No. 7 Tigers Outlast Gamecocks 5-3

CLEMSON, S.C. - No. 7 Clemson scored four runs in the first two innings and held on for a 5-3 victory over South Carolina in front of a Doug Kingsmore Stadium record crowd of 6,891 fans on Friday night. The Tigers, who took a 1-0 lead in the series and won their sixth game in a row, improved to 8-1, while the Gamecocks dropped to 9-1.

Collin Priest lined a two-out, two-run double in the first inning, then Clemson scored two more runs in the second inning on Dominic Listi’s run-scoring single and Josh Paino’s bases-loaded walk. In the third inning, South Carolina took advantage of two walks to score three runs, capped by Talmadge LeCroy’s two-out, two-run double.

Jarren Purify doubled Clemson’s lead in the seventh inning with a solo homer, his first of the season.

Jacob McGovern (1-0) earned the win by tossing 1.1 scoreless innings in relief, while Lucas Mahlstedt pitched 3.0 innings to record his third save of the year. Gamecock starter Matthew Becker (2-1) suffered the loss, as he yielded four runs on five hits in 3.1 innings pitched.

The series continues Saturday when the two teams play at Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C. at 1:30 p.m. on SEC Network Extra. The Tigers are the designated visiting team and occupy the third-base dugout.