CLEMSON — Erik Bakich had no idea Clemson fans had a nickname for his sophomore pitcher.

For a good while now, the Tigers’ faithful has called Jacob McGovern, “McShovern.”

“Do you like that? Do you like McShovern,” Bakich asked his lefty in the press conference following Clemson’s 7-3 victory over USC Upstate in Game 2 of the Clemson Regional on Friday.

“You like that,” Bakich again asked with a smile, as McGovern shook his head, “yes.”

 “I would say that is a well-earned name,” Bakich said.

McGovern definitely earned it on Friday. The reliever came into a bases loaded situation with no outs in the top of the fifth inning and the Tigers trailing 2-0.

But McGovern lived up to his nickname, as he shoved the baseball down the Spartans’ throats.

The lefty struck out Scott Campbell swinging on a full count and got Johnny Sweeney, who homered in the second inning, doing the same on four pitches for the second out. McGovern then got the Tigers out of the inning by inducing Scott Newman into a flyball for Dominic Listi, who made a sliding catch in leftfield.

“The offense could kind of exhale a little bit, and it was one of those moments where, enough is enough,” Bakich said. “McGovern, everyone recognized the moment in what he did because that was a huge strand of the bases loaded with no outs. The run expectancy is over 2.2 runs.

“So, for him to come in and get two big strikeouts right in the heart of their order, against some dangerous hitters, it was certainly huge. Yeah, he earned the nickname McShovern there.”

McGovern has been “McShovern” for some time now. Since coming back from injury on April 13, the sophomore has allowed one earned run in 12 appearances.

The lefty was almost untouchable in his 3 1/3 scoreless innings against Upstate. The Seneca native did not allow a hit and struck out six. The only batters he let on base came from a walk and one hit batter, but neither threatened to score.

“His pitch ability is off the charts,” Upstate head coach Kane Sweeney said. “I knew he was going to be a tough matchup for us. We played him earlier this year at Fluor Field (in Greenville, S.C.) and I thought he threw the ball well that night, too. I think his opponents’ batting average is like .148 or something like that. So, obviously, he does not get hit on very often.”

McGovern’s performance on Friday added to what he did the previous three games. Going back to May 16 against Pittsburgh, McGovern has not allowed a run in the last 12 1/3 innings he has pitched and only one hit. He also has 15 strikeouts to two walks.

“We all know it’s go time,” McGovern said. “Everyone is focused. We know it is postseason baseball, so we just have to be that much more locked in as a team. I know the guys in the field got me, so I am just going to out and to do what I do.”

Though McGovern did not get the win, his ability to come in and shut the door on what appeared to be a big inning for the Spartans was the difference in the game. It also sparked his offense.

“I just wanted to get the offense back out there, and they came around and the offense did their thing,” McGovern said.

Inspired by McGovern’s ability to keep his team in the game at just 2-0, TP Wentworth singled through the right side to lead off the fifth inning, while Andrew Ciufo followed with a walk after falling behind 0-2 in the count.

Cam Cannarella then took a four-seam fastball from Upstate’s Amp Phillips and drove it down the leftfield line for a double. It bounced into the corner, bringing Wentworth and Ciufo home to tie the game.

The Tigers (45-16) broke the tie two batters later, as Collin Priest flew out to centerfield to score Cannarella with the go-ahead run for a 3-2 lead.

Wentworth and Cannarella came through in the bottom of the eighth to lift the Tigers to the 7-3 victory. Wentworth singled through the right side to score Listi with the go-ahead run.

Andrew Ciufo executed the suicide squeeze to plate another run, and then Cannarella took a 2-0 offering to right field to extend the lead to 7-3 thanks to his two-run homer.

Cannarella finished the night 3-for-5 at the plate and drove in four runs.

Up Next

Clemson will play West Virginia in the winner’s bracket game of the Clemson Regional at 6 p.m., on Saturday. Upstate falls into the elimination game where they will meet Kentucky at noon.

West Virginia won Game 1 of the Clemson Regional over the Wildcats, 4-3.