Grice homers again as Tigers defeat Hartford in series opener |
CLEMSON –
Caden Grice hit a two-run homer and
Mack Anglin picked up his second win of the season as Clemson defeated Hartford 6-1 on a sunny afternoon at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Friday.
Tyler Corbitt had two hits for the Tigers, while Bryar Hawkins drove in two. The Tigers improve to 5-0 with the win. The game was the first of the season for Hartford, so they fall to 0-1. The game was scoreless until the bottom of the third. JD Brock led off the frame with a single to right field, but two outs later Brock was at second and it looked like Hartford might get out of the inning. However, Tyler Corbitt lined a 1-1 pitch down the line in left for a run-scoring double and a 1-0 lead. That brought up Grice, who hammered a 2-1 pitch into the teeth of the wind and over the wall in right for a two-run homer, his third of the season, and Clemson led 3-0. Bryar Hawkins added to the lead to lead off the fourth, turning on an 0-2 pitch and drilling a solo homer down the left in left for his first homer of the season and a 4-0 lead. Corbitt singled up the middle to lead off the fifth and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Hartford worked around Grice, who walked, and both runners moved up a base on Cooper Ingle’s groundout to second. Starter Tim Blaisdell coaxed a short fly ball to right off the bat of Hawkins, and rightfielder Donnie Cohoon raced in for the catch. However, Cohoon acted like it was the third out and Hawkins tagged up and raced for the plate, sliding in ahead of the throw for a 5-0 lead. Anglin’s day was done after five innings. He gave up one hit, struck out six and walked three after 81 pitches (45 strikes). He improves to 2-0 on the young season. Hartford missed out on a great opportunity to score in the top of the sixth against reliever Casey Tallent, loading the bases on two walks and a single. That brought up Jake Santiago, who hit a long fly ball to left that Chad Fairey caught with his back to the wall to end the threat. Hartford gave the Tigers another run in the bottom of the sixth. Jonathan French led off with a walk, moved to second on a balk, moved to third on an error and scored the Tigers’ sixth run on a wild pitch. Hartford scored its only run in the top of the eighth off reliever Ricky Williams, putting together three straight singles to score Cohoon for the run. The teams will play a doubleheader at Doug Kingsmore Stadium Saturday due to the threat of inclement weather in the area Sunday. RHP James Judenis of Hartford will face RHP Nick Clayton of Clemson in the opener, with righty Will Nowak of Hartford taking on righty Nick Hoffmann of Clemson. The doubleheader is scheduled to start at 1 pm, with 60 minutes in between games. Tickets that are designated for Sunday’s game are now valid for the first game of the doubleheader on Saturday, while tickets for the originally scheduled game on Saturday are valid for the second game of the doubleheader. The stadium will be cleared in between games. Due to the schedule change, the Atlanta Braves’ 2021 World Series trophy will not be in Clemson this weekend. The trophy is now scheduled to be inside Doug Kingsmore Stadium prior to and during the South Carolina vs. Clemson game on March 6. Fans will have an opportunity to take pictures with the trophy from when the stadium gates open at 1:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. on March 6. BOOM! @CadenGrice3 extends his hitting streak to 13 with a two-run home run! OH MY ??!! @bryarhawkins5 just crushed that ball!#NCAABaseball x ?? @ClemsonBaseball pic.twitter.com/tFoBJmwQ3q
B3 || HAR 0, CU 3
https://t.co/AuidOWbt3I pic.twitter.com/iERlj2RwGX
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