-4.

The Seminoles (24-14, 10-9 ACC) had limited Clemson (25-13, 5-10) to four hits through seven innings on lefty starter Parker Messick, holding a 4-2 lead, but Clemson found a way against FSU reliever Davis Hare.

Dylan Brewer's pinch-hit single, a Benjamin Blackwell infield single and a Blake Wright grounder inducing a fielding error at third base loaded up the bags for Wagner to take his second home run of the game to left field on an 0-2 pitch. He has a team-best 15 home runs now.

"I have been in a couple situations like that this year...I told myself after those at-bats that I was going to get another opportunity and I was going to finally do it," Wagner said. "When that ball was hit, the adrenaline kicked in and I was so excited. It was the coolest thing I've ever done in my life."

Clemson closer Ryan Ammons shut things down in the ninth for his sixth save of the season by retiring the Seminoles in order.

The win is a fourth over a ranked opponent in the last week and the Tigers are seeking two ranked conference series wins in a row now.

"We keep talking about one chop at a time," Ammons said. "We're going to keep chopping away one game at a time and see what happens."

Clemson struck first by manufacturing a run in the first, with Blackwell scoring on a Wright sacrifice fly.

The Seminoles answered back in the top half of the second inning with second baseman Treyton Rank dropping an RBI double just out of Clemson left fielder Tyler Corbitt's diving grasp.

FSU added another run in the third to take a brief lead, but Wagner evened things back up with a homer to right-center field in the fourth.

Clemson right-handed starter Mack Anglin's day was done after 4 2/3 innings, leaving the bases loaded for freshman righty reliever Jay Dill, who froze FSU's Logan Lacey on a full count for the strikeout to strand the runners to end the fifth.

FSU's Brett Roberts made his way around the bases in the sixth to give FSU the lead back, reaching on a single, heading to second on a failed pickoff attempt and then to third on a single and then home on a squeeze bunt from Colton Vincent.

Clemson put two on with one out in the seventh inning, but Messick worked out of the jam with his eighth strikeout of the night and a groundball out. He limited the Tigers to four hits over 107 pitches.

FSU tacked on a run to its lead in the eighth after a single to right field was misplayed in right field by Cooper Ingle and Seminoles catcher Colton Vincent sent an RBI double down the right field line.

Blackwell finished 3-for-4 on the night and Wagner knocked in five RBIs.

"We didn't play the cleanest of baseball games from a defensive standpoint, but we just hung in there," Tigers coach Monte Lee said. "Super proud of our bullpen. I was proud of Mack Anglin. He gutted it out. He probably wasn't as sharp as he was last week but he really competed and gave us a chance. The bullpen did a phenomenal job -- and holy smokes -- the eighth inning. We gave ourselves a chance. Proud of so many guys...Just all in all, it was a lot of fun. Had a great crowd tonight. You could certainly feel the crowd at the end. We needed the crowd behind us when we gave ourselves a chance there in the eighth inning. All in all it was just a great win at home."

Game two is set for a 3 p.m. start on Saturday.

MACK ATTACK!! @Mack_Anglin5 records his fifth strikeout of the night to end the top half of the fourth.

M4 || FSU 2, CU 1

https://t.co/Xca93JQswL pic.twitter.com/TrXT6H24ED
— Clemson Baseball (@ClemsonBaseball) April 22, 2022

WAGNER TIES IT UP!!! @mdwagz9 hits his 14th home run of the year to tie the score!!

386 ft
98 ft

E4 || FSU 2, CU 2

https://t.co/BiJyr6Fjqz pic.twitter.com/fKAPqut4xk
— Clemson Baseball (@ClemsonBaseball) April 22, 2022

MAX WAGNER WITH A GRAND SLAM!!!!!!!!!! ????@mdwagz9 hits his second home run of the game and his 15th of the year!!!!!! TIGERS TAKE THE LEAD!!!!!

?? 388 ft
?? 101 mph

B8 || FSU 4, CU 6

?? https://t.co/Xca93JQswL pic.twitter.com/xlXfxNVdAS
— Clemson Baseball (@ClemsonBaseball) April 23, 2022