#13 Tigers Hold on for 6-5 Win Over Mercer in Second Game of Doubleheader Saturday

Feb. 23, 2008

Clemson, SC –

Clemson scored six runs in the first three innings and held on for a 6-5 victory over Mercer in the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday in front of 6,317 fans at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The #13 Tigers improved to 2-0, while Mercer dropped to 0-2.

D.J. Mitchell (1-0) pitched 5.0 innings, allowing three runs on three hits with four strikeouts to earn the win. Matt Vaughn closed out the game to pick up his first save. Justin Boyette (0-1) surrendered five earned runs on seven hits in 6.0 innings pitched and took the loss for Mercer.

Chris Epps was 2-for-4 for Clemson with a two-run homer, the first of his career, in the third inning. Epps finished his first day as a Tiger with five hits in seven at-bats.

Six other Tigers had one hit apiece, including Doug Hogan, who upped his hitting streak to 17 games. Steven Karwatt led the Bears with a two-run home run in the second.

Matthew Crawford scored on a wild pitch to give the Bears a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

Karwatt then hit a two-run homer to left in the second to put the Bears on top 3-0.

Epps led off the bottom of the second with a single to center. With one out, Alex Lee singled through the right side. Mike Freeman crushed his first hit as a Tiger through the right side to plate Epps. Stan Widmann then hit a sacrifice fly to score Lee. Wilson Boyd then reached second on a dropped pop-up that moved Freeman to third. Hogan followed with a bunt single to third, as the third baseman’s errant throw to first allowed Boyd and Freeman to score and put the Tigers on top 4-3.

Epps highlighted the third inning with his first career home run, a two-run shot into a stiff wind to right field that put the Tigers ahead 6-3.

The Bears scored one run in the sixth when Thomas Carroll scored on a fielding error by second-baseman Mike Freeman.

Pinch-hitter Joe Winker scored on a groundout by Tyler McCarty in the ninth inning after leading off with a double, but Vaughn closed out the game to pick up the save.

The Tigers and Bears will play the final game of the three-game series on Sunday at 1:00 PM at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.