From here on out, Pat Krall will make sure whip cream is kept in the team’s refrigerator inside Clemson’s baseball operations center at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

While doing an interview with ESPN following the Tigers’ 7-3 victory over No. 5 Florida State on Monday, Krall was smacked in the face with a cream pie, shaving cream that is, as a thank you for a job well done by his teammates. The junior thought it was whip cream so he took a taste.

“It was not good. I can’t believe I ate it,” he said smiling afterwards. “That was my fault. It tastes really, really bad so I don’t suggest eating it.

“I might go buy some (whip cream) myself, honestly, for the next guy. I don’t want the next guy to do that.”

But the Tigers’ want Krall to continue to do what he has been doing on the mound. Again, he was called out of the bullpen to save the Tigers as starter Alex Schnell gave up three runs on five hits in two innings of work.

“He is one of the best pitchers that I have had a chance to coach. There is no doubt about it,” Clemson head coach Monte Lee said. “I never had a guy that has been that consistent over a course of a whole season.

“He is really, really good. He is one of the best relievers, best pitchers, period, in the country.”

Krall was at his best against Florida State. After coming in the top of the third inning with no outs and inheriting runners on second and third, Krall allowed one of the runs to score on a wild pitch. After that, the Seminoles got nothing the rest of the afternoon.

Krall did not allow a run and gave up just three hits as he improved his earned run average to 0.68 – second best in the country. He also had eight strikeouts and walked just one. The Seminoles had just one hit through the first six innings the lefty pitched.

Not even a 41-minute delay because of lightning disturbed the 6-foot-5, 220-pound pitcher. He experienced a 30-minute delay against Western Carolina on April 12, and came back in to lead the Tigers to a 7-6 victory that night.

“It was good that I have had previous experience with that against Western Carolina. I just went down and stayed loose,” he said. “Staying locked in mentally is the biggest thing I try to focus on. It was not that long of a break and it was hot out so I didn’t have to do too much.”

He did enough. Krall allowed the Tigers (28-15, 11-13 ACC) to stay in the game and then later rally for two-runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and three more in the eighth.

The win allowed Clemson to take the series against the Seminoles for the fifth time in the last seven year, and stay in the ACC Tournament race. The Tigers are currently sitting in ninth place in the ACC standings as just 10 teams qualify for the tournament which begins on May 24 in Durham, N.C.

Krall improved to 7-1 with the win, all in relief, and is now 4-1 in ACC play.

“Every time he steps up on that rubber, I have full confidence in whatever his abilities are on there,” Clemson right fielder Seth Beer said. “As a hitter, from that standpoint, I feel like it is just a breath of fresh air knowing ‘Hey! We can rely on this guy.’ With any of our guys in here you have to keep that same feeling, but right now he has that and I know (Chris) Okey can speak for it too.

“Just going up to the plate, you just have a sense of, ‘Hey, let’s take a deep breath and just try to do the best of your abilities and your job because we have him pitching.’ Like coach said. He is the number one pitcher in the country.”

And on Monday, he proved, it again, which is why he was hit with a pie to the face.