Clemson played like a team that had waited all offseason to break out the big bats — some new and some old.
The Tigers did that in a big way in their first game of the season Friday. Powered by grand slams from newcomers Alden Mathes and Nolan Nawrocki, Clemson routed Xavier, 14-3, in the season opener for both schools at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
The Tigers (1-0 overall), ranked No. 9 in the USA TODAY Baseball Coaches Poll, scored early and often.
A first-inning grand slam by Mathes in his first Clemson at-bat helped stake the team to an early 4-2 lead. Mathis slapped a fastball 372 feet off Xavier starter Luke Hoskins into the right field bleachers to give the Tigers the early lead. It was part of four consecutive hits to start the half-inning.
Cam Cannarella lined a three-run double off the wall in left to up the lead to 7-2. It was Cannarella’s second hit of the inning after he’d reached base on a single earlier.
Freshman Cooper Blauser, son of former Atlanta Braves shortstop Jeff Blauser, homered in the third inning for his first Clemson hit to extend the lead to 8-2.
In the fourth, the Tigers hit another grand slam when Nawrocki, a former Michigan pledge, sent a drive to left off reliever Terry Murray to make it 12-2.
Clemson capped its scoring in the eighth inning with two runs. Nathan Hall picked up an RBI single, and Jacob Hinderleider was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Cannarella (3-for-5), the Tigers’ All-American in his freshman season a year ago, had three hits atop the lineup. The Tigers outhit the Musketeers, 14-5.
On the mound, Billy Barlow (1-0) started for Clemson and pitched five innings. After allowing a pair of runs early, he yielded just one hit after the first inning. Barlow threw 68 pitches and gave up three hits total. He retired the last seven batters he faced.
Drew Titsworth made his collegiate debut in relief, tossing 2 2/3 innings of scoreless ball. He allowed just one hit and struck out three.
Hoskins (0-1) suffered the loss for Xavier. He allowed seven runs on nine hits in two innings.
The series is set to resume Saturday at 2 p.m. EST. Tristan Smith is scheduled to start for Clemson against Xavier left-hander Nolan Hughes. The game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.