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CLEMSON, S.C. – Sophomore lefthander Mat Clark totaled a career-high nine strikeouts and did not allow an earned run in 6.2 innings pitched to lead Clemson to a 4-3 victory over Wake Forest at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Thursday night. The Tigers, who took a 1-0 lead in the series, improved to 32-22 overall and 14-14 in the ACC. The Demon Deacons fell to 29-24 overall and 13-15 in ACC play.
Clark (8-2) earned the win by allowing just four hits and three unearned runs. He did not allow a hit in the second, third, fourth or fifth inning, as he faced the minimum 12 batters in those four frames. Carson Spiers pitched the final 2.1 innings to record his 11th save of the season. Wake Forest starter Colin Peluse (3-8) suffered the loss, as he yielded four hits, four runs (three earned) and five walks with six strikeouts in 6.0 innings pitched.
Grayson Byrd crushed a solo homer, his 13th of the season and eighth in the last 11 games, in the first inning, then Bryar Hawkins belted a solo homer, his seventh of the year, in the second inning. The Tigers manufactured two runs in the fifth inning on Logan Davidson’s sacrifice fly and Kyle Wilkie’s squeeze bunt. The Demon Deacons scored an unearned run in the sixth inning, then they took advantage of more Tiger miscues with two outs in the seventh inning to score two unearned runs on Bobby Seymour’s single.
The series continues Friday at 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra. The first 1,000 fans receive a free set of trading cards.
Photos by Carl Ackerman
