COLUMBIA, S.C. — COLUMBIA, S.C. – Nick Hoffmann pitched five strong innings and Clemson scored four runs in the fourth inning to take the lead for good in its 10-2 victory over South Carolina at Segra Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Tigers, who took a 2-0 lead in the series, improved to 10-0, while the Gamecocks dropped to 7-3.
The Gamecocks took advantage of two errors in the first inning to score a run, Clemson’s first unearned run allowed in 2022. In the fourth inning, Cooper Ingle slapped a one-out single to extend his hitting streak to 10 games, then he scored on a wild pitch. Three batters later, Chad Fairey ripped a two-run single to give Clemson the lead. Benjamin Blackwell later added a run-scoring single with two outs.
Clemson extended its lead to 5-1 in the fifth inning on an error, then South Carolina responded with a run on Kevin Madden’s run-scoring single in the top of the sixth inning. Max Wagner led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a double and scored on a wild pitch, then Clemson added three insurance runs in the seventh inning on two bases-loaded walks and Dylan Brewer’s sacrifice fly. Wagner brought home Clemson’s 10th run on a run-scoring single in the eighth inning.
Hoffmann (2-0) earned the win in a starting role. He gave up five hits, one unearned run and no walks with one strikeout in 5.0 innings pitched. Gamecock starter Noah Hall (0-1) suffered the loss, as he yielded three hits, three runs and two walks with three strikeouts in 3.1 innings pitched.
The series concludes Sunday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium at 3 p.m. on ACC Network.