DOUG KINGSMORE STADIUM: Clemson scored twice in each of the first two innings, and the Tigers made those runs hold up in beating USC 5-3 Friday night at Doug Kingsmore State in game one of the annual series between the rivals.
A DKS record crowd of 6891 took it in.
The Tigers have won three in a row over the Gamecocks and eight of the last ten. USC has not won at Clemson since the 2019 season.
Collin Priest got the Tigers on the board in the bottom of the first with a two-out, two-run double down the right field line on a 2-2 pitcher from Matthew Becker.
Clemson added two more runs in the bottom of the second with a one-out single through the right side by Dominic Listi and a two-out bases loaded walk by Josh Paino.
Becker had not walked a batter in his first two appearances of the season, but he walked five Friday night in 3.1 innings of work.
The Gamecocks rallied in the third off of Clemson starter Aidan Knaak. With one out and the bases loaded, Nolan Nawrocki, who began his career at Clemson, got the first run home with a sac fly to center. Talmadge LeCroy followed with a double down the left field line to score two.
Little did the Gamecocks know that when Henry Kaczmar flied to center to end the inning and strand the runner at second that they would not score the rest of the way.
Knaak pitched into the top of the fifth and was lifted for Jacob McGovern with two out and runners on first and second. McGovern induced LeCroy to pop up into foul ground near third with shortstop Andrew Ciufo coming over to make the play.
In the sixth, the Gamecocks had first and second with two outs and McGovern struck out pinch-hitter Max Kaufer to end the threat.
Lucas Mahlstedt started the top of the seventh for Clemson and retired the Gamecocks in order. In the bottom of the inning, Jarren Purify lofted a solo homer into the left field stands off reliever Brandon Stone for a 5-3 lead. Stone gave the Gamecocks 4.2 innings of strong releif allowing three hits and striking out six. Forty-four of his 56 pitches went for strikes.
Mahlstedt retired the Gamecocks in order in the eighth on just nine pitches.
In the ninth, however, there was some drama. Mahlstedt hit leadoff batter Blake Jackson. After Nathan Hall struck out looking, Kaufer hit a high, fly ball to deep left that appeared to have enough to get out, but it died right at the fence for the second out. After Jackson advanced to second on a wild pitch, Ethan Petry hit one hard to right field but it carried only to the warning track for the game’s final out.
The three Clemson pitchers held USC to five hits and struck out 14. McGovern (1-0) picked up the win and Mahlstedt earned his third save as they combined to allow just one hit. Thirty-one of Mahlstedt’s 41 pitches were strikes. Becker (2-1) took the loss.
Clemson finished with eight hits, two each by Priest, Cam Cannarella and Luke Gaffney. LeCroy accounted for two of the Gamecocks five hits.
Clemson is now 8-1 while South Carolina is 9-1. Game two of the series will be Saturday afternoon at Fluor Field in Greenville with first pitch slated for 1:30 PM. Jake McCoy will start for USC against Ethan Darden.
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