Clemson OF channels Willie Mays with absurd catch to keep Tigers' Omaha hopes alive

It looked like the end of the road for the Clemson Tigers against the Florida Gators in Game 2 of their Super Regional series. Clemson lost the first game, making Sunday's contest an elimination contest. And things looked dire late.

Tied 9-9 in the bottom of the 10th inning, Florida had runners on first and second with Ashton Wilson at the plate. The Gators slugger pelted a ball to deep centerfield, which looked certain to be the game-winning walk-off hit as Clemson centerfielder Cam Cannarella was playing shallow.

Instead, Cannarella made the play of a lifetime in arguably the game of his life.

In a dead sprint toward the wall -- a wall that is on the back of a hill as Clemson doesn't have a warning track at their home ballpark -- Cannarella made a jump into the wall with his back completely turned and his glove much like Willie Mays trying to make a basket catch in center. And somehow, someway, he came up with the ball for the final out of the inning to keep the game alive.

Truly one of the greatest catches I (and I would also venture to guess anyone) have ever seen.

Clemson OF Cam Cannarella looks like Willie Mays with season-saving catch

To make that type of play with the trap against his chest while crashing into the wall and with his back to the infield is just absurd stuff. Throw in that it was essentially a catch-or-go-home situation for Clemson and it makes Cannarella's effort that much more impressive. Willie Mays' "Catch" is among the iconic images in baseball history but this grab was right on par with it in terms of difficulty.

What makes it perhaps even more absurd is that this was the second time on the day that Cannarella saved the Tigers' chances of making it to Omaha for the College World Series and kept the season alive. With Clemson trailing 9-6 going up to bat with their final three outs of the game in the top of the ninth, the outfielder belted a game-tying three-run homer that forced extra innings.

Cannarella then had the chance to cement one of the most legendary individual performances of all time in the top of the 11th when he came up to bat again but he instead registered the third out with the game going deeper into extras. But they would've never even been at that point if not for the centerfielder's otherworldly catch that we'll see on highlights for years and years to come.