CLEMSON, S.C. — Alden Mathes and Nolan Nawrocki both hit grand slams and Cooper Blauser added a home run in No. 9 Clemson’s 14-3 victory over Xavier in the season opener at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Friday. It marked the first time since 2010 and third time in history that Clemson, which took a 1-0 lead in the series, hit two grand slams in a game.
The Musketeers took advantage of a leadoff error to score two unearned runs in the top of the first inning. In the bottom of the first inning, three singles to start the frame, including a leadoff single by Cam Cannarella to extend his hitting streak to 10 games dating to 2023, set up Mathes’ grand slam in his first plate appearance as a Tiger. With two outs, Cannarella belted a three-run double to cap Clemson’s seven-run, eight-hit first inning.
Blauser led off the third inning with a homer, his first career hit, to give every Clemson starter at least one hit in the contest. Nawrocki crushed a grand slam, his first career homer, in the fourth inning to up Clemson’s lead to 12-2, as every Tiger starter scored at least one run through the fourth inning. The Tigers added two runs In the eighth inning.
Billy Barlow (1-0) earned the win by tossing 5.0 effective innings. He gave up just three hits, two unearned runs and no walks with two strikeouts. Musketeer starter Luke Hoskins (0-1) suffered the loss.
The series continues Saturday at 2 p.m. at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
