Drew Titsworth shut out Louisville on three hits over six innings, the longest outing of his career, and four relievers allowed just two more hits the rest ot the way, and the 2nd ranked Tigers scratched out a 2-1 victory over the 17th ranked Cardinals to clinch another ACC series.
Titsworth (4-0) allowed a pair od doubles and a single but the Cardinals never got to third base against him. Titworth struck out three and did not walk a batter. He threw 87 pitches, 59 for strkes.
Joe Allen, TP Wentworth and Reed Garris covered the seventh and eighth innings allowing one hit.
Lucas Mahlstadt pitched the ninth. He was an out away from completing the shut out but gave up a solo homer. He struck out the next batter for his 14th save.
The Tigers broke a scoreless tie in the fifth with a solo homer by Jacob Jarrell. They added what turned out to be a needed insurance run in the seventh with a one-out single by Josh Paino followed by an RBI double by Luke Gaffney.
That would be it for the Clemson offense. The Tigers did get a runner to third with no one out in the eighth on a walk, a passed ball and a sacrifice bunt, but a strike out and a ground out ended the threat.
As it turned out, thanks to their quality pitching, the Tigers didn’t need that third run.
The Tigers are 35-6 overall and 13-4 in the ACC and will go for the sweep of the Cardinals Saturday with first pitch set for 1:00 PM.