CLEMSON, S.C. — Freshman righthander Aidan Knaak totaled a career-high 11 strikeouts to lead No. 4 Clemson to a 10-0 victory in eight innings over Boston College at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers, who swept the series 3-0, improved to 40-13 overall and 20-10 in the ACC. The Eagles fell to 22-31 overall and 8-22 in ACC play.
Knaak (5-1) earned the win by tossing 6.0 scoreless innings, allowing eight hits and no walks with 11 strikeouts, the most by a Tiger in 2024. Lucas Mahlstedt pitched the final 2.0 innings to complete the Tigers’ shutout. Boston College starter Michael Farinelli (0-6) suffered the loss, as he yielded two hits, two runs and four walks with one strikeout in 5.0 innings pitched.
The Tigers manufactured two runs in the fifth inning, capped by Blake Wright’s sacrifice fly. In the sixth inning, Jacob Jarrell ripped a run-scoring single and Nolan Nawrocki lofted a sacrifice fly. Wright led off the seventh inning with his 21st home run of the season. Clemson added two more runs in the frame, highlighted by Tristan Bissetta’s run-scoring single. Cam Cannarella lined a two-run single in the eighth inning and Jarrell walked with the bases loaded to end the game.
Clemson, the ACC Atlantic Division champion, is the No. 2 seed in the ACC Tournament, which will be played at Truist Field in Charlotte, N.C. from Tuesday to Sunday. The Tigers’ first game is either Wednesday or Thursday on ACC Network. Clemson’s opponents, game dates and game times will be announced by the ACC this weekend.
