CLEMSON — Another game, different day, same result.

Clemson hit three home runs Sunday to power past South Carolina 5-4, clinching a series win against its in-state rival. The Tigers won Saturday, also 5-4.

Friday’s opening game of the annual three-game series was postponed by rain. No makeup date has been set, though speculation has it happening in April.

“It was two heavyweights trading punches,” Clemson coach Erik Bakich said. “When you’ve got two really good clubs with the rivalry the way it is and you put in everything else — the crowd, the fans, the energy, the fireworks — yeah, we were lucky to be one run better."

The Tigers (9-1), ranked No. 10 nationally, got home runs from Will Taylor, Nolan Nawrocki and Blake Wright on Sunday, but had to rally from an early deficit in front of 6,124 fans at Clemson's Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

South Carolina (8-3), ranked No. 12, got a two-out, two-run homer from Cole Messina in the top of the first, scoring Dylan Brewer, who had drawn a one-out walk.

Clemson responded with a solo home run by Taylor, his fourth of the season, in the bottom of the first, but the Gamecocks extended their advantage to 3-1 on Brewer’s RBI single in the top of the third.

The Tigers tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the fourth on Jimmy Overtop’s RBI groundout and an RBI single by Andrew Ciufo.

Clemson led 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth when Nawrocki launched his second home run of the season to left field, then extended the lead to 5-3 on a blast by Wright in the bottom of the eighth.

Ethan Petry pulled South Carolina within a run with a solo homer in the top of the ninth, but Clemson reliever Austin Gordon got Brewer to pop out to shortstop and Blake Jackson to strike out.

"Ninth innings are tough, they never go 1-2-3," Bakich said. "It was only fitting there was some drama in the ninth."

Clemson's Will Taylor heating up

Taylor has awakened in a big way.

The junior outfielder had just one hit in his first 23 at-bats, batting .043 through seven games, but in the Tigers’ past three games, he has had five hits in nine at-bats. During that span he has scored six runs, drawn four walks and hit four home runs, including a solo shot in the first inning on Sunday.

Solid pitching helps Tigers get ninth win

Clemson got strong pitching Sunday. Starter Aidan Knaak, a freshman righthander, gave up four hits and three runs in five innings.

Relievers Drew Titsworth (1-0), who got the victory, combined with Nick Clayton, Matthew Marchal and Gordon to allow only one hit and one run in the final four innings. No South Carolina player had more than one hit, and Clemson pitchers struck out nine batters.

'We were fortunate that everybody who came in executed in whatever situation they were put into," Bakich said. "Nick Clayton, to strand the runner at third with their two dudes up — (Ethan) Petry and Messina — and get a pop-out and a strikeout, that was big time."

Third game of series likely to be in April

Bakich remained unsure when Friday's game that was postponed by inclement weather will be played, but did assure that it will be. The game will be played at South Carolina's Founder's Park in Columbia.

"I've heard of a couple dates in April, but it has got to match up for both clubs," he said. "We're looking at somewhere in the early to middle part of April; almost positive it’ll be in April."

Clemson is scheduled to play midweek games on every Tuesday in April — two against USC Upstate, one against Charlotte and another against Georgia, so a Wednesday game might be a possibility.

Scott Keepfer covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at skeepfer@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ScottKeepfer

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson baseball holds on for second straight win vs. South Carolina