For the second time in three years, Clemson has lost its opening weekend series. Wright State used Seth Gray’s three-run home run in the second inning on Sunday to defeat the 10th-ranked Tigers 9-2 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, winning the rubber match in the three-game series.
“I apologize to our fans” Clemson head coach Monte Lee said. “I have to be accountable. It always starts with me. I have to do a better job coaching our players and getting our players ready to play the game. I feel like I failed them and I definitely … This was a tough one to take. I apologize to our fans who came out to support our players today and to our fan base. I definitely have to do a better job of preparing our team and getting them prepared to play so that falls on my shoulders.”
Clemson starter Alex Eubanks suffered the loss on the mound, allowing five earned runs on six hits in just 4.1 innings of work. He did have six strikeouts. Jacob Hennessy had four strikeouts in 1.2 innings of work in relief of Eubanks.
The Raiders (2-1) grabbed the lead in the second when first baseman Gabe Snyder singled to right field and later scored on an Adrian Marquez double to left field. Marquez then scored on Gray’s home run after the ball bounced off Clemson centerfielder K.J. Bryant’s glove and over the wall.
Seth Beer pulled Clemson within two runs at 3-1 when he hit his second home run of the series. Like Saturday’s home run, Beer hit the ball to centerfield in the bottom of the fourth inning.
In 14 plate appearances this season, Beer has two home runs, one double, one hit by pitch, six walks and has scored four runs.
Logan Davidson hit a solo home run in the top of the ninth inning to right centerfield for his first career home run.
The Tigers’ momentum from the Beer home run was short lived as Wright State added two more runs in the top of the fifth inning as Kevin Whatley doubled down the left field line and Gray followed with an RBI double to right field.
Gray later scored on a Morrow sacrifice fly to center field for a 5-1 lead. Gray scored again in the top of the seven inning that made the score 6-1.
“We just could not get anything going right today,” Lee said. “I think we did a pretty good job of throwing strikes and getting ahead of their guys, but the bottom line is we did not execute pitches with two strikes. They got a bunch of hits with two strikes.
“Every time we made a mistake defensively, it came back to bit us.”
Clemson (1-2) had an opportunity to get something going in the third inning after Patrick Cromwell got on with a bunt single and K.J. Bryant doubled to centerfield with one out, but Chase Pinder lined out to shortstop, while Cromwell was caught off the bag and doubled up to end the inning.
The Tigers had runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning, but Weston Jackson and Davidson struck out looking to end another scoring threat without any runs scored.
“We just could not come up with a hit offensively,” Lee said. “They made pitches and we did not take very good swings in the strike zone today. Again, that falls on coaching. We have to try and put our guys in position to execute better … When we get in good counts to hit, we have to take better swings. That falls on us as coaches.”
Wright State starter Danny Sexton earned the win after he struck out seven batters while giving up just one run on four hits. Five of the 10 Tigers that struck out on Sunday went down looking.
“Give Wright State credit. After we evened the series yesterday, they came out today and they played a really good ballgame behind their pitcher Danny Sexton,” Lee said. “We knew we were going to have a tough test today with Sexton being their No. 1 starter. He threw extremely well.”
The Tigers will play Western Carolina at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Wednesday at 4 p.m.