Clemson pounds Indiana, takes series from Hoosiers

Clemson fell behind 4-0 early on during Saturday’s game against Indiana, but the deficit didn’t last long.

After going scoreless the first two innings, the Tigers scored in each of their final six at bats to pound the Hoosiers 19-4 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

Clemson finished with 13 hits and 16 walks during the trouncing of the Hoosiers. The Tigers’ win on Saturday came after a 9-0 victory in the season opener on Friday.

Clemson can earn a sweep with a win Sunday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. Nick Hoffmann will get the start for the Tigers.

The Tigers had 14 different players reach base against the Hoosiers, led by Cooper Ingle. The sophomore went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, three RBIs, three walks and was hit by a pitch.

Junior Bryar Hawkins also had two hits and drove in a pair of runs. Sophomore Max Wagner hit the lone home run for the Tigers.

Nick Clayton got the start for Clemson on the mound and struggled, allowing four earned runs in 1 2/3 innings. But the Tigers’ bullpen was outstanding.

Casey Tallent, Geoffrey Gilbert, Jay Dill, Roco Reid and Austin Gordon combined to pitch 7 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.

Gilbert earned the win, allowing no runs and one hit in 2 innings of work. He struck out four batters.

Tyler Doanes and Matthew Ellis homered for IU in the first inning. Doanes finished with two hits and two RBIs.

The big inning for Clemson on Saturday was the sixth as the lead went from 6-4 to 13-4 thanks to a seven-run frame.

A single, walk and hit by pitch loaded the bases with one out as the Hoosiers came unraveled on the mound.

The Tigers scored four runs in the inning on walks with the bases loaded, and another run scored on a hit by pitch with the bases loaded. Clemson also scored on an infield single and a wild pitch.

The seven runs were scored on only two hits. Only one ball got out of the infield during the frame.