Baseball
CLEMSON HANDS NO.23 GAMECOCKS FIRST LOSS OF SEASON 5-2 TO OPEN PALMETTO SERIES
- 2023-03-04 14:25:28
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CLEMSON, SC - Well, the slate is clean now! After a dreadful 0-4 week making the Tigers 4-4 on the season, they handed the Gamecocks their first loss of the season after a rain delay at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Friday night. Despite the late start and poor weather, the crowd was tremendous, and the Tigers gave them a reason to explode right out of the gate. With Friday starter Ryan Ammons injured, Austin Gordon got the start on the mound, and he was sensational. He went 1-2-3 in the 1st, and Cooper Ingle took the first pitch from the Gamecocks out to left for his team-leading 3rd homer of the season. Wright and Cannarella doubled to make it 2-0 in the 1st, and that was all Gordon would need. Freshman Cam Cannarella was 3-4 and has hit safely in all 9 games to start his career! Sophomore Gavin Abrams hit a pinch-hit homer late in the game, the only other HR. He has just 2 at bats this season, both of them pinch hits, and he is 2-2!
Gordon came out of the game with 2 outs in the 5th, so he was just one out short of his second win. Lindley and Tallent were excellent in relief. The Tigers' pitchers issued just 2 walks with one hit batter in the game. The free 90's were something that tormented them over the last week in that 4-game losing streak!
The Tigers are now 5-4 on the season and have 5 straight wins over the Gamecocks! That's the longest streak since 1995-96. Bakich had some good news for us after the game. He said that Ammons should be back in a couple weeks from the arm injury. Saturday's starter will be a game-time decision. Game 2 will start at 1:00 on Saturday in Greenville, and I'll be there to bring you live coverage. Post-game interviews are below!
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