South Carolina Blanks Clemson 7-0 in Rivalry Matchup

Gamecocks' pitching dominates as they avoid series sweep

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

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South Carolina baseball head coach Paul Mainieri praised his team's pitching performance in their 7-0 victory over Clemson on Friday. Mainieri highlighted the outstanding outing by starting pitcher Josh Gunther, who struck out 15 batters over 7 innings, as well as the strong relief appearance by Alex Valentin. The Gamecocks took advantage of their limited offensive opportunities, scoring 7 runs on just 4 hits against the highly-touted Clemson pitching staff.

Why it matters

This was an important bounce-back win for South Carolina after a tough loss earlier in the week. The rivalry matchup against Clemson provided extra motivation, and the Gamecocks were able to establish momentum heading into the rest of the weekend series. The dominant pitching performance also showed that South Carolina has the talent to compete with one of the top teams in the country.

The details

South Carolina struck early, scoring 3 runs in the 3rd inning to take the lead. Patrick Evans led off the inning with a hit, and KJ Scobey drove in 2 runs with a single. Scobey added another RBI hit later in the game. Gunther was in complete control on the mound, efficiently working through the Clemson lineup and keeping them off-balance all night. Valentin came in to close out the final 2 innings, preserving the shutout.

  • The game started after a 1 hour, 45 minute rain delay on Friday, February 28, 2026.

The players

Paul Mainieri

The head baseball coach for the University of South Carolina.

Josh Gunther

The starting pitcher for South Carolina, who struck out 15 batters over 7 innings of scoreless baseball.

Alex Valentin

The relief pitcher for South Carolina who closed out the final 2 innings to preserve the shutout.

Patrick Evans

The South Carolina player who led off the 3rd inning with a hit, sparking a 3-run rally.

KJ Scobey

The South Carolina player who had 2 RBI hits in the game to drive in key runs.

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What they’re saying

“Obviously, it was a great win for our team, our program, our university, our state.”

— Paul Mainieri, Head Coach (on3.com)

“He was really something. He was special. And I'd like to tell you I'm surprised, but I'm really not. I think he's a really great pitcher, and I think he'll continue to pitch well for us all year.”

— Paul Mainieri, Head Coach (on3.com)

What’s next

The teams will continue their series on Saturday at Segra Park. South Carolina will look to clinch the series victory, while Clemson will try to even things up.

The takeaway

This dominant win over a highly-ranked Clemson team showed the potential of the South Carolina pitching staff and their ability to bounce back after a tough loss. If the Gamecocks can maintain this level of play, they could be a force to be reckoned with in the conference and national rankings this season.