CLEMSON, S.C. – The Seminoles’ trio of Dylan Busby, Jackson Lueck and Quincy Nieporte each accounted for one RBI, but it was not enough as Clemson (27-14, 10-12 ACC) posted a 10-3 victory in a rain delayed contest over sixth-ranked Florida State (28-12, 13-5) to open the three-game series on Saturday afternoon at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
Both Busby and Lueck finished 1-for-3 from the plate, while Nieporte capped off his day 1-for-4. Meanwhile, the combination of Cal Raleigh (2-3) and John Sansone (2-4) shared the team-high in hits.
Starter Mike Compton (5-3) went four innings for FSU before a three-run fifth closed the books on his performance. He was followed on the mound by a host of relievers, including Alex Diese who tossed one inning, allowed three hits and one earned run among the seven Tiger hitters he faced, capping off his first appearance for the Seminoles this season.
Trailing 3-0, following a home run by Clemson’s Weston Wilson in the bottom of the third, FSU opened the fourth with a leadoff walk by Hank Truluck. Two batters later Sansone moved Truluck into scoring position with a single to left field. Lueck quickly followed with a hit into centerfield, plating Truluck for the Seminoles’ first run of the game.
Raleigh loaded the bases for FSU with a walk and Nieporte drove a single to left field, scoring Sansone for a 3-2 contest. Busby brought home the final run of the inning by plating Lueck on a sacrifice fly to deadlock the game 3-3.
Clemson used three runs in the bottom of the fifth to retake the lead. The key hit was a single to left field by Chris Okey that scored both Adam Renwick and K.J. Bryant as the Tigers assumed the 6-3 advantage. Following a rain delay that lasted just under two hours, the Tigers added one run in the seventh and used a three-run home run in the eighth, off the bat of Okey, to make for the 10-3 final score.
Sophomore Drew Carlton (4-2, 4.57 ERA) will make his 11th start of the season for the Seminoleson Sunday at 1 p.m. Carlton, who shares the team lead in strikeouts (43) with Tyler Holton, is in search of his first win in April after a recent series of no decisions against Wake Forest (April 16) and Notre Dame (April 24).
***Courtesy FSU Athletics
