The role of a Friday night starter is to set the tone for the entire weekend. So when Clemson’s Charlie Barnes hung a breaking ball, which NC State’s Preston Palmeiro carried over the wall in right centerfield for a three-run homer in the top of the first inning on Friday, it was not exactly the tone setter Barnes was hoping for.
But Barnes did not let the bad start get to him. Instead, he settled in for a six-inning night, which saw him post four consecutive shutout innings before giving up a second dinger in the top of the sixth inning to Andrew Knizner.