The Clemson baseball team has been pretty good this year at Doug Kingsmore Stadium where they boast a 17-8 record. However, the “Mr. Hyde” to their “Dr. Jekyll” is the Tigers performance away from home. On Friday, Florida State scored three times in the third and added four in the eighth to pick up an 8-3 victory in their ACC series opener. The loss was Clemson’s thirteenth on the road this season, while dropping the Tigers back below .500 (15-16) in the ACC.
It looked as though things would turn around for the Tigers as Clemson scored in the top half of the first inning. After being hit by a pitch to lead off the game, Sam Hall advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kier Meredith. Following a walk to James Parker, Caden Grice picked up his 45th RBI of the season with a base hit to left field, plating Hall with the first run of the game.
Clemson starting pitcher Mack Anglin was tough early, breezing through the first two innings recording four strikeouts in seven batters faced. However, things began to unravel for the redshirt freshman in the third.
A Clemson error following a hit by pitch put runners at first and second for Seminoles third baseman Logan Lacey. The homegrown product out of Tallahassee socked a double down the left field line, scoring both base runners and giving FSU a 2-1 advantage. The double was the first of two for Lacey and part of a four-double night for the ‘Noles. Lacey later came around to score an unearned run on a base hit by Robby Martin that stretched Florida State’s lead to 3-1 after three.
The home team added an insurance run in the sixth inning, before Clemson rallied back in the seventh. Hall blasted a two-run home run, his fourth of the season, to left field which sliced the Seminoles lead to 4-3 heading towards the bottom half of the eighth.
A passed ball started the scoring for FSU in the 8th, before Lacey connected on another double to drive in a pair of runs. Matheu Nelson made his presence known in the frame as well with an RBI double. Florida State’s leading hitter was just 1-for-4 on the evening, but his 13th two-bagger of the year plated the final run of the contest as Clemson went down in order in the top of the ninth.
Anglin (2-4) took the loss for the Tigers, allowing four runs on four hits in six innings of work. He did strikeout nine, but also threw three wild pitches and walked four. Meantime, Bryce Hubbart improved to 6-4 on the season with a solid six innings on the mound. The redshirt freshman gave up just one run on four hits, while striking out seven.
Game two of the series is scheduled for Saturday afternoon at 2pm.
