Drew Titsworth's career performance sparks series win over Louisville

Drew Titsworth found out officially Thursday night that he was getting his first career start.

Grayson Mann - Staff Writer - Saturday, April 19 2025

After Clemson scraped by over Louisville in the opening victory on Thursday, Erik Bakich knew what kind of offense his team was facing.

In order for his unit to pick up the series win, a gutsy performance from his pitching staff would be needed.

The question lingered for the next 24 hours – could Clemson put that performance together?

It didn’t take long to get an answer in Doug Kingsmore Stadium the following night.

In a Friday night victory, Drew Titsworth and the Louisville offense shared something in common while both were on the field: nothing but zeros.

In his first career start, Titsworth pitched 6.0 innings, surrendering just three hits, and pitching a shutout during his time on the mound.

Bakich saw his sophomore righty put together an extended outing against Gardner-Webb in a midweek victory recently, and an idea was born that he could be a valuable weekend piece.

Certainly, Titsworth backed up that belief.

“When he extended against Gardner-Webb, a light bulb went off that he could be used as a starter,” Bakich said. “He was great and certainly looked the part out there.”

That vision carried into his performance Friday, with Titsworth’s confidence and play on the mound giving the staff faith to throw him out there for an extended period, and once again, he found a way to deliver.

“We could see that we could extend him,” Bakich said. “To see him do what he did against Gardner-Webb, there was no reason why he couldn’t go four or five innings as a starter. We were going to take him out when the lineup flipped for the third time. Coach Belanger said he was feeling great, and we ran him out for the sixth. We weren’t planning on doing that, but that was more his doing because of how he was feeling and pitching.”

For the starter himself, he knows this kind of moment will be etched into his memory for a long time.

“It is certainly an experience I won’t forget,” Titsworth said. “Everyone around me gave me so much confidence going into it, and it made me a lot more comfortable.”

This experience may also be something this staff won’t forget either.

With the postseason looming, the idea of having more capable arms is one Bakich would certainly embrace with open arms.

Titsworth knows the guys around him made him more comfortable, but as the game raged on in Doug Kingsmore, it was the Clemson faithful who felt pretty assured when they saw two zeros step onto the mound.