After dropping the first two games of a conference series to Miami at home, Clemson needed to have a good Game 3 to avoid being swept at home for a second time in the ACC this season.

The Tiger bullpen was reeling after a 12-inning game on Friday night that saw five different pitchers take the mound and a loss in Game that also saw five pitchers take the mound.

However, Jake Higginbotham did everything in his power to set up the Tigers for a  8-3 win in Game 3. The lefty threw 120 pitches in 7 1/3 innings of work while surrendering four hits, two runs, and five walks and striking out eight. In doing so he improved to 5-1 on the season.

Clemson head coach Monte Lee was impressed with his young pitcher’s performance on the mound and said he was the reason for the victory.

“We won the game because of Higginbotham’s start, he gave our offense a chance to find time to score runs,” he said. “He gave up two early, but if he had given up more it would have been really hard to come back with the arms that Miami has.”

Higginbotham likes to work quickly on the mound and find his rhythm on the bump. Lee thought he got better each time he went through the lineup.

“It seemed like he got better and better as he went through the lineup, by the second and third time through he was really good,” he said.

Catcher Kyle Wilkie thought Higginbotham had one of his best starts of the season, earning Saturday’s decision.

“He got in a groove, he really likes to work fast, the headset allowed us to speed the game up for him and he was doing a great job locating his fastball,” Wilkie said.

The sophomore’s secret on the mound was cadence and he was able to lock in and get in a groove.

“I found a rhythm and started working faster there in the second inning, trying to give our team an opportunity to go out and win the ball game, Higginbotham said.