Knaak’s Gem Propels No. 4 Tigers Over Notre Dame 2-1

CLEMSON, S.C. - Aidan Knaak totaled a career-high 12 strikeouts and allowed only one hit in 7.0 scoreless innings pitched to lead No. 4 Clemson to a 2-1 victory over Notre Dame at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Friday. The Tigers, who took a 1-0 lead in the series, improved to 18-1 overall and 1-0 in the ACC. The Fighting Irish dropped to 10-5 overall and 0-4 in ACC play. The win was Clemson’s 16th in a row, the seventh-longest winning streak in Tiger history.

Knaak (3-0) earned the win, as the lone hit he surrendered was a single in the third inning. He also gave up just one walk, faced two batters over the minimum and retired the last 13 batters he faced. Lucas Mahlstedt pitched 1.2 innings to record his sixth save of the year. Notre Dame starter Jack Radel (1-2) suffered the loss, as he yielded four hits, two runs (one earned) and one walk with four strikeouts in 5.0 innings pitched.

Josh Paino’s two-out single in the first inning scored the game’s first run, then Jarren Purify extended his hitting streak to 12 with a single in the third inning. Jacob Jarrell ripped a two-out, run-scoring single to double Clemson’s lead in the fourth inning.

The series continues Saturday at 3 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.