Sophomore starter Carson Palmquist didn’t hesitate in getting off to the kind of start he expected on the road in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
From the first to the final opponent he faced, the former All-American closer locked in.
Palmquist struck out a career-high 11 batters and kept No. 18 Clemson to three hits and two walks in Miami’s 11-4 win at Doug Kingsmore Stadium Friday. The southpaw became the first Hurricane since former starter Chris McMahon to hold 10 strikeouts in one game.
Three Hurricanes RBI base hits and four sacrifice flies backed Palmquist’s career night in the opener of the team’s first ACC road series of the season.
Junior catcher Maxwell Romero Jr. ignited Miami’s scoring with a one-out RBI single in the opening inning. An RBI groundout from freshman outfielder Edgardo Villegas and a wild pitch scored the third and fourth runs for the Hurricanes in the second.
Clemson coach Monte Lee signaled for relief pitching after three innings. Right-handed pitcher Mack Anglin struggled and allowed six earned runs, despite entering with a 1.71 ERA and a 3-0 record on the season.
No matter which bullpen arm Lee inserted, Miami (12-5, 3-1 ACC) found offense.
Back-to-back RBI sacrifice flies in the fourth propelled UM to a 6-0 lead. Freshman shortstop Dominic Pitelli capped off the Hurricanes’ scoring with an RBI single in the sixth and a sacrifice fly two innings later.
After retiring 18 of 23 Clemson batters on 107 pitches, Palmquist was replaced at the one-out mark of the seventh inning.
But once the Hurricanes turned to their bullpen, junior right-handed reliever Anthony Arguelles ran into trouble.
Clemson second baseman Blake Wright started the eighth with a solo home run. Back-to-back singles from shortstop Benjamin Blackwell and center fielder J.D. Brock filled the bases before two additional Tigers walked, eventually bringing home a run and shooing Arguelles.
As Miami remained ahead 11-2, Clemson (14-3, 0-1 ACC) capitalized on a fielder’s choice for another run to close a three-run frame.
FGCU transfer Ronaldo Gallo finished the Hurricanes’ bullpen service, pitching 1 2/3 innings. The sophomore moved the Hurricanes out of the eighth and recorded an out in the ninth, until the Tigers presented one last answer. Wright hit his second solo shot of the night before the Tigers ran out of scoring plays.
With the win, Miami forced Clemson into its third straight defeat. The Tigers dropped their series finale against Northeastern of the Colonial Athletic Association, in addition to a midweek defeat to Georgia State.
Palmquist (4-1) garnered the win, while Anglin (0-1) was tacked with the loss. Clemson used six different relievers.
Freshman Karson Ligon is set to start Saturday as the Canes aim for their second consecutive series victory. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.