Baseball Shuts Out Clemson to Start the In-State Series

COLUMBIA – Josh Gunther and Alex Valentin combined for the shutout with 15 strikeouts and the University of South Carolina baseball team used timely hitting to defeat No. 15 Clemson, 7-0, to start a three-game set Friday night (Feb. 27) at Founders Park.

Making his first college start, Gunther dazzled, striking out 10 in seven innings of work and allowing just three hits and a walk. Valentin came in to pitch the last two innings, striking out five and not allowing a hit. It was Carolina’s second shutout of the season and the Gamecocks had a strikeout to end seven of their nine innings.

Carolina put up a four-spot in the third. Patrick Evans started the inning with a single and stole second. Walks to Tyler Bak and Will Craddock loaded the bases. Bak scored on a wild pitch and Ethan Lizama singled to center to plate a pair, giving Carolina a 3-0 lead. KJ Scobey’s RBI single scored Lizama and it was 4-0 Gamecocks.

The Gamecocks added insurance with a pair of runs in the sixth, highlighted by Scobey’s RBI double. Carolina added its seventh run in the seventh on a two-out throwing error.

Scobey had two of Carolina’s four hits on the day. Bak scored two runs while Talmadge LeCroy also reached base twice.

POSTGAME NOTES

• Gunther had a career high 10 strikeouts in the win to improve his record to 2-0 on the year.
• LeCroy has now reached base in seven straight games.
• The game was delayed 1:46 due to rain prior to first pitch.
• This was Carolina’s first shutout against Clemson since 2017 in Clemson.

UP NEXT

South Carolina and Clemson continue the three-game series on Saturday (Feb. 28) at Segra Park, home to the Columbia Fireflies. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. and the game will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.