CLEMSON – The University of South Carolina baseball team fell to Clemson, 5-3, in the first game of a three-game set Friday night (Feb. 28) at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. It was Carolina’s first loss of the season.
Collin Priest got Clemson on the board with a two-run double to right in the bottom of the first. Clemson scored two more in the second before Carolina came back with three in the third. Nolan Nawrocki brought in a run with his fifth sacrifice fly of the season. Talmadge LeCroy then belted a two-run double to left, scoring Ethan Petry and Kennedy Jones.
Jarren Purify gave Clemson a 5-3 lead in the seventh with a solo home run. Carolina put a runner on in the ninth and Max Kaufer hit a fly to the wall in left that was caught at the fence.
Brandon Stone came in relief and pitched 4.2 innings, allowing three hits and a run with six strikeouts and no walks. The loss went to Matthew Becker, who had five strikeouts and five walks, allowing five hits and four runs in 3.1 innings.
LeCroy had two hits and two RBI to lead Carolina’s offense.
POSTGAME NOTES
- Stone now has a 1.64 ERA in 11 innings this season.
- Ethan Petry had his 11-game hit streak snapped in the loss.
- Carolina walked five times and was hit by two pitches.
UP NEXT
Carolina and Clemson move the series to Fluor Field in Greenville on Saturday afternoon (March 1) at 1:30 p.m. The game will be streamed on SEC Network Plus.
