No. 4 Tigers Down Flames 6-4

CLEMSON, S.C. - Luke Gaffney and Andrew Ciufo both hit two-run homers in the second inning in No. 4 Clemson’s 6-4 victory over Liberty at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Tuesday night. The Tigers, who took a 1-0 lead in the series, improved to 16-1, while the Flames dropped to 11-5. It marked Clemson’s 14th win in a row, tied for the 10th-longest winning streak in Tiger history.

Former Tiger Camden Troyer hit a solo homer in the top of the second inning for the game’s first run, then Gaffney belted a two-run homer, his second of the year, in the bottom of the second inning. Two batters later, Ciufo crushed a two-run homer, his second of the season, to put Clemson ahead 4-1. The Tigers added an unearned run in the third inning after Jarren Purify led off with a single to extend his hitting streak to 10 games.

Cam Cannarella added to the lead with a two-out, run-scoring single in the fourth inning. The Flames scored an unearned run in the sixth inning on Troyer’s groundout, then they scored two runs in the eighth inning on Cal Early’s single and a fielder’s choice.

Reliever B.J. Bailey (2-0) earned the win by tossing 4.0 innings, allowing two hits, one unearned run and three walks with four strikeouts. Lucas Mahlstedt pitched 1.2 innings to record his fifth save of the year. Liberty starter Josh Swink (2-2) suffered the loss, as he yielded four hits, five runs (four earned) and two walks with one strikeout in 2.0 innings pitched.

The midweek series concludes Wednesday at 4 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.