Obertop drives in final four runs to rally Clemson past Louisville 8-7 for spot in ACC semifinals
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Jimmy Obertop hit a game-tying three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning and drew a bases-loaded walk in the ninth as second-seeded Clemson spotted No. 7 seed Louisville six runs before rallying for an 8-7 victory on Friday at the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament.
Clemson (41-14) will play the winner of a game between No. 5 seed Florida State and fourth-seeded Virginia in Saturday's first semifinal. No. 6 seed Duke plays 11th-seeded Miami in the second one. The two winners will play for the championship on Sunday.
Louisville (32-24) took a 6-0 lead heading to the bottom of the fourth before Clemson began to whittle away.
Tristan Bissetta had a two-out RBI triple and scored on a home run by Jacob Jarrell to get the Tigers within 6-4 after six and Obertop took over from there.
JT Benson led off the game with a home run for Louisville. Benson hit the third pitch he saw from Clemson starter Rocco Reid over the fence in right-center field.
The Cardinals added three more runs in the second. Gavin Kilen led off with a double and Luke Napleton followed with a two-run home run. Benson was hit by a pitch with two outs and scored on a double by Dylan Hoy.
Kilen had an RBI ground out in the third, pushing across an unearned run for a 5-0 lead. Logan Beard had a one-out single in the top of the fourth and scored on a double by Hoy to put the Cardinals up six.
Clemson got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth on Bissetta's RBI single.
Louisville took a 7-4 lead in the top of the seventh when Hoy led off with a walk and scored an unearned run on an error by Clemson shortstop Jacob Hinderleider with two outs.
Austin Gordon (2-2) got the win after pitching a 1-2-3 ninth.
Tucker Biven (4-3) was saddled with the loss after allowing two runs on four hits and a walk, retiring four batters.
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