Clemson blasts FSU, evens series with Seminoles

Clemson bounced back from a tough loss to Florida State in Game 1 of its three-game series with an impressive performance Friday night in Game 2.

The Tigers pounded FSU 8-1 Friday in Tallahassee to even the series at a game apiece.

Freshmen pitchers Ethan Darden and Tristan Smith were lights out for Clemson in the win. The Tigers improved to 18-14 (3-8) with the victory.

“Good response from the group today,” Clemson coach Erik Bakich said. “A complete performance in all phases. I thought maybe our most complete game yet at a time when we needed it the most of any time in the season.”

Darden pitched five scoreless innings to earn the win and improve to 2-1 on the year. The lefty was making his first start in ACC play. He allowed four hits but only one that went for extra bases.

Smith pitched two scoreless innings without allowing a hit to make sure the Tigers maintained a comfortable margin, while Nick Hoffman pitched the final two innings, allowing one run.

“Darden gave us a great start. Tristan Smith and Nick Hoffman pitched well out of the bullpen,” Bakich said. “We played excellent defense. … Just very proud of the way we competed.”

At the plate, Will Taylor, Blake Wright, Caden Grice and Billy Amick each finished with multiple hits. Wright led the way, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs.

Freshman Cam Cannarella also delivered a big hit for Clemson, blasting his third homer of the season as he continues to bat over .400 on the year.

The game was scoreless until the fourth inning when Wright got Clemson on the board with an RBI single.

Clemson tacked on three runs in the sixth inning to push its lead to 4-0 an another RBI single by Wright and a squeeze bunt by Riley Bertram that drove in a pair of runs.

The Tigers pushed their lead to 7-0 in the eighth when Grice drove in a run with an RBI double, Wright hit an RBI single and later scored on a wild pitch.

Cannarella finished off the scoring for Clemson in the ninth with a solo homer, before FSU scored its only run of the game in the bottom of the ninth.

Up next, the teams will play the rubber match of their three games series at 11 a.m. Saturday.

It is a big game for a Clemson team looking for its first ACC series win of the year.