CLEMSON — Clemson got home runs from Nate Savoie and Tryston McCladdie as the No. 19 Tigers completed a three-game sweep of Bryant with a 7-5 win on Sunday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Erik Bakich’s team has now won seven straight to begin the season.

Savoie and McCladdie both hit two-run shots, while Jacob Jarrell’s RBI single in the sixth proved to be crucial.

McCladdie finished 2-for-3 with two RBI, two runs scored and a walk, while Jack Crighton was 3-for-4 with a double and a run-scoring single.

Joe Allen pitched the final 1.2 innings to pick up his first save of the season. Allen struck two.

Starter Talan Bell hit the first batter of the game. A wild pitch would allow that runner to go to second, and he moved to third on a sacrifice fly. Ellis Garcia then deposited a 1-0 pitch from Bell deep into the left-field stands, giving the Bulldogs an early 2-0 advantage. It was Garcia’s first homer of the season.

After McCladdie walked with one out in the bottom half of the inning, Savoie hit a two-run shot of his own out to left, tying the score at 2-2. It was Savoie’s third home run of the season.

Justin Hackett took Drew Titsworth’s first pitch of the fifth inning deep out to center, his first homer of the season, putting Bryant up 3-2. Titsworth went two innings in his season debut, allowing one run on one hit, while striking out three.

The Tigers wasted no time getting that run back and more in the bottom half of the inning as McLaddie hit one out to right-center, a two-run shot, putting Clemson on top for the first time, 4-3. It was McCladdie’s third long ball of the season.

Ty Dalley drew a one-out walk in the sixth, followed by a Crighton single, putting runners at second and third. Jarrell then laced a 1-0 pitch into the gap in left-center, scoring Dalley and putting the Tigers up 5-3.

The Bulldogs were able to add an unearned run in the eighth. After back-to-back singles off Dion Brown, Luke Gaffney could not make a play on a short fly ball just off the infield into right. It dropped to the ground, allowing the runner from third to score, making it 5-4.

Allen then came in to relieve Brown, striking out the next hitter. After a controversial hit by pitch that wasn’t reviewable loaded the bases, Allen got the next hitter to pop up, stranding all three runners.

Crighton and Tyler Lichtenberger both added RBI doubles in the eighth to give the Tigers a little insurance.

Cleaning Up Little Things

While Jarren Purify and Gaffney were the only players charged with errors, the Tigers did make some mistakes that better teams could have taken advantage of. McCladdie booted a ball at third before he was able to recoup, pick the ball up, and throw the runner out at first. A speedier runner likely beats that throw. Tyler Lichtenberger slipped while trying to make a play on a ground ball, allowing a runner to reach.

Clemson also hit seven batters. Bell hit two, plus he threw a wild pitch, allowing a runner to advance. Titsworth hit a batter, as did Brown. Allen hit three

Crighton was picked off at second base. Just the type of details that you want to see cleaned up before the rivalry series against South Carolina next weekend.

Plate Approach

Clemson hitters had really good discipline on Sunday. The Tigers had 10 hits and drew three walks. Only once did a Clemson hitter strike out in this one. The Tigers have only struck out 29 times this season.

Up Next

Clemson will host Presbyterian in midweek action on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.