GREENVILLE, S.C. — Jay Dillard drove in four runs, including his first-ever home run, as No. 14 Clemson beat Michigan State 12-1 in run-rule fashion in midweek action on Wednesday at Fluor Field in Greenville.

Dillard went 3-for-4, and his two-run shot that travelled 408 feet in the bottom of the seventh ended the contest.

Dillard, Luke Gaffney, Tryston McCladdie and Jacob Jarrell each hit home runs, and every hitter but one in the starting lineup had at least one hit in the game.

Dillard, Jarrell, McCladdie and Ty Dalley all had multi-hit games. Clemson finished with 13 hits.

Eston Simpson made his second start of the season, allowing one run on five hits across four innings of work. The freshman struck out three and did not walk a batter. Hayden Simmerson, Brendan Bennett and Dion Brown combined to hold the Spartans scoreless over the next three innings. Clemson pitchers struck out 10 on the night without issuing a walk.

After sitting the Spartans down in order in the first, Simpson ran into some trouble in the second. After retiring the first hitter, Simpson gave up back-to-back hits, putting runners at the corners. A Khamaree Thomas sac fly would then put the Tigers in an early 1-0 hole.

Gaffney then hit the first pitch of the bottom half of the inning way out over the fence in left-center, tying the score at 1-1. It was his second long ball of the season.

Clemson would bat around in the fourth, sending 12 hitters to the plate while scoring seven runs, with all but one coming with two outs. McCladdie led off the frame with a double off the left-field wall. Nate Savoie then moved him to third on a fielder’s choice, before a sac fly by Gaffney brought McCladdie home.

Tyler Lichtenberger walked and then Jarrell singled, putting runners on first and second with two outs. Jack Crighton and Dalley followed with RBI singles before Dillard’s two-run double down the left-field line. Jarren Purify then added an RBI single. After McCladdie drew a walk, Savoie singled into left, giving him his second RBI of the inning and giving the Tigers a commanding 8-1 lead.

Jarrell hit his team-leading fifth home run of the season with one out in the fifth, a solo shot off the top of the wall in left-center, making it 9-1.

McCladdie’s opposite field solo shot in the sixth put the Tigers up 10-1. It was McCladdie’s fourth homer of the season.

Dillard added his two-run shot in the seventh to end it.

Up Next

Clemson will host LaSalle this weekend, playing four games in three days. The series gets started on Friday at Doug Kingsmore, with first pitch at 4 p.m.