Series Overview
The 18th ranked Clemson Tigers opened the 2026 season with a statement, sweeping Army West Point in a three‑game set that showcased everything Tiger fans love about early‑season baseball on the road to spring. From a sluggish opener start with late‑inning drama to a pair of dominant, lights‑out performances in Saturday’s doubleheader, Clemson controlled the tempo all weekend long. The Tigers’ pitching staff set the tone, allowing just two runs across the entire series, while the offense delivered in big moments and kept the pressure on the Black Knights from start to finish.
Game 1 – Friday, Feb. 13
Clemson 3, Army 2
Clemson would start off slow at the plate and preseason All American pitcher Aidan Knaak would battle control issues in a contest that had Clemson fans nervous early.
Advertisement
Army would take a 2–0 lead with an unearned run in the 2nd and a solo homer by Jack Quinlan in the 7th.
With the Clemson bats silent, the Tigers would answer in the bottom of the 7th with Catcher Jake Jerrell smashing a 2-run homeroom to deep left field to get the Tigers on the Board and tie the game in the 7th inning.
Newcomer Nate Savoie would put the Tigers ahead for good in the 8th inning as the Loyola-Marymount transfer would send one deep to center field and after a defensive miscue, the Tigers would jump ahead 3-2.
Joe Allen would earn the win for the Tigers tossing 1.2 innings of scoreless relief and picking up the save. Freshman Dylan Harrison would throw 4.1 innings of 1 run baseball after Knaak excited after 3.0 innings.
Game 2 – Saturday Doubleheader (Game 1)
Clemson 10, Army 0 (8 innings, run‑rule)
With inclement weather forcing a double header on Saturday, in game one the story of the game was Tiger newcomer Michael Sharman as the Senior transfer tossed 6.0 innings of scoreless baseball while retiring the first 17 batters he faced and throwing only 72 pitches.
Advertisement
The Tiger bats managed to wake up overnight as the 10-run outburst resulted in a run-rule victory in the 8th inning. Every Tiger in the lineup had a hit in Game 1 of the double-header highlighted by Tryston McCladdie, Nate Savoie and Luke Gaffney who all finished the first game with 3 hits apiece.
Savoie ended the game with 4 RBI’s including his first homerun as a Tiger blasting a solo home run to lead of the third inning.
Game 3 – Saturday Doubleheader (Game 2)
Clemson 7, Army 0
Game 2 and the series finale would pick up right where Sharman left off as Talan Bell, Justin LeGuernic, Dion Brown and Danny Nelson would toss another shutout sprinkling five hits over 9 innings as Clemson would complete the sweep with another dominant performance.
Advertisement
Talan Bell started the game, but Justin LeGuernic would earn his first win as a Tiger, throwing 5.0 innings in relief while striking out 6.
After Game 1’s 3 hit performance, Luke Gaffney put on an encore adding another 3 hits in game 2, giving him 6 on the day. Nate Savoie added 2 more hits and 2 additional RBI’s to give him 6 on the day.
And Now a Word from Our Sponsor
Make sure to check out our partners over at Section 103 if you’re still looking for a gift for that special someone this weekend. Use our promo code STS10 for 10% off your next order.
Final Takeaways
-
Clemson swept the series 3–0, outscoring Army 20–2.
-
Tiger pitching was dominant on the weekend. In 26 innings pitched, the Tigers staff allowed 1 earned run while striking out 34 batters combined with only 2 walks on the weekend.
-
The Sunday double-header shutout marked the first time at the Tigers have recorded back-to-back shutouts since February 2020, and the first time at Clemson has not allowed a run in a doubleheader since 2001.
Clemson will return with midweek action on Tuesday as the Tigers take on Charlotte before a 3 game weekend series against the Bryant Bulldogs with the first pitch of Game 1 slated for 4pm.
