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COLUMBIA, S.C. – Junior righthander Josh Gunther pitched 7.0 strong innings with a career-high 10 strikeouts in his first career start to lead South Carolina to a 7-0 victory over No. 11 Clemson at Founders Park on Friday night. The Gamecocks, who took a 1-0 lead in the series, improved to 7-3, while the Tigers dropped to 8-1. The victory snapped Clemson’s five-game winning streak in the series.
Gunther (2-0) earned the win by allowing three hits, no runs and one walk in throwing 90 pitches (65 strikes). Alex Valentin pitched 2.0 innings to close out the game. Tiger starter Aidan Knaak (0-1) suffered the loss. In 5.0 innings pitched, he allowed three hits, four runs and three walks with eight strikeouts. Knaak faced the minimum in four of his five innings on the mound.
The Gamecocks scored four runs in the third inning. Tryston McCladdie led off the top of the sixth inning with a single to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. South Carolina tacked on two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and a run in the seventh inning.
The series continues Saturday when the two teams play at Segra Park in Columbia, S.C. at 3 p.m. on ACC Network Extra. The Tigers are the designated home team and occupy the third-base dugout.
