It did not take long for Chris Williams’ injury to bite No. 10 Clemson. With Williams watching from the dugout, Wright State’s Gabe Snyder scored what turned out to be the eventual game-winner thanks to a throwing error and a passed ball from Williams’ replacement, Tyler Wilkie, in the top of the seventh inning as Wright State handed the Tigers a 6-4 loss.

The loss marked the fourth straight season opener Clemson has lost and its fifth in the last six seasons.

“I did not think (Wilkie) had a rough night,” Clemson head coach Monte Lee said afterwards. “I know he had a passed ball and I thought it was a tough pitch, but we are not going to make excuses. If our catchers can get their glove on it we expect them to catch it.

“Again, we are talking about a true freshman. I thought he caught the ball pretty well. He made some blocks with runners on third base with less than two outs. He also threw a runner out at third base.”

The Raiders scored three runs altogether in the top of the seventh inning to take the lead for good. Trailing 3-2 at the time, J.D. Orr drove in Zach Weatherford from second base with a base hit to centerfield to tie the game, and later scored when Snyder doubled down the right field line to give Wright State its first lead of the afternoon. Both of those runs were charged to relief pitcher Tyler Jackson.

Then freshman Jacob Hennessy, in relief of Jackson, saw Snyder come home after a throwing error by Wilkie at second base and then a passed ball, which allowed him to come home.

Sophomore Grayson Byrd drove in the first Clemson run of the season when he knocked a base hit into right field in the bottom of the second inning to score Logan Davidson, who led off the inning with a base hit to right. Clemson could have scored more runs, but it left the bases loaded without getting another runner to cross the plate.

In all, the Tigers left the bases loaded three times, including in the bottom of the sixth inning when Seth Beer, the 2016 National Player of the Year, came up with the bases juiced and one out and struck out swinging. Jackson then hit into a force at second base to end the threat.

“I did not hit it,” Beer said. “I failed to stay within my zone. I swung at pitches that were not something I should be going for. I got a little amped up going up to that at-bat. It is something that if I am ever in that situation again, I can learn from that, stay within my zone and hopefully get the job done then.”

The Tigers (0-1) did extend their lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the third as Davidson drove in Beer from third base with a blooper to left field. It was Davidson’s first career RBI. However, the Tigers again wasted scoring opportunities as Weston Jackson and Davidson were both caught stealing.

Davidson finished the game with two hits and had 2 RBIs in three at-bats, while Grayson Byrd had three hits and drove in one run for the Tigers.

After Wright State (1-0) tied the game with a two-run top of the fifth inning, the Tigers answered with a single run in the bottom of the frame to regain the lead. K.J. Bryant led off the inning with a base hit to right field. After stealing second base, he moved to third on Reed Rohlman’s grounder to first and later scored on a sacrifice fly to centerfield by Davidson. It was Davidson’s second RBI of the afternoon.

Clemson starter Charlie Barnes went 4.2 innings, throwing 90 pitches. He allowed two runs, while striking out six batters and walking one.

The Raiders eventually ran off Barnes’ replacement Jackson after 1.2 innings of work in the top of the seventh inning and grabbed the lead at the same time. After giving up the lead for the first time in the top of the seventh inning as Wright State scored, the Tigers responded with one run in the bottom half of the inning.

Again, it was Davidson as he scored his second run of the game to go along with his two RBIs. He scored on a wild pitch from Jason Foster, making the score 5-4 after seven innings.

Clemson and Wright State will play Game 2 on Saturday at 2 p.m. Pat Krall will get the start for Clemson, while Zane Collins will start for Wright State.