After losing the opening weekend series of the season to Wright State, No. 4 Clemson has won seven straight, including four three-game sweeps as it heads into Game 1 of its weekend series today at No. 25 Florida State.

There have been a lot of reasons for the Tigers’ success as they try to continue their best start to a season since 2002. They have received clutch hitting when they have needed it. They have made big-time throws to gun down runners at the plate and the defense has made tremendous plays in the field, whether it is diving to rob a batter of an extra base hit or climbing the fence to take away a grand slam.

The Tigers (29-5, 13-2 ACC) have also gotten great pitching from a staff that is allowing just 2.71 runs per game, which ranks third in the ACC behind Louisville and North Carolina. The leader of the staff is junior lefty Charlie Barnes. So far Barnes has six decisions in eight starts while posting a 4-2 record with a 1.51 ERA.

“I know our team has the upmost confidence in Charlie in Game 1, and we most certainly have confidence in (Alex) Eubanks and Pat Krall, too,” Clemson head coach Monte Lee said. “You have seen what our bullpen is capable of. We have a lot of confidence in our staff and it all starts with Charlie.”

Barnes ranks third in the ACC in innings pitched (53.2), ERA and strikeouts (67) as he has become what Lee calls a true No. 1 pitcher, which he points out is not as common in college baseball as it once was.

“When you have a true No. 1, it is always a good thing,” Lee said. “It is not often, and look at the teams, whether it is the ACC or anywhere else, there still is not what I would say are true Friday night guys out there.

“I think Charlie is a true Friday night guy. He is a true No.1. He is going to match up against anyone in the country and he is going to give us a chance to win. He is going to throw up some zeros. He has been very, very good for us.”

In his eight starts so far this season, Barnes has pitched at least into the seventh inning five times and in four of those occasions he pitched well into the eighth inning. The lefty’s best outing game against Virginia on March 17 when he threw 8 1/3 innings in a 2-0 loss as he scattered six hits and struck out seven batters to one walk.

Since then Barnes has won his last three starts against Boston College, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech. He had 11 strikeouts against BC and the Hokies, matching his career high which he set against Elon on Feb. 24.

In those three games combined against Elon, BC and Virginia Tech, Barnes gave up just two earned runs, while scattering 14 hits in 21 1/3 innings or work with 33 strikeouts to just two walks. In fact, Barnes has issued just 10 free passes all season.

“Hopefully, he can continue to pitch the way he has in Game 1 for us and give our offense a chance to find a way to score some runs against a really good pitching staff that the Seminoles have,” Lee said.

Barnes is not one to take the credit for what happens. He is very modest about his accomplishments and always tries to deflect the attention back to his teammates and his team. To him, he is just doing his job and he is going to do all he can to help Clemson win the first game.

“Winning the first game of the series really puts momentum into the dugout and really gives you a chance to come out and win the series in Game 2 and then you get to the third game, obviously, and have a chance to get the sweep,” he said. “Obviously, it is huge to get that first win and kind of put all the pressure back in their dugout and let them press a little and we just get to go out and play and have fun.”

And when a team has a true Friday night guy on the mound, it is easy to have fun.