By Will Vandervort.

By Will Vandervort

After pitching a complete game against Duke on March 22, Daniel Gossett got caught up in the moment. He was magnificent in Clemson’s 7-0 win, scattering five hits along the way.

“I got wrapped up in it a little bit,” Gossett said. “I got wrapped up in Friday night, Clemson baseball. It is a huge honor to come out and put on the orange and purple every day so I think I got wrapped up in that a little bit.

“Instead of being about the pitch, I started being about the guy. I tried to be the Friday night guy instead of throwing the baseball.”

In starts against North Carolina and Boston College, he let being “the guy” get to him as he gave up eight runs in three innings of work to the Tar Heels – his worst outing in his two years as a starter—and then followed that by allowing five runs to a Boston College team that has won one ACC game all year.

“I think I was trying to do too much,” the sophomore said. “I was trying to go out there and be perfect instead of cutting it loose and letting what worked, work. I was not letting the ball go.”

Since coming back from Boston, Gossett is letting the ball go. He allowed just two runs in six innings, while striking out nine batters in a win against Wake Forest. And in the last two starts—wins over Miami and Friday against No. 21 Georgia Tech—he has been almost unhittable.

In the two outings, he has allowed only one run and scattered eight hits in 14 innings of work, while striking out 14 and walking only four. On Friday, he gave up one run on five hits in seven innings of work as the Tigers cruised to an 11-3 victory in the series opener.

“The pitch mix was outstanding. I have to give it to (pitching coach Dan Pepicelli),” Gossett said. “He kept them off balance all day and then Garrett (Boulware) worked hard behind the plate all day, and we had solid defense.

“Then we started putting up some runs and it is easy to throw when you have good defense, good catching and good pitch call.”

Clemson (29-13, 14-8 ACC) was unable to get much offense until late in the game, but Gossett stayed focused and held off a Georgia Tech lineup that was hitting .314 and averaging 7.1 runs per game coming in.

Twice the Jackets (27-15, 11-11) got runners in scoring position early in the game and both times Gossett retired the side, including striking out their best hitter Zane Evans with runners on second and third in the top of the third inning with two on and one 90 feet away from home plate.

“It’s always good to get a little run support, but it is still the same pitch,” Gossett said. “You have to go out there and act like you are down five or the game is tied. You are still trying to get every out. It was definitely a load off my shoulders.”

Gossett (7-2, 2.43 ERA) got his run support in the bottom of the fifth inning when the Tigers picked up two runs and then one in the sixth. A five-run seventh inning broke the game open.

Shortstop Tyler Krieger led Clemson with three hits in three appearances, while driving in two runs. The Tigers also got three RBIs  on two hits from Jon McGibbon. Steve Wilkerson had two hits and an RBI, while Steven Duggar also recorded two hits.