#1 Clemson Rallies For 6-4 Win Over #9 South Carolina Sunday

March 5, 2006

Clemson, SC- Top-ranked Clemson used a three-run seventh inning to defeat #9 South Carolina 6-4 in front of a capacity crowd of 5,617 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium Sunday. The Tigers improved to 7-2, and the Gamecocks fell to 9-2. Clemson evened the season series at 1-1, as the two teams will meet two more times in April.

Marquez Smith’s two-run, two-out single in the seventh gave the Tigers a 6-4 lead, and helped give Coach Jack Leggett a nice present on his 52nd birthday.

Taylor Harbin was 3-for-4 to lead the Tigers, and also scored two runs. Brad Chalk and Stan Widmann each had two hits as well for Clemson. Neil Giesler and Michael Campbell both recorded two hits for South Carolina, and each scored a run.

Josh Cribb (3-0) made a rare relief appearance to earn the win for the Tigers. The senior righthander pitched 0.2 innings, allowing one hit with one strikeout. Steve Richard pitched 1.1 hitless innings to pick his second save of the season for Clemson. Reliever Andy Lambert (2-1) suffered the loss for the Gamecocks, allowing two runs and two hits in 1.0 inning pitched. South Carolina used seven pitchers on the afternoon as well.

South Carolina opened the scoring in the first after two were out. Giesler singled to center and Robbie Grinestaff singled to right. Justin Smoak followed with a double down the right field line on an 0-2 pitch that scored Giesler and Grinestaff.

In the third, Campbell singled with one out. He stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Adrian Casanova. Giesler followed with a single off the glove of a diving Herman Demmink at third base to score Campbell.

Widmann tripled to right-center to lead off the third as Campbell and Mark Stanley collided on a ball in the gap. Casanova scored Widmann with an RBI groundout to first.

The Tigers cut the Gamecock lead to one in the fourth. Harbin doubled to lead off the inning, and advanced to third on a groundout by Marquez Smith’s reached on a throwing error by Reese Havens, allowing Harbin to score.

In the fifth, Widmann singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Casanova. Demmink grounded out, advancing Widmann to third. Chalk then beat out the throw on an infield single to short to score Widmann and tie the score.

Smoak was hit by a pitch to lead off the seventh. James Darnell came on as a pinch-runner, and moved to second on a groundout by Havens. The Tigers then brought in Cribb, who walked Chris Brown and struck out Stanley. Pinch-hitter Drew Martin then singled a 1-2 pitch past Demmink at third that scored Darnell.

Clemson took its first lead of the game in the seventh, scoring three runs after there were two outs and nobody on base. Chalk singled through the left side, and Harbin followed with a single to left. Tyler Colvin was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and the Gamecocks brought in reliever Jeff Jeffords. Jeffords walked Storrer on a 3-2 pitch to score Chalk and tie the score at 4-4. The Gamecocks then brought in closer Shawn Valdes-Fauli. Smith singled on a 2-2 pitch to left, scoring Harbin and Colvin as the Tigers took the lead, 6-4.

South Carolina had runners on first and third with no outs in the eighth, but could not score. Campbell singled and Giesler walked to begin the inning, and Campbell went to third after a wild pitch. Grinestaff then grounded into a double play, and Campbell was not allowed to score from third after Giesler was called for interference at second base. The Tigers brought in Richard, and Darnell lined out to end the inning.

Richard walked Havens to lead off the ninth, but got Brown to ground into a double play. Pinch-hitter Andrew Crisp fouled out to D’Alessio to end the game.

The Tigers return to action Wednesday as they play host to William & Mary at 4:00 PM at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.