Clemson found itself in a bit of unfamiliar territory in Friday’s series opener against UNC Greensboro at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
Starter Austin Gordon yielded four runs in the second inning as the Tigers found themselves in a rare 4-0 deficit.
Good thing the team’s bats have been red hot.
Jarren Purify and Cam Cannarella hit back-to-back home runs as part of an eight-run response in the bottom of the second en route to a 12-5 Clemson victory over UNC Greensboro.
The Tigers, ranked ninth in the country in the latest USA TODAY Sports’ coaches poll, improved to 11-1 with Friday’s victory — one week before conference play begins next Friday at Duke.
Purify homered to deep left off Spartans starter Noah Chapman, a three-run blast that put the Tigers back in the game. It was the freshman’s second home run in his first 13 at-bats in purple and orange.
Cannarella followed Purify with a solo shot to right-center to tie the game at 4-4. Andrew Ciufo and Jacob Hinderleider added run-scoring hits before the inning was over to stake Clemson to an 8-4 lead. By the end of the frame, the Tigers had batted 13 times.
Clemson tacked on two runs in the fourth and single runs in the fifth and seventh innings to win going away. Ciufo, Hinderleider, Alden Mathes, and Jimmy Obertop all finished with two hits in Friday’s victory. Combined, the Tigers outhit the Spartans, 13-7.
After a shaky start from Gordon, Clemson pitching held the Spartans’ bats in check for the rest of the afternoon. UNC Greensboro had six hits as part of its four-run second inning but were held to just one hit the rest of the day.
Rocco Reid earned the win in his third relief appearance this season. Reid (1-0) threw 2 1/3 innings of scoreless ball and didn’t allow a hit. Joe Allen closed things out with two shutout innings. Allen needed just 15 pitches to sit down all six batters he faced. He recorded two strikeouts.
Gordon received a no-decision after being pulled with two out in the fifth. In his 4 2/3 innings of work, the right-hander allowed five runs and seven hits to go with five strikeouts and three walks.
Chapman (1-1) suffered the loss for the Spartans. He was charged with seven runs on four hits and four walks in just an inning and a third.
Game 2 of the series is scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m. EST. Left-hander Tristan Smith Smith (0-0, 2.63 ERA) will start for Clemson against UNC Greensboro’s Jay Miller (0-0, 3.86).