Clemson routs Indiana in baseball opener with HR from transfer, strong pitching

CLEMSON – Welcome to Clemson baseball, Benjamin Blackwell.

It didn’t take long for Blackwell to make himself comfortable in a Tigers uniform. The transfer shortstop from the University of Dayton homered on the first pitch he saw Friday as Clemson beat Indiana, 9-0, in the season-opener at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

"It was a fun environment to get to play in," Blackwell said. "I'm happy it went the way it did, but I just loved being a part of it."

Blackwell played three seasons and graduated from Dayton, where he was an All-Atlantic 10 Conference performer. In 414 career at-bats for the Flyers, he had six home runs and two of those came in the same inning. Last March 30 against Akron, he hit one out of the park and then had an inside-the-park homer in a nine-run first.

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The ninth-place hitter Blackwell made his debut at the plate for Clemson with one out in the second inning and crushed a ball over the left-center field fence and into the top four rows of seats.

"He did a really good job of being on time and jumping on that sinker that was running in and smoked it," Clemson coach Monte Lee said. "Ben's an experienced player, he's a really good baseball player and he had one heck of a day."

Here’s what else to know:

… Clemson starter Mack Anglin pitched five innings and didn’t allow a hit. He came out after throwing a high-volume 82 pitches, however, finishing with eight strikeouts and two walks. Indiana got two hits on grounders through the infield with two outs in the sixth against reliver Ty Olenchuk.

"It was awesome," Anglin said. "And then those (relief pitchers) coming in after me, that was electric. I don't know how many times a game is 9-0 and you have a dugout buzzing like that. It's a credit to those guys."

Olenchuk went two shutout innings, followed by Billy Barlow and Alex Edmondson each with no-hit frames. Edmonson struck out the side in his turn to close it out.

…. The Tigers scored three runs in the first inning and chased Indiana starter John-Biago Modugno before he got an out in the fourth. Modugno made the All-Big Ten freshman team last year with a 2.09 ERA in 16 appearances, including three starts. Cooper Ingle had two hits and two RBIs.

… Clemson sophomore first baseman Caden Grice from Greer (Riverside High), candidate for ACC player of the year, had three hits. He had a line-drive single in the first and then a couple of infield hits. He also scored three runs. And for the first time in his career, played some right field.

"Caden is an above-average defensive outfielder," Lee said. "He can play right field at a very high level."

… Clemson third baseman Bryar Hawkins, batting third in the order, had a miserable opener, however. He struck out all five times he came to the plate.

… The three-game series continues 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. Clemson is scheduled to have Nick Clayton on the mound next and then Nick Hoffman in the finale.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: What to know about Clemson baseball's Opening Day win against Indiana