#13 Tigers Open Season With 12-5 Win Over Mercer in First Game of Doubleheader Saturday

Feb. 23, 2008

Clemson, SC –

Senior catcher Doug Hogan lived up to his preseason billing and junior lefthander Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Saturday.

The Tigers moved to 1-0 with the victory in game-one of the series and the Bears fell to 0-1.

Hogan, who was tabbed a preseason third-team All-American and named to the watch list for the Golden Spikes Award, went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer in the sixth inning. Hogan extended his hitting streak to 16 games, stemming back from the season-ending 15-game streak in 2007.

Ryan Hinson (1-0) was in midseason form against the Bears, as he worked 5.0 innings, allowing five hits, two runs, and three walks with four strikeouts to up his career record to 11-2. Mercer starter Boone Webster (0-1) took the loss, as he allowed seven runs (three earned) in 4.0 innings pitched.

Clemson (1-0) scored two runs in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. Stan Widmann, who was coming off a season-ending injury in 2007, singled to lead off the inning and Wilson Boyd followed with a towering two-run homer to left field.

The Bears (0-1) responded with two runs in the third inning to tie the score. Matthew Crawford led off the frame with a single to right, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Tyler McCarty, and advanced to third on a double by Mike Armstrong. Crawford then scored on a sacrifice fly by Tyler Brown. Steven Karwatt then doubled to right, plating Armstong.

Clemson took back the lead with five runs in the bottom of the third. Widmann doubled to left-center, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on a passed ball. Hogan then doubled to center. Ben Paulsen reached on an error that also allowed Hogan to advance to third. Jeff Schaus and Chris Epps drew back-to-back walks to score Hogan. John Hinson then plated Paulsen with a sacrifice fly to left. Alex Lee tripled to left-center, scoring Schaus and Epps and putting the Tigers on top 7-2.

The Tigers tacked on two more runs in the fifth inning, as Lee singled to left, plating both John Hinson and Epps.

Hogan highlighted the sixth inning with a towering two-run homer down the left-field line to put the Tigers ahead 11-2.

With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, pinch-hitter Kyle Parker smacked his first career hit as a Tiger, a sharp single to center on the first pitch he saw. Parker then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Pinch-hitter Adam Ward drove him home with a single to left, upping the lead 12-2.

Mercer scored three runs in the ninth, but it was not enough to catch the Tigers.

Clemson, who totaled 16 hits, was led by Hogan (3-for-4) and Boyd (3-for-5), who each hit two-run homers. Lee had a 2-for-4 day with a career-high four RBIs. Epps had an impressive first appearance as a Tiger, as he went 3-for-3 with an RBI.

The Tigers and Bears will start the second game of the doubleheader at approximately 4:30 PM.