In his first career start, sophomore Drew Titsworth delivered six innings of shutout ball to lead the No. 2 Tigers to a 2-1 victory over the No. 17 Louisville Cardinals. Clemson, taking a 2-0 series lead, improved to 35-6 overall and 13-4 in the ACC.
“It was definitely an experience I won’t forget,” Titsworth said. “Everyone around me gave me so much confidence going into it, so that definitely made me a lot more comfortable.”
Drew Titsworth
The game’s first run came in the bottom of the fifth, when catcher Jacob Jarrell blasted his 10th home run of the year—his sixth in his last eight games.
“JJ’s one of the hardest workers I’ve ever seen—maybe the hardest worker I’ve ever seen in college baseball,” head coach Erik Bakich said of Jarrell. “He’s so dedicated to his craft, in all facets, not just baseball: nutrition, strength and conditioning, hydration, recovery, sleep.”
A much-needed insurance run was provided in the seventh, courtesy of Luke Gaffney’s double to score Josh Paino. This proved important later in the ninth, when Louisville’s Jake Munroe hit a two-out home run off Lucas Mahlstedt.
However, Mahlstedt struck out the next batter to record his 14th save of the year. T.P. Wentworth and Reed Garris also tossed scoreless innings following Titsworth.
Clemson goes for the sweep of Louisville tomorrow at 1 p.m.
