In a gripping showdown at Stu Gordon Stadium in Berkeley, California, the No. 4 ranked Clemson Tigers staged a fantastic comeback to secure a 6-4 victory over the California Golden Bears on Friday night. This win marks the Tigers' 28th victory of the season, pushing their record to an impressive 28-5 overall and 7-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Meanwhile, California now stands at 16-13 overall and 6-7 in conference play.

The game began with an exciting start as California's Jacob French knocked in the first run with a timely two-out single in the first inning. The Golden Bears extended their lead in the third when Dominic Smaldino hit a sacrifice fly, making it 2-0. Just when it seemed the game might slip away from the Tigers, Dominic Listi turned the tide in the sixth inning by launching a solo home run, his second of the season, slicing California's lead in half.

The pivotal moment arrived in the seventh when Listi once again came through for Clemson, this time with a clutch two-out double, driving in two runs and giving the Tigers a 3-2 lead. Jarren Purify added to the momentum with a run-scoring double of his own, and scored on a passed ball shortly thereafter. The offensive surge continued into the eighth inning when Josh Paino chipped in with a run-scoring single, solidifying Clemson's lead.

California fought back in the bottom of the eighth, as both Smaldino and French delivered with two-out, RBI singles. However, it wasn’t enough to overcome the Tigers' earlier surge. Aidan Knaak (5-0) earned the victory for Clemson, impressing on the mound with a stellar performance over 7.1 innings, allowing five hits, four runs, one walk, and striking out four batters. Lucas Mahlstedt closed out the game with a scoreless ninth, achieving his 10th save of the season.

On the other side, California’s starting pitcher Austin Turkington (4-3) faced a challenging outing, as he allowed five hits and five runs (one earned), while managing to strike out nine in his 6.2 innings of work.

Fans won’t want to miss the continuation of this exciting series, with the second game scheduled for Saturday at 5 p.m. EDT, airing on ACC Network Extra. Will the Tigers maintain their momentum, or can the Golden Bears rally back for redemption? Stay tuned for more thrilling action!