The Palmetto Series belongs to Clemson after the Tigers defeated the Gamecocks, 5-1, behind excellent pitching and timely hitting in Greenville, South Carolina.
Star player Cam Cannarella took over the contest in the sixth inning, propelling the Tigers into the lead by scoring the first run of the ballgame. The junior scorched an RBI-double to left-center field, bringing across Dominic Listi.
Shortly after, Cannarella scored from second on a swinging bunt by Luke Gaffney, outracing the South Carolina pitcher Jake McCoy to the plate.
Clemson starting pitcher Ethan Darden turned in an excellent start, despite getting into trouble early. In the first inning, he loaded the bases with no one out in the first via a leadoff double and two walks. The junior immediately settled in, and was able to wiggle out of the jam, forcing a flyout, followed by back-to-back strikeouts.
“The story of the game is Ethan Darden,” head coach Erik Bakich said after the game. “You go bases loaded, nobody out in the first inning, and to strand all the runners and not allow them to score … he just showed incredible toughness today.”
Darden settled in for the following innings, turning in one of the best starts of his career. The junior starter threw seven scoreless frames, striking out six while only allowing three hits and two walks.
He ended his outing with an exclamation point, retiring the Gamecocks’ seventh-inning threat with an inning-ending double play, the Tigers’ second of the game. With the appearance, Darden lowered his earned run average to 1.06 through his first three starts of the season.
“This is what college baseball is about. I mean, this is the best rivalry ever,” Darden said after his performance.
South Carolina cut into the Tiger lead in the eighth when first baseman Ethan Petry crushed a solo home run to left field.
However, the Tigers answered right back, plating three in the top of the ninth. After a single and a walk to open the frame, Jacob Jarrell came through with an RBI single. Tristan Bissetta followed up with a sacrifice fly to deep center field before Jarren Purify doubled to bring in another.
Clemson’s bats were stifled for the first half of the game, as South Carolina starting pitcher McCoy also turned in a quality start. McCoy threw six innings of two-run baseball while striking out 12 Tigers.
