Kennesaw State used a long home run from Donovan Cash to build a big lead early en route to an 18-1 blowout victory over Clemson Friday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
In the team’s first defeat of the season, Clemson (4-1 overall) starter Billy Barlow (1-1) yielded five runs in just two-plus innings of work. The right-hander allowed eight hits to go with two walks.
Kennesaw State (3-3 overall) put the game out of reach with an eight-run fifth inning off Clemson relievers Nick Clayton and Justin LeGuernic that made the score 13-0. The Owls batted 13 times in the inning and totaled five hits, including a trio of two-run singles from Brayden Eidson, Nick Hassan, and Jamarie Brooks.
A bases-loaded walk allowed another run to cross the plate, as did a fielding error from shortstop Andrew Ciufo. Clayton and LeGuernic allowed four runs apiece. Rocco Reid and Ty Olenchuk allowed a combined five runs in four innings of relief.
Hassan (4-for-6) and Jackson Chirello (4-for-5) each had four hits in the game and drove in a combined eight runs.
For their part, the Tigers managed just one hit against Owls starter Braden Osbolt (1-0) in his six shutout innings of work. That hit was in the first inning when Cam Cannarella led off with a sharp single. Osbolt struck out seven and allowed just three baserunners afterwards.
Kennesaw State outhit Clemson, 20-5. Clemson freshman Brodey Conn homered in the eighth inning for the Tigers’ only run of the game.
Left-hander Tristan Smith is slated to start for the Tigers against Kennesaw State’s Blake Aita in the second game of this weekend’s series. Saturday’s first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. EST. The game will be streamed on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX).