What we learned from Clemson baseball's pitching issues after getting swept by Wake Forest
After winning three straight ACC series, Clemson baseball's streak came to an end after No. 13 Wake Forest swept the Tigers over three games at David F. Couch Ballpark in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
The No. 4 Tigers (37-12, 17-10 ACC) still lead the ACC’s Atlantic Division, but the Demon Deacons (36-16, 15-12) outscored them 25-10 to sweep them for the second straight season.
Clemson lost the opener 4-2 after striking out 19 times. Then, the Tigers dropped the series on Saturday, losing 8-5 after allowing four runs in the eighth inning. Wake secured the sweep Sunday, earning a run-rule victory in its 13-3 win behind five home runs.
Here are three takeaways from Clemson's second ACC series loss this year:
Clemson baseball's starting pitchers struggle vs. Wake Forest
It was a tough series for Ethan Darden, Tristan Smith and Aidan Knaak. The three starting pitchers gave up14 runs and allowed at least five hits and three walks.
Darden earned his team-leading third loss after giving up a season-high three walks on Friday and tied his season-high for home runs allowed with two. Smith allowed a season high for earned runs (four), walks (five) and home runs (two) and tied his season high for hits allowed with six.
In the finale, Knaak had one of his roughest starts of the season, earning his first loss of his collegiate career. He allowed six walks, the most of his career, tied his season high for earned runs with six and struck out four hitters, the fewest of the year.
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Clemson's bullpen continues to be an issue
Like the Tigers' relievers did against Georgia Tech last week, they imploded on Saturday to squander Clemson's 5-4 lead in the eighth inning. Lucas Mahlstedt, Justin LeGuernic and Nick Clayton gave up five hits and four earned runs against 15 batters across 2 2/3 innings.
After Clemson cut its deficit to 4-3 entering the fifth in the finale, Jacob McGovern replaced Knaak and allowed a three-run home run. Billy Barlow replaced McGovern and gave up two homers. The Tigers' bullpen allowed 10 runs over the series.
As the ACC Tournament and NCAA Tournament approaches, the Tigers must solve their overall pitching woes.
No answer for Wake Forest's Chase Burns
Chase Burns, who leads the NCAA in strikeouts, fanned a career-high 16 batters Friday to set Wake's single-season record for strikeouts. The projected first-round pick of the MLB Draft pitched seven innings of one-run ball and held Clemson's batters to only two hits. Jacob Hinderleider was a recipient of one of them, belting a solo home run in the fourth.
The Tigers will look to rebound in the final week of the regular season against Coastal Carolina on Tuesday and a home series against Boston College starting Thursday.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: What we learned from Clemson baseball losing ACC series to Wake Forest
