CLEMSON—The Clemson Tigers (1-0) slugged their way to a dominant 14-3 win over the Xavier Musketeers (0-1), as they used a pair of grand slams, a bases clearing double and solo home run to pick up their first win of the season Friday afternoon.
Clemson starter Billy Barlow's 2024 got off to a rough start. After an error and back-to-back singles loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the first, a passed ball allowed the first run of the game. Facing his next batter, Barlow proceded to load the bases again after he hit Tyler DeMartino in the face. A pair of strike outs bookended a sacrifice fly that gave Musketeers a 2-0 lead.
The Tigers came out swining in the bottom of the first, as Cam Cannarella, Will Taylor and Blake Wright all singled to load the bases with no outs. With one swing of the bat from Alden Mathes, the Tigers went from two runs down to two runs up, as the transfer connected for a grand slam in his first plate appearance as a Tiger. The Tigers loaded the bases for a second time with two outs , Cannarella cleared the bases with a double that gave the Tigers a 7-2 lead.
After both teams went scoreless in the second inning, freshman Cooper Blauser connected for his first hit as a Tiger--a solo home run that extended the lead to 8-2.
The Tigers loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth, and Nolan Nawrocki connected for the Tigers second grand slam of the game and extended the Tigers lead to 12-2.
The Tigers added two runs on one hit in the bottom of the eighth innning.
The Musketeers plated one run in the ninth inning.
Up Next: The Tigers and Musketeers face off in Game 2 of the series Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m.