No. 8 Tigers Outlast Rams 6-2

CLEMSON, S.C. - Aidan Knaak and Drew Titsworth combined for 13 strikeouts in No. 8 Clemson’s 6-2 victory over VCU at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Friday. The Tigers, who improved to 1-0 in the Clemson Baseball Invitational, upped their season record to 3-1, while the Rams, who dropped to 0-1 in the Clemson Baseball Invitational, fell to 1-4 in 2025.

Knaak (1-0) earned the win by tossing 5.0 innings, allowing three hits, two runs and two walks with eight strikeouts. Drew Titsworth recorded his first career save by pitching 4.0 scoreless innings with a career-high five strikeouts in the longest outing of his career. VCU starter Cade Dressler (0-2) suffered the loss, as he yielded three runs on three hits in 3.0 innings pitched.

Clemson, which was playing its home opener, scored two runs in the second inning on Jack Crighton’s run-scoring double and Jarren Purify’s sacrifice fly. After the Rams scored a run in the top of the third inning, Josh Paino grounded a run-scoring single in the bottom of the third inning, then Sean Swenson led off the top of the fourth inning with a homer to cut Clemson’s lead to 3-2.

Dominic Listi lined a run-scoring double in the bottom of the fourth inning, then Luke Gaffney’s groundout scored a run later in the frame. Gaffney plated another run in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly.

The Tigers continue their four-game slate in the Clemson Baseball Invitational with their second game, as the Tigers host North Carolina A&T on Saturday at noon on ACC Network Extra. Clemson then hosts VCU on Saturday at 4 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.