#15 Clemson Edges Wright State 4-3 in Series-Opener Friday

Feb. 26, 2010

Clemson, SC –

Kyle Parker went 3-for-3 with two runs and four Tiger pitchers allowed just three of 16 baserunners to score in #15 Clemson’s 4-3 win over Wright State in front of 3,884 fans at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Friday. The Tigers, who took a 1-0 series lead, improved to 4-0, while the Raiders dropped to 2-3. It was the first-ever meeting between the two schools.

Tiger starter Casey Harman (2-0) earned the win, as the junior allowed four hits, one run, and a career-high three walks with six strikeouts in 5.2 innings pitched. Alex Frederick retired the only batter he faced to record his first career save. The Raiders put 16 batters on base, but Harman, Tomas Cruz, and Frederick combined to limit Wright State to just three runs thanks in part to stranding 11 runners on base.

Raider starter Alex Kaminsky (0-1) suffered the loss, as he yielded five hits, three runs (two earned), and two walks with five strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched.

The Tigers took the game’s first lead in the second inning. Parker led off with a single to right field and went to second on a wild pitch. Three batters later, Brad Miller laced a two-out double to left-center to score Parker. Will Lamb then reached on a fielding error by first-baseman Jake Hibberd, allowing Miller to score from second.

The Raiders finally dented the scoreboard in the top of the sixth inning after the first two batters of the frame were retired. Tristan Moore started with a double to center and scored on Ryan Ashe’s double to right-center. Walks by Garrett Gray and Gerald Ogrinc loaded the bases, then the Tigers called on Meyer from the bullpen. The freshman got Justin Kopale to ground into an inning-ending fielder’s choice to keep the Tigers ahead 2-1.

Clemson doubled its lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. Jeff Schaus and Parker led off with singles. Two batters later, John Nester walked to load the bases. Miller’s sacrifice fly down the left-field line scored Parker.

In the top of the seventh inning, Aaron Fields led off with a single through the left side and Hibberd followed with a walk. After Casey McGrew advanced both runners on a sacrifice bunt, Quentin Cate hit a bloop single to center to score Fields and move pinch-runner Kevin Simms to third. But Cruz got Moore to foul out and Ashe to ground out to keep the Tigers ahead 3-2.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Chris Epps hit a one-out double to right-center. Two batters later with two outs, Schaus was hit-by-pitch and Parker walked to load the bases. Wilson Boyd also walked on a 3-2 pitch to bring home Epps.

The Raiders came right back and rallied in the eighth inning. Gray led off with a single to left and went to third on Ogrinc’s single down the left-field line. Kopale then grounded into a double play, but Gray scored to cut Clemson’s lead to 4-3.

With two outs in the ninth inning, Cate hit a single through the left side to put the potential tying run on base. The Tigers brought in Frederick from the bullpen. Moore responded by lining a hard-hit ball to center, but Addison Johnson made a running catch to end the game.

Parker had three of the Tigers’ six hits, scored two runs, and walked once, while Miller had a double and two RBIs. Cate, Moore, and Ashe all had two hits apiece for Wright State, who had nine hits in the game.

Clemson will face Wright State in game-two of the three-game series at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Saturday at 2:00 PM.