COLUMBIA, N.C. — Bryar Hawkins’ two-out single in the ninth inning scored Dylan Brewer to propel Clemson to a 3-2 win over South Carolina at Founders Park on Friday night.
The Tigers, who took a 1-0 lead in the series, improved to 9-0, while the Gamecocks dropped to 7-2. It marked Clemson’s first 9-0 start to a season since 2002.
The Gamecocks scored a run in the first inning without a hit abd it came off an Andrew Eyster sacrifice fly.
Cooper Ingle recorded a two-out, run-scoring single in the third inning to tie the game.
In the sixth inning, Swansea's Josiah Sightler crushed a solo homer to put the Gamecocks ahead 2-1. With two outs in the eighth inning, Jonathan French belted a solo homer, his second of the year, to tie the game at 2-2. Brewer led off the ninth inning by reaching on an error, then came around to score on Hawkins’ two-out single up the middle.
Alex Edmondson (2-0) earned the win in relief, while Ryan Ammons recorded his third save of the year. Tiger starter Mack Anglin gave up just two hits, two runs and four walks with nine strikeouts in 6.0 innings pitched. John Gilreath (0-1) suffered the loss. Gamecock starter Will Sanders yielded six hits, one run and five walks with a career-high 14 strikeouts.
The series continues Saturday at Segra Park at 4 p.m. Clemson is the designated home team.
