#17 Clemson Hammers #5 South Carolina 14-5 Wednesday

April 25, 2007

Clemson, SC –

Wilson Boyd totaled four RBIs, and Ben Paulsen and Taylor Harbin each collected three hits and had three RBIs, as #17 Clemson registered a 14-5 victory over #5 South Carolina in the last game of the four-game, regular-season series Wednesday in front of 6,217 fans at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Clemson improved to 27-14. South Carolina, who won three of the four matchups in 2007, fell to 32-11.

Sophomore righthander D.J. Mitchell improved to 2-0 on the season, as he worked a career-high 6.0 innings, allowing one run, four hits, and three walks with six strikeouts. Gamecock starter Blake Cooper (5-1) suffered the loss, as he allowed five hits and two runs (one earned) in 4.0 innings pitched.

All 10 Tiger position players scored at least one run, and nine of the 10 had at least one hit, as Clemson totaled 16 hits in all. The 14 runs were the most by the Tigers against the Gamecocks since 1997. Boyd drove in a game-high four runs, and Paulsen blasted a three-run homer to highlight the offensive attack. Harbin added three hits and three RBIs as well.

Travis Jones led South Carolina with three hits and three RBIs. Harley Lail scored three of the Gamecocks’ five runs as well.

The Gamecocks struck first with one run in the first. Jones laced an RBI single to left to score Lail, who doubled to lead off the inning.

Clemson scored two runs in the bottom of the first to take a 2-1 lead. Brad Chalk singled to shortstop and advanced to second on a throwing error by shortstop Reese Havens. Boyd plated Chalk with a single down the left-field line and advanced to second on the throw to home. Harbin then drove in Boyd with a single to left field, giving Clemson a 2-1 lead.

Clemson added to its lead with a four-run fifth inning in which the Tigers sent 10 batters to the plate. J.D. Burgess singled through the right side. Alex Lee followed with a single to third base. Boyd then hit a two-run triple to right-center. With two outs, Boyd scored on a wild pitch. Andy D’Alessio followed with a single to left field and then stole second. Marquez Smith then singled to right field, plating D’Alessio and putting the Tigers on top 6-1.

In the seventh inning, Andrew Crisp hit a two-out single to right field and later scored on dropped fly ball by Alex Burg off the bat of Lail. Jones then singled up the middle to score Lail and cut the Tiger lead to 6-3.

Clemson put the game out-of-reach with seven runs in the seventh inning. The attack was highlighted by a three-run homer to right field by Paulsen, his fourth of the season.

The Gamecocks added a run in the eighth on a solo homer run to left by Phil Disher, his 10th of the year.

The Tigers put one more up on the scoreboard in the bottom of the eighth, as Smith scored on a wild pitch.

In the top of the ninth, Jones drove home Lail with a double to right.

Boyd received the 2007 Bob Bradley Award, given to the Clemson MVP of the four-game series with South Carolina. Boyd was 5-for-14 (.357) with four RBIs in four games. Justin Smoak won the Tom Price Award for the Gamecocks.

Clemson continues its homestand Friday at 7:15 PM for the first of three games against Georgia Tech.