Ethan Darden pitched five scoreless innings in his first ACC start. (Clemson athletics photo)

by CU Athletic Communications - Fri Apr 07 20:25:22 GMT-04:00 2023

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. – Ethan Darden pitched 5.0 scoreless innings in his first career ACC start to lead Clemson to an 8-1 victory over Florida State at Dick Howser Stadium on Friday night. The Tigers, who evened the series 1-1, improved to 18-14 overall and 3-8 in the ACC. The Seminoles dropped to 13-17 overall and 4-10 in ACC play.

Darden (2-1) earned the win by allowing just four hits and one walk with two strikeouts. Seminole starter Conner Whittaker (3-3) suffered the loss, as he yielded eight hits, five runs and three walks with four strikeouts in 7.1 innings pitched.

Florida native Blake Wright laced a two-out, run-scoring single in the fourth inning to score the game’s first run, then Wright picked off a runner at third base with one out in the fifth inning on a hidden-ball trick. Wright ripped another run-scoring single in the sixth inning to double Clemson’s lead. Later in the frame, Riley Bertram executed a double-squeeze bunt to score two runs, giving the Tigers a 4-0 lead.

Back-to-back doubles by Will Taylor and Caden Grace in the eighth inning plated a run, then Wright added a run-scoring single, his third of the game, in the frame. Wright then came around to score on a two-out wild pitch. Cam Cannarella belted a solo homer, his third of the year, in the ninth inning to extend his on-base streak to 29 games.

The series concludes Saturday at 11 a.m. on ACC Network Extra.