CLEMSON — It was not a clean night of baseball at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Second-ranked Clemson and NC State combined to commit six errors (three each), as the Wolfpack knocked off the Tigers 11-8.
Besides the errors, Clemson had two costly base running mistakes, while Wolfpack pitching hit three batters and walked six. The Tigers walked eight and threw one wild pitch. It is a game both teams will soon want to forget.
“It was pretty straight forward. We didn’t deserve to win and we didn’t play well. It was pretty disappointing,” Clemson head coach Erik Bakich said. “Even though we scored eight runs we didn’t do a good job of moving guys over and getting guys in.”
Six of NC State’s 11 runs were unearned, while the Tigers plated two unearned runs.
“Defensively it was very sloppy. We gave up six unearned runs. And then from a pitching standpoint we are just better than that. Ten of their 11 runs coming with two outs,” Bakich said.
Will Taylor led Clemson with a 2-for-4 day at the plate, including a two-run homer in the bottom of the first inning. He drove in four runs overall, including a two-run single to leftfield in the bottom of the fourth that gave the Tigers a 6-5 lead at time.
Clemson (28-5, 10-3 ACC) also got a two-run bomb from Jimmy Obertop in the fourth inning. The loss marked the first time the Tigers have lost two straight games this year.
The story of the night was the Tigers’ inability to take advantage of NC State’s mistakes, while the Wolfpack did on their end. State finished the night 6-for-20 with runners in scoring position, while the Tigers were just 1-for-12.
Twice the Tigers were thrown out thanks to base running errors. Nolan Nawrocki was thrown out at home plate to end the third inning, following a throwing error from State’s Alec Makarewicz. Third base coach Nick Schnabel waved the slow-footed Nawrocki home.
Schnabel tried to get Jarren Purify to stop following Taylor’s two-out single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth inning. However, Purify was rolling through the bases and did not see Schnabel put up the stop sign until it was too late.
Purify tried to get back to third, but was thrown out by the leftfielder.
Eli Serrano led the ‘Pack (19-13, 9-7 ACC) with four RBIs on a 3-for-4 night at the plate. Josh Hogue went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in the top of the first inning.
Shane Van Dam came on in relief of starter Sam Highfill with one out in the fourth to earn the victory for NC State. The righty allowed just one earned run and two hits, while fanning eight batters and walking three.
UP NEXT
Game 2 of the three-game series will be Saturday at 8 p.m. The game will be televised on the ACCN.
A limited number of signed footballs from Clemson’s 2022 class are still available. Get yours while supplies last! Visit Clemson Variety & Frame or purchase online!
