Clemson baseball falls to Notre Dame, season ends in ACC Tournament
Clemson baseball lost 5-4 to Notre Dame in the opening round of the ACC Tournament, ending their 2026 season with a 31-26 record and no NCAA Tournament hopes. The Tigers' 10-20 ACC record marked their worst conference finish in school history, while Notre Dame advanced to face Virginia Tech next.
Clemson baseball’s 2026 season concluded with a 5-4 loss to Notre Dame in the first round of the ACC Tournament at Truist Field in Charlotte. The Tigers, seeded 15th in the ACC, needed a tournament title to qualify for the NCAA Tournament but fell short after a disappointing 31-26 season, including a 10-20 conference record—the worst in school history. Notre Dame took an early lead when Drew Berkland hit a solo homer in the first inning. Clemson tied the game in the third, with Tyler Lichtenberger and Tryston McCladdie driving in runs, but the Irish responded with two more in the same inning, including a homer by Bino Watters and an RBI double by Jayce Lee. Clemson starter Michael Sharman struck out eight batters but could not prevent Notre Dame’s power offense, which scored another run in the sixth inning via Lee’s solo homer. The Tigers rallied late with home runs from Bryce Clavon and Jacob Jarrell, but Notre Dame held on to win. The loss marked the first time under head coach Erik Bakich that Clemson failed to reach a regional. The Tigers went 0-20 when trailing after eight innings, finishing the season with struggles in comeback situations. Notre Dame, now 31-21, advanced to face Virginia Tech in the next round, while Clemson enters the offseason with questions following one of its worst seasons in decades.
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