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CLEMSON, S.C. – Caden Grice hit a two-run homer and pitched 7.1 strong innings to lead No. 6 Clemson to a 3-1 victory over North Carolina at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers, who swept the series 3-0 and won their 12th game in a row, improved to 39-17 overall and 20-10 in the ACC. The Tar Heels dropped to 33-21 overall and 14-14 in ACC play. The series win was Clemson’s seventh in a row in the ACC, its longest such streak during a season since winning all eight ACC series in 1994.
Grice (7-1) earned the win by allowing just four hits, one unearned run and two walks with nine strikeouts. Rob Hughes pitched 1.2 innings to record his second save of the year. Tar Heel starter Dalton Pence (4-2) suffered the loss, as he surrendered two runs on three hits in 2.1 innings pitched.
The Tigers scored in the first inning on Grice’s two-run homer, his 14th of the year. In the sixth inning, Tomas Frick hit a sacrifice fly to cut Clemson’s lead in half. Clemson doubled its lead in the eighth inning on Riley Bertram’s run-scoring double.
Clemson is the No. 3 seed in the ACC Tournament, which will be played at Durham (N.C.) Bulls Athletic Park from Tuesday to Sunday. The Tigers’ first game is either Wednesday or Thursday on ACC Network. Clemson’s opponents, game dates and game times will be announced by the ACC this weekend.
Photos By Dawson Powers
