Clemson Defeats Kennesaw State 7-2 to Earn Season Sweep

For the first time since 2006, Clemson has won forty games in the regular season. In front of a capacity crowd that was mostly in orange at Kennesaw State’s Stillwall Stadium, Clemson clawed it’s way to a midweek victory and a season sweep of the Owls. The Tigers put up two runs in the fourth inning and another in the fifth inning thanks to some timely hitting from the usual suspects. Seth Beer and Chris Williams each hit singles in the fourth, and both scored on a Drew Wharton single. Logan Davidson hit a double in the fifth to extend his hitting streak to 14 games, and then promptly scored off a Seth Beer single.

KSU cut the lead to one in the sixth inning (3-2), but Kyle Wilkie plated Jordan Greene with a seventh inning sac fly. The Owls threatened their 4-2 lead with a pair of two out walks in the eighth, but Carson Spiers got out of the jam by striking out Owl leftfielder LaDonis Bryant.

Clemson added three insurance runs in a wild ninth inning. During that inning, Seth Beer was hit by the first pitch of the lefty-specialist brought in to face him, Chris Williams walked in a run, Grayson Byrd picked up an RBI on a ground out, and Seth Beer came around to score on a peculiar balk as pitcher Rhian Mann dropped the ball and watched it slowly roll off the mound.

In his first start, Clemson pitcher Mat Clark earned his third win (3-0) by going 5.2 innings, giving up two runs on 5 hits. Clemson now sits at 40-13. The Tigers will finish the regular season with a Thursday through Saturday three game series at ACC foe Pittsburgh.

Ryan Kantor