Clemson Dominates USC Upstate 7-0 at Fluor Field

Josh Paino of the Clemson Tigers (Photo By: Charles Mays/Tiger View Media)

Another Fluor Field Win

After sweeping the South Carolina Gamecocks over the weekend, the Clemson Tigers returned to action Tuesday night against USC Upstate at Fluor Field in Greenville, home of the Greenville Drive. Clemson had already found success at Fluor Field, defeating South Carolina 5-1 on Saturday. The Tigers looked to continue that momentum against a Spartans team that entered the game with a 6-4 record.

Jacob McGovern (1-0) got the start for Clemson, while Amp Phillips (0-0) took the mound for USC Upstate. The Tigers dominated from start to finish, securing a 7-0 shutout victory. Let’s dive into how the action unfolded under the lights at Fluor Field.

Slow Start for Clemson’s Offense

Clemson, the designated away team for the night, struggled early at the plate. Jarren Purify led off with a walk but was thrown out during Cam Cannarella’s at-bat. Cannarella grounded out, and Luke Gaffney struck out swinging to end the first.

McGovern pitched a scoreless first inning despite a Clemson error on a bunt. He followed up with two strikeouts in the second, allowing just one hit. Meanwhile, the Tigers remained hitless through the first three innings.

McGovern exited in the third after 2.1 innings, giving up two hits and a walk while striking out three. B.J. Bailey took over, striking out the first batter he faced and retiring the side without issue.

Tigers Break Through in the Fifth

Clemson finally broke the hitting drought in the fifth inning. Collin Priest led off with a single, followed by a Josh Paino double down the left-field line to put two runners in scoring position. Jacob Jarrell then delivered the biggest hit of the night, launching a three-run homer over the center field wall to put Clemson up 3-0.

Bailey continued his dominance on the mound, finishing with 4.2 scoreless innings, six strikeouts, and only four hits allowed.

Power Surge in the Ninth Seals the Win

The Tigers extended their lead in the ninth with a power display. Josh Paino crushed a solo homer to deep center, followed by Tristan Bissetta launching one over the Green Monster to make it 5-0. After a Jack Crighton walk, Andrew Ciufo added another home run over the Green Monster, extending the lead to 7-0. Jarren Purify nearly made it back-to-back-to-back homers, but his shot off the Green Monster resulted in a triple.

Chayce Kieck closed out the game, allowing just one hit and striking out one to complete the shutout.

Next Up

With the win, Clemson improves to 11-1 on the season. The Tigers return to action Wednesday afternoon against Presbyterian College at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, with the first pitch set for 4 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.