Mack Anglin set the tone on the bump. Clemson’s offense took care of the rest.
And the Tigers got their 2022 season off to a fast start Friday.
Clemson got five shutout innings out of its sophomore right-hander, and the Tigers cruised to a 9-0 win over Indiana in both teams’ season opener at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Anglin combined with relievers Ty Olenchuck, Billy Barlow and Alex Edmondson to spin a three-hitter in the Tigers’ fifth straight season-opening win.
Clemson (1-0) will go for the series win when head coach Monte Lee gives the ball to sophomore Kyle Clayton for Saturday’s 3 p.m. start. The fellow right-hander will be following up a dominant outing from Anglin, who didn’t allow a hit and struck out eight to notch the win against an IU team that’s made three of the last four NCAA Tournaments.
Only three baserunners reached against Anglin (1-0), who retired the first five batters he faced. A hit batter followed by a walk in the second inning was the only time IU got a runner in scoring position against him. He worked three clean innings, including a 1-2-3 fifth that ended his day after 82 pitches.
The Hoosiers didn’t record their first hit until Bobby Whalen singled against Olenchuck with two outs in the top of the sixth, but Clemson had already built a 6-0 lead by that point.
The Tigers quickly went to work in getting Anglin some run support, plating three runs in their first at-bat of the season. Clemson sent eight batters to the plate in the home half of the first against right-hander John-Biagio Modugno with five of the first six reaching on singles.
Cooper Ingle, Chad Fairey and Blake Wright each had RBI knocks in the frame, and Dayton transfer Ben Blackwell added to Clemson’s lead in the second with a solo home run in his first at-bat as a Tiger. Blackwell, who’s replacing James Parker as Clemson’s shortstop, homered just six times in three seasons with the Flyers.
First baseman Caden Grice, the Tigers’ top returning hitter from last season, went 3-for-4 at the plate and scored two runs. Ingle and Blackwell each drove in two runs for Clemson, which finished with nine hits.
Clemson chased Modugno (0-1) with two more runs in the home half of the fourth that stretched its lead to 6-0. Modugno, who allowed eight hits and walked two while striking out four, left with the bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the frame, but reliever Reese Sharp got Bryar Hawkins and Grice swinging after a sacrifice fly to limit the Tigers’ damage.
Clemson had a hard time solving Sharp, who struck out seven in three innings before leaving with the bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the seventh. The Tigers struck out 17 times but also took advantage of an overall lack of command among Modugno, Sharp and left-hander Ryan Craft, who combined to issue eight walks and throw multiple wild pitches.
Clemson tacked on two more runs in the seventh, which was more than enough cushion for Olenchuk, Barlow and Edmondson.
Olenchuck tossed two innings of three-hit relief, getting a groundout and a double play to strand four IU baserunners. Barlow, a freshman right-hander, worked a clean eighth in his first appearance as a Tiger, and Edmondson did the same in the ninth to cap a strong debut for this year’s Clemson squad.
Clemson Variety & Frame is doing their part to help bring you some classic new barware and help one of the local businesses that helps make Clemson special.
Order your Nick’s barware and do your part to help. #SaveNicks
