#12 Tigers Outlast #21 Chanticleers 12-7 in Clemson Regional Saturday

June 4, 2011

Clemson, SC –

Will Lamb, and John Hinson all hit home runs to lead #12 Clemson to a 12-7 victory over #21 Coastal Carolina in the Clemson Regional in front of 5,408 fans at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Saturday night. The Tigers, who moved to 2-0 in the Clemson Regional, improved to 43-18 on the season. The Chanticleers, who fell to 1-1 in the Clemson Regional, dropped to 42-19 in 2011.

After both teams scored two runs in the first inning, the Tigers scored two unearned runs in the second inning and never relinquished the lead. Clemson led by scores of 6-4 after three innings and 7-5 after five innings. Clemson then scored a run in the seventh inning and four more runs in the eighth inning to build a comfortable lead.

David Haselden (6-1), the second of three Tiger pitchers, earned the win. He allowed five hits, two runs, and no walks with two strikeouts in 4.0 innings pitched.

Keith Hessler (2-3), the first of seven Coastal Carolina hurlers, suffered the loss. He yielded two hits, four runs (two earned), and three walks in 1.2 innings pitched.

The Tigers wasted little time taking the game’s first lead in the top of the first inning. Hinson laced the first pitch of the game up the middle for a single and went to third base on Brad Miller flied out to the wall in right-center to score Hinson on a sacrifice fly and move Pohl to third base, then Lamb walked. Shaffer lofted another sacrifice fly to left-center to plate Pohl.

The Chanticleers responded in the bottom of the first inning to tie the score. Rich Witten grounded a one-out single up the middle and Tommy La Stella followed with a two-run homer to center, his 14th long ball of the season.

In the second inning, Chris Epps drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second base on Jason Stolz’s sacrifice bunt. After Epps advanced to third on Spencer Kieboom’s flyout to deep left-center and Hinson walked with two outs, Pohl reached on a fielding error by third-baseman Tripp Martin that allowed Epps to score. Miller then lined a single to right-center to score Hinson.

Shaffer added to the Tigers’ lead with one out in the top of the third inning when he belted a solo home run to right-center, his 12th long ball of the season. Jeff Schaus followed with a walk, but he was retired at second base on Epps’ fielder’s choice to second. After Epps stole second with two outs, Stolz lined a single to left-center to score Epps.

In the bottom of the third inning, leadoff batter Scott Woodward reached when Hinson dropped his liner at third. Witten followed with a single through the left side, then La Stella ripped a ground-rule double to right field to score Woodward. Daniel Bowman reached on another error by Hinson as Witten scored to cut Clemson’s lead to 6-4.

Lamb led off the top of the fifth inning with a solo home run to right field, his third long ball of the year.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Witten chopped a one-out single up the middle and went to third base on La Stella’s single through the right side. Bowman followed with a line-drive single to center to score Witten.

In the seventh inning, Lamb lined a two-out single to center on an 0-2 pitch and scored on Shaffer’s double to right-center.

Stolz led off the eighth inning with a single through the right side on a 1-2 pitch and advanced to second base on Kieboom’s sacrifice bunt. Hinson followed with a long two-run homer to right field, his ninth home run of the season. Pohl blooped a single to left-center. Two batters later, Lamb lined a two-out triple down the right-field line to score Pohl, then Shaffer lined a single to center to score Lamb.

In the ninth inning, Hayes Orton led off with a single to right field and scored on John Fidanza’s double to right-center. Two batters later, pinch-hitter T.J. Young hit a one-out double to right-center to score Fidanza. But Alex Frederick entered the game and retired the next two Chanticleers to end the game.

Pohl, Lamb, and Shaffer had three hits apiece to lead the Tigers’ 14-hit attack. Shaffer went 3-for-4 with a homer, double, and four RBIs. Lamb was 3-for-4 with a homer, triple, two RBIs, three runs, and a walk, while Pohl was 3-for-5 with a double and two runs. Hinson added two hits, including a homer, two RBIs, three runs, and a walk. Epps scored two runs, but his 10-game hitting streak came to an end.

Witten led the Chanticleers’ 12-hit performance by going 4-for-4 with three runs. La Stella was 3-for-5 with a homer, double, and three RBIs.

Clemson will face the winner of the Connecticut vs. Coastal Carolina game, which is slated to start at 3:00 PM on Sunday, on Sunday at 7:00 PM at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. If Connecticut wins, the Tigers will be the designated visiting team on Sunday night. If Coastal Carolina wins, the Tigers will be the designated home team on Sunday night.