Baseball Drops Series Opener At No. 7 Clemson

Thursday, May 18

Clemson, S.C.

6 p.m.

North Carolina

33-19, 14-12

Clemson

37-17, 18-10

North Carolina

Clemson

May 18, 2023 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: UNC Athletics Communications

CLEMSON, S.C. – Blake Wright hit two home runs and drove in five, Billy Amick collected four hits, and No. 7 Clemson defeated North Carolina 14-7 in the opening game of a three-game ACC series at Doug Kingsmore Stadium Thursday.

Caden Grice had a two-run homer, Amick hit a solo shot and drove in three, and junior Nick Clayton (7-0) tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts to earn the win.

Junior Max Carlson (4-2) took the loss, lasting just 3 2/3 innings. He gave six runs on 10 hits with a pair of walks and strikeouts.

The Tigers took a 6-0 lead after two innings, sending 15 batters to the plate and scoring each run with two outs.

In the first, Will Taylor kept the inning alive with a single before Grice homered to open the scoring.

In the second, five consecutive two-out hits led to four runs.

Cam Canarella singled home the first run of the inning, with Cooper Ingle plating him with a double. Ingle scored the third run of the inning as Taylor collected his second straight hit. Amick drove in Taylor with the final run after Grice singled.

After Amick homered in the fifth, Clemson added five runs in the sixth. Ingle scored on an error, Amick collected his third RBI of the game with a single, and Wright blasted a three-run homer.

Wright hit a two-run shot in the eighth.

Johnny Castagnozzi drove in the Tar Heels' first three runs with a two-run homer in the fourth and an RBI single in the fifth. Castagnozzi added a double to finish 3-for-4.

The Tar Heels refused to go down quietly and scored four two-out runs in the ninth,

Jackson Van De Brake and Hunter Stokely collected three hits, while Carter French posted his first multi-hit game with a pair of singles.

North Carolina's Casey Cook extended his on-base streak on 41 games when he walked in the sixth inning.