Tigers Down UNLV, 5-3

March 4, 2000

CLEMSON, S.C. – Clemson’s Ryan Mottl recorded his 300th career strikeout in Clemson’s 5-3 win over UNLV Saturday. The win gives the Tigers a 2-0 lead in the three-game series. Clemson’s record improves to 11-1, while UNLV drops to 5-15. The win was the ninth in a row for #8 Clemson.

Ryan Mottl (4-0) allowed four hits, two runs, no walks, and had seven strikeouts in 8.0 innings to earn the win. His sixth strikeout of the game, a 91-mph fastball, gave him 300 strikeouts in his career. Mottl has a 1.13 ERA in 24.0 innings this season. He has allowed just 10 hits, five walks, and a .128 opponent batting average while striking out 22. Mottl, a senior righthander, runs his record to 19-2 all-time at Doug Kingsmore Stadium with the win.

Nick Glaser finished the game to get his sixth save despite allowing three hits and one unearned run. UNLV starter Justin Fairbanks (0-2) suffered the loss, despite allowing just one earned run and three hits in 5.0 innings. Three of the five runs allowed by UNLV were of the unearned variety thanks to five Rebel errors.

UNLV took the lead 2-0 in the top of the second inning when both Trent Kitsch and Adam Manley scored. After hitting a double, Kitch scored off of Manley’s double, then Manley scored on a sacrifice fly from Brad Beasley.

Clemson tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning with Jeff Baker and Henri Stanley both scoring. After hitting a double, Baker scored off of a single by Brian Ellis. Stanley, who walked, advanced home on a fielding error by second baseman Zach Strong.

Clemson took the lead in the fifth when Casey Stone scored off Khalil Greene’s sacrifice fly, his third of the year. Bradley LeCroy scored on a fielding error by third baseman Brad Maloff in the seventh. The Tigers got their final run in the eighth when Baker scored on Ellis’ single.

The Rebels scored a run in the ninth inning when Manley recorded a double then scored on Michael Ford’s single. Manley led the Rebels with two doubles, two runs scored, and an RBI. Clemson was paced by Ellis and Baker, who both had two hits.

The two teams will conclude the three-game series Sunday at 1:00 PM. Jack Leggett has 299 career wins in just over six seasons at Clemson.