#16 Tigers Pound Terriers 12-3 Tuesday at West End Field

May 8, 2007

Greenville, SC –

Clemson slugged a season-high five home runs, and D.J. Mitchell pitched 5.0 scoreless innings to lead the #16 Tigers to a 12-3 victory over Wofford on Tuesday night in front of 6,404 fans at West End Field. It was the seventh-largest crowd ever at the stadium, which is in its second year of existence. The Tigers also improved to 32-16, while the Terriers dropped to 23-27.

Mitchell (3-0) earned the win in a starting role, as he allowed five hits, no runs, and no walks with five strikeouts. Wofford starter Charles Vartanian (0-3) took the loss, as he allowed four hits and six runs (five earned), while walking two.

Six different Tigers collected at least two hits, as the Tigers registered 15 hits in all, including nine for extra bases. Andy D’Alessio led the Tigers offensively, as he was 3-for-4 with two homers, a double, and three RBIs. Doug Hogan, Ben Paulsen, and Taylor Harbin collected two hits apiece, as each hit solo homers. Alex Lee and Marquez Smith each added two hits and one RBI as well.

John Brandt led the Terriers offensively with a two-run home run.

The Tigers scratched first with one run in the first inning. With one out, Wilson Boyd laced a single through the right side and moved to second on a groundout by Smith. D’Alessio then drove home Boyd with a double hit to the deepest part of the ballpark in center to put the Tigers up 1-0.

Clemson tacked on five runs in the second. Hogan led off the frame with a home run to left field, his ninth of the season. Paulsen and Lee then drew back-to-back walks. J.D. Burgess laid down a sacrifice bunt on an 0-2 count and reached on a throwing error by Brandt. Addison Johnson then drove home Lee and Burgess with a double to left-center. Smith followed with a double down the left-field line to plate Johnson and put the Tigers on top 6-0.

The Tigers added a run in the fourth on a solo home run to right-center by D’Alessio.

The Tigers tacked on one run in the fifth when Johnson scored on a wild pitch.

With one out in the sixth, Brandon Waring was hit by a pitch. Brandt then blasted a two-run homer to left-center. It was his 12th long ball of the season.

In the bottom of the sixth, Paulsen blasted a two-out, solo homer to right-center to put the Tigers ahead 9-2. It was his fifth home run of the season.

With one out in the top of the eighth, Sterling Dye singled to left-center and moved to third on a double down the right-field line by Emre Caglayan. Dye then scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Keith Munns.

The Tigers scored three more times in the bottom of the eighth. The uprising was highlighted by back-to-back solo homers by D’Alessio and Harbin. It was D’Alessio’s second home run of the night, 11th of the season, and 53rd of his career. It was also the 10th multi-homer game of his career. Harbin followed with his sixth homer of the year.

Clemson will host Furman Wednesday night at 7:15 PM at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.