Put me in coach! Bissetta homers twice to power #Clemson past UNCG 9-5 (Updated w/Postgame Audio)

You can bet Clemson head coach Erik Bakich is going to get several text messages tonight from Tristan Bisetta’s phone begging him for more playing time. That’s because, in his first career start, the redshirt sophomore from Greenville blasted two home runs to help Clemson get past UNC Greensboro 9-5 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Saturday. With Bisetta’s bat and Tristan Smith’s five solid innings on the mound, the Tigers improved to 12-1 on the season and will go for the series sweep of the Spartans on Sunday afternoon.

UNCG manufactured single runs in the first inning and top of the third inning, then Alden Mathes delivered a two-run double in the bottom of the third to tie the score at 2. Bissetta gave Clemson a 4-2 lead in the fourth with an opposite-field, two-run homer.

The J.L. Mann product added a solo shot in the sixth inning, before Jimmy Obertop grounded a two-out, two-run single later in the frame. The Spartans scored an unearned run in the seventh inning and a two-out run in the top of the eighth inning on Caleb Cozart’s double. Blake Wright then put the contest on ice with his fourth home run of the year, a two-run blast, in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Along with Bissetta’s two-homer game, Cam Cannarella and Obertop paced Clemson’s 14-hit attack with three hits apiece. Nolan Nawrocki extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a pair of base hits.

Smith (1-0) earned his first career win by allowing just one hit and two runs with six strikeouts in 5.0 innings pitched. Spartan starter Jay Miller (0-1) suffered the loss as he surrendered three runs on six hits in 3.1 innings pitched.

The series concludes Sunday at 2 p.m.

Box Score

Erik Bakich, Tristan Bissetta, and Tristan Smith — Clemson Postgame