COLUMBIA, S.C. – TJ Hopkins hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning to score Danny Blair, propelling No. 23 South Carolina to a 3-2 walkoff win over No. 7 Clemson at Founders Park on Friday night. The Gamecocks, who took a 1-0 lead in the series, improved to 7-3, while the Tigers dropped to 8-1.
The Gamecocks struck first in the fifth inning with a two-out run thanks to a costly Tiger error. Seth Beer responded in the sixth inning with a towering two-run homer, his third long ball of the year, to break up Adam Hill’s no-hitter and to give Clemson a 2-1 lead. Pinch-hitter Matt Williams tied the score in the eighth inning with a pinch-hit home run, his first homer of the year. Jonah Bride led off the ninth inning with a walk and moved to third base with no outs on a Tiger error on a pickoff attempt. Two batters later with one out, Hopkins lofted a sacrifice fly to left field.
Eddy Demurias (1-0) earned the win, as he pitched 1.2 perfect inning with two strikeouts. Gamecock starter Adam Hill struck out 14 and allowed just two hits and two runs in 7.0 innings pitched. Ryley Gilliam (1-1) suffered the loss despite not allowing an earned run in 1.1 innings pitched. Tiger starter Jacob Hennessy gave up just three hits and one unearned run with two strikeouts in 5.0 innings pitched.
The series continues Saturday at 3 p.m., at Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C. Clemson is the designated home team and will occupy the first-base dugout.
