Photos by Clemson Athletics
Alden Mathes and Cam Cannarella drove in three runs, apiece, to lead Clemson to an 11-1 victory (7 innings) over USC Upstate at Fluor Field in Greenville, Tuesday.
The Tigers, who have won ten of their last 11 and climbed to no. 2 in the country, touched up Spartans’ pitchers for five runs in the second, another run in the third and five more in the fifth to build an 11-0 lead. Cannarella broke the ice with a two-run single through the left side to plate Cooper Blauser and Will Taylor. The next batter, Malthes, tripled home two more and Upstate never recovered.
Taylor finished with a unique stat line, scoring three times without recording an at-bat. The junior leftfielder walked in the second, was hit by a pitch in the third and walked again in the fifth.
Clemson righthander Billy Barlow (4-1) was razor sharp, holding the Spartans to one run on three hits in five innings of work. The Spartans, who finished with just three hits, finally struck a blow in the fifth. Troy Hamilton’s RBI single brought in Easton Cullison and halted the Tigers’ scoreless innings streak at 18.
USC Upstate (18-12) returns to Big South play at Winthrop, Friday. Clemson (25-3), meanwhile, will head to the Midwest for a three-game series at Notre Dame. First pitch from South Bend, Ind., is scheduled for 4:30 p.m., Friday.