Tigers run-rule Stanford behind strong effort from Knaak

Knaak was done after six innings, and he gave up one run on two hits. He struck out six and walked two while throwing 64 strikes in 94 pitches. (Clemson athletics photo)

David Hood - Senior Writer - Friday, April 11 2025

CLEMSON – The perfect recipe for a Friday night was Aidan Knaak doing his thing and Clemson scoring runs early and often. The end result was an 11-1 run-rule victory over Stanford at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, the seventh consecutive win for the No. 4 Tigers.

Knaak pitched six strong innings and picked up the win, improving to 6-0, as Clemson scored five in the bottom of the sixth to enact the mercy rule. The Cardinal were unable to scratch a run in the seventh against Hudson Lee.

Cam Cannarella was 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI, while Collin Priest collected two hits and drove in two. Andre Ciufo was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Stanford falls to 18-13 overall and 5-11 in the ACC, while Clemson improves to 32-5 overall and 10-3 in the ACC.

"I think that's like the recipe, is get a lead and keep a lead and it seems we're always playing from behind sometimes," head coach Erik Bakich said. "I just liked their mindset, especially after we played so poorly I thought on Wednesday, to be able to just completely flush that and come right back out and kind of fire on all cylinders tonight. I thought it was just a good tone setter, tobe aggressive and facing really good stuff and our guys did a good job for the most part, holding the zone, taking walks and getting some big doubles. Just a good balanced attack offensively and certainly helps to play with the lead. Always."

Knaak said he felt comfortable pitching with an early lead.

"As a pitcher just getting run support in general, especially early in the game just gives you that great boost of confidence," Knaak said. "Just being able to have that going out and it just makes it that much easier to go out and compete. I mean, we had runs up almost every inning and just great to have that behind the pitcher."

The Tigers started early against Stanford starter Joey Volchko (2-2). Cam Cannarella lined a one-out double off the wall in right to get things going in the bottom of the first. Cannarella moved to third when Jarren Purify reached on an error and then scored when Collin Priest laced a single up the middle.

Purify later scored on a wild pitch and the Tigers led 2-0. In the bottom of the second, JP Wentworth singled with one out and promptly stole second. He moved to third when Andrew Ciufo poked a single between first and second and scored on Dominic Listi’s grounder to first, giving the Tigers a 3-0 lead after two.

Priest walked to lead off the third, and Jarrell continued his hot streak by smoking a 2-0 fastball onto the roof of the batting cages in right. The 393-foot shot, which gave the Tigers a 5-0 lead, was his team-leading eighth of the season.

Stanford’s Tatum Marsh collected the Cardinal’s first hit of the day in the fourth, lining a solo homer over the wall in right to make it 5-1. The Tigers got the run back in the bottom of the frame after Ciufo started the inning with a double and later scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-1.

Knaak (6-0) was done after six innings, and he gave up one run on two hits. He struck out six and walked two while throwing 64 strikes in 94 pitches.

Game two of the series is set for 6 pm on Saturday and will be televised on the ACC Network.

.@aidan_knaak ends the first frame with a strikeout 👏

M1 || STA 0, CU 0

🖥 https://t.co/MrT8KNsxYR pic.twitter.com/srtoYPm9kP
— Clemson Baseball (@ClemsonBaseball) April 11, 2025

Oppo Taco off the bat of @jacob_jarrell1 🌮

🚀 393 ft
💨 107 mph

B3 || STA 0, CU 5

🖥 https://t.co/MrT8KNs09j pic.twitter.com/FKHLYZo0Bq
— Clemson Baseball (@ClemsonBaseball) April 11, 2025

Cam comes through‼️@CamCannarella's RBI double adds to the lead!

B6 || STA 1, CU 8

🖥 https://t.co/MrT8KNs09j pic.twitter.com/QLrReKtXLJ
— Clemson Baseball (@ClemsonBaseball) April 12, 2025