No. 15 Clemson delivered a complete performance Friday, defeating Pittsburgh 11-2 behind a 14-hit offensive attack and strong pitching from Drew Titsworth and Jacob McGovern. The Tigers (38-15) scored in six different innings, including a four-run second frame that helped establish early control of the contest.
Clemson’s offense was firing on all cylinders, batting .359 as a team while going 5-for-16 with runners in scoring position. The Tigers’ balanced attack featured six players with multiple hits, led by center fielder Cam Cannarella’s 4-for-5 day at the plate. First baseman Jack Crighton went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs scored, while right fielder Aiden Wentworth drove in a team-high three runs on two hits.
The Tigers wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Cannarella scored on Priest’s sacrifice fly to center field. Clemson then broke the game open in the second, scoring four runs highlighted by Jacob Purify’s two-run homer to right field. The sophomore second baseman finished the day 1-for-5 with two RBIs and now has a .293 batting average on the season.
Clemson continued to add to their lead with two runs in both the third and fifth innings, plus two more in the sixth. The Tigers were particularly effective with two outs, collecting four two-out RBIs while batting .308 (4-for-13) in those situations.
On the mound, starter Drew Titsworth improved to 5-1 on the season, working six solid innings while allowing just two runs on five hits. The junior right-hander struck out four and walked two, throwing 95 pitches with 58 strikes. Pittsburgh’s only damage came in the fourth inning when Zuckerman connected for a two-run homer to right center.
Jacob McGovern was dominant in relief, earning his first save of the season with three perfect innings to close out the game. The left-hander struck out three of the nine batters he faced, needing just 37 pitches to record the final nine outs.
Defensively, Clemson was flawless, posting a 1.000 fielding percentage while turning one double play. The Tigers’ pitchers combined for seven strikeouts against just two walks, with a 65.2% strike rate on their 132 total pitches.
Pittsburgh managed just five hits in the contest, with left fielder Nessler going 2-for-3. The Panthers struggled particularly with runners on base, going 1-for-9 in those situations and 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position.
With Friday’s victory, the Tigers have secured the weekend series after also winning Thursday’s opener 6-1. Clemson will look to complete the sweep on Saturday when they face the Panthers in the regular season finale at 1:00 PM. A win would give the ninth-ranked Tigers momentum heading into postseason play as they close out their ACC schedule.
