Tigers looked ‘Sharpe’ in win over PC

Clemson sure was “Sharpe” in Tuesday’s 12-0 win over Presbyterian College at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson. Davis Sharpe hit two home runs and drove in five runs in lifting the No. 19 Tigers to their fourth straight win.

With Sharpe sending bombs over the left field wall, Clemson starter Jackson Lindley had his best start of his career. He pitched five innings of scoreless baseball, while allowing just three hits. It was the sophomore’s first win of the season.

“I just felt like Jackson Lindley set the tone for us tonight,” Clemson head coach Monte Lee said. “When you talk about today’s momentum, it is all started with the starting pitcher. He was very aggressive.”

Lindley’s longest outing of his career was six innings against The Citadel on May 8 of last year, but he gave up a run on two hits in the win. Tuesday was Lindley’s third win of his career to no losses.

“The first two times through the order, he threw 15 of out of 18 first-pitch strikes,” Lee said. “He did exactly what we wanted him to do which was to go out there and compete in the strike zone.”

But the story of the night belonged to Sharpe. The first baseman launched a bomb to left field with one out on a 1-2 count off starter Clark Dearman for a three-run home run. That gave the Tigers a 4-0 lead at the time.

“Obviously, Davis Sharpe’s day stands out, hitting two home runs,” Lee said. “But he put together a lot of really good at-bats.”

Clemson (13-3) also scored on scored on a two-out double to left centerfield by Adam Hackenberg. His RBI double scored James Parker for a 5-0 lead.

The Tigers started the scoring in the first inning when Bryar Hawkins’ fielder’s choice to short scored Dylan Brewer, who led off the half-inning with a walk.

Clemson added to its lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Elijah Henderson singled through the right side to score Bo Majkowski with two outs. Henderson’s RBI hit gave the Tigers a 6-0 lead.

The Tigers blew the game open in the bottom of the fifth inning, when they got three runs on three hits to extend their lead to 9-0 against Presbyterian Tuesday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson.

Again, it was Davis Sharpe who got the big hit. The sophomore took a 1-2 pitch and drove it to left field for his second home run of the game. The bomb was a two-run shot and it gave the Tigers an 8-0 lead at the time.

Clemson extend the lead to 9-0 when Chad Fairey scored on a fielder’s choice from Adam Hackenberg later in the inning.

The Tigers tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the seventh inning when Brewer doubled down the left line with the bases loaded and two outs. His double brought Sam Hall, Pierce Gallo and Matt Cooper home.

Clemson finished the game with 12 hits. Fairey and Parker both finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate.

Clemson returns to Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Wednesday to host Winthrop (11-2) at 6 p.m.