CLEMSON – Clemson only had six hits – the first four being home runs – as the sixth-ranked Tigers claimed a 6-1 victory over #18 Coastal Carolina before an over-capacity crowd of 6,450 Tuesday night at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
Clemson (23-6) hit a solo home run in the second inning, a two-run home run in the fifth, a solo home run in the fifth and solo home run in the seventh. Coastal (21-10) broke up a no-hit bid in the seventh and scored it lone run on back-to-back singles. The Chanticleers made it interesting in the ninth, loading the bases, before Travis Marr induced a game-ending ground out.
The Tigers grabbed the early lead as Chris Williams hit a leadoff home run in the bottom of the second.
In the fifth, Clemson got its second and third hits of the game and, like the first, they were home runs. Brad Wilke drew a leadoff walk to start the fifth. Two batters later, Jordan Greene hit his second home run of the season. The next batter, Logan Davidson, left the yard to give the Tigers a 4-0 lead.
Coastal broke up the no-hit bid in the top of the seventh. After Zach Biermann walked, Lee Sponseller singled to right. Kieton Rivers followed with a single to left to plate Biermann and make the score 4-1.
Clemson got that run back and one more in the bottom of the seventh as it recorded its fourth hit of the game, which was also its fourth home run of the game, this one by Grayson Byrd and all of them going to left field. Greene followed with Clemson’s first single and scored two batters later on Seth Beer’s double to provide the eventual final of 6-1.
Shaddon Peavyhouse (1-3) was the tough-luck loser in his first collegiate start. He only allowed one hit and one walk with four strikeouts in three innings.
Coastal Carolina ends its five-game road swing by returning home to host South Alabama in a key Sun Belt weekend series. As a reminder, Friday’s series opener will start at 5 pm, which is a change from the original schedule.
