Box Score (PDF)

 CLEMSON, S.C. – No. 14 Clemson scored six unanswered runs to defeat the University of South Alabama baseball team 6-2 in Friday's 2019 season opener at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

South Alabama (0-1) will return to action Saturday when it faces Clemson (1-0) in a doubleheader to close the three-game series, with game one of the twinbill set for a noon (CT) first pitch.
 
GAME FACTS
- South Alabama jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning on back-to-back home runs by Ethan Wilson and Wells Davis.
- Clemson answered in the bottom of the fifth on a one-out, three-run home run by Logan Davidson for a 3-2 advantage.
- The Tigers doubled their lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the seventh on a one-out solo home run to right-center field by Michael Green.
- South Alabama loaded the bases in the top of the eighth when Bennett Shell reached on a fielder's choice, Wilson singled with two outs and Davis followed with a two-out walk. But Clemson right-hander Carson Spiers induced an inning-ending 1-3 groundout off the bat of Perkins to escape the jam.
- Clemson added the game's final runs in the bottom of the eighth on a two-out, two-run single to left-center field by Sam Hall.

NOTES
- Davis extended his on-base streak to 20 games, dating back to last season, with a solo home run to center field in the top of the fourth.
- Nightengale tossed 4 1/3 innings, and allowed one run on one hit with six strikeouts against four walks without factoring in the decision.
- Wilson's solo home run in the top of the fourth was the first hit of his Jaguar career. The freshman finished with a game-high three hits, along with one RBI and one run scored.
- The Jaguars out-hit the Tigers 7-6 in the game.
- Clemson improved its all-time record over South Alabama to 7-5 with the victory.
- The Jags fell to 5-3 in season openers under head coach Mark Calvi.

QUOTES
Head Coach Mark Calvi
- On Drake Nightengale:
"I was really pleased with Drake. There were a few too many free passes, and he will be better moving forward. But from a standpoint of competing, he was on point and his stuff was good. The difference with the walks was Drake, instead of going six innings, went 4 1/3 (innings). It probably made him throw another 25 to 30 pitches with the free passes, but I am super pleased with the way he competed. When he cleans up his command a little bit and take a few walks out of there, then he gets us to the sixth or six complete innings. I like the way he handled himself and his emotions. He had poise, and we're really pleased with Drake Nightengale."

- On the offense:
"Both teams were a little slow getting going, and we didn't do enough around some guys. Ethan (Wilson) and Wells (Davis) each got into one. I thought we had some good at-bats, but the difference was they (Clemson) issued one walk on the day; they didn't give us free passes, but our guys stood in there and had some good at-bats. I would have liked to have seen us handle that lefty; we knew what he was, and we saw him on film. We started to get to him there at the end and pushed him a little bit in the seventh, but couldn't quite do enough. We had our heart of the order up with the bases loaded and a chance to tie the ballgame or go ahead, and that's all you want. You want to be in a position to win, and I thought we had our chances today. We played a good team, and I thought our guys played really hard. The good thing is that you don't have to play perfect. We are a good enough team that you don't have to play perfect against Clemson, you just have to play a little better. We're right there with them."

NEXT UP
South Alabama will return to action Saturday when it faces Clemson in a doubleheader to close the three-game series, with game one of the twinbill set for a noon (CT) first pitch.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with USAJaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at Twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Dugout Club - the baseball-specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. Members enjoy all games from inside the Stadium Club with climate control, private restrooms, private concessions and access to listen to the radio broadcast. All donations to the Dugout Club go directly to support the South Alabama baseball program. For more information on how you can join visit JaguarAthleticFund.com.