Friday 06/16/2000
June 16, 2000
Tiger Season Ends With Heartbreaking 5-4 Loss to Cajuns Louisiana-Lafayette scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat Clemson 5-4 on June 14 in the College World Series. The loss eliminated the Tigers and ended their season at 51-18. Trailing 3-0 entering the seventh, Clemson plated four runs to take the lead. Brian Ellis reached on an error by first baseman Scott Atwood, while Mike Calitri and Justin Singleton scored on the play. Three batters later, Khalil Greene hit a two-out, two-run double to give Clemson a 4-3 lead. Clemson held the lead entering the ninth inning. Jarvis Larry led off with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by pinch-hitter Neil Simoneaux. After Ryan Mottl relieved Steve Reba, Rick Haydel singled to left, as Larry advanced to third. Steven Feehan then laid down a squeeze bunt with one out. Mottl threw to first as second baseman Ryan Riley was rushing over towards first. Riley was a step too late, and the ball trickled off his glove into shallow right-field and foul territory. Larry scored from third and Haydel came all the way around from first to score just ahead of Justin Singleton’s throw. Jarrod Schmidt pitched 7.0 effective innings, allowing just six runs, one walk, and two earned runs. Mottl suffered the loss. Greene had two doubles and two RBIs, while Patrick Boyd also had two hits, including a double. Clemson left 11 runners on base and was 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
Stanford Sends Tigers to Losers’ Brackett With 10-4 Win Stanford hit 12 singles and Justin Wayne pitched 7.2 innings to earn his 15th win as the Cardinal downed Clemson 10-4 Sunday in the College World Series. The top-ranked Cardinal scattered 12 Tiger hits, as Clemson was just 3-for-18 with runners in scoring position, including 0-for-8 in the first three innings. Kevin Lynn started and pitched 3.1 innings, allowing four runs on six hits. Lynn suffered the loss. The Tigers used seven pitchers on the day. Casey Stone and Henr’ Stanley led the Tigers with three hits apiece. Joe Borchard paced the Cardinal with three hits, three runs, and two RBIs. Clemson left 11 runners on base.
Clemson Tops Spartans 10-6 in College World Series Opener Clemson scored eight runs in the second inning, its highest ever output in a single inning by a Tiger team in the College World Series, as the #3 Tigers downed #7 San Jose State 10-6 on June 9. The previous record by a Tiger club was five runs, which occurred on three different occasions. The eight-run outburst started with four Tigers reaching via singles and was highlighted by Patrick Boyd’s three-run homer to left field. Clemson, who added two more runs in the third inning, had all 10 of its runs and nine of its 10 hits in the first three innings. Ryan Mottl earned the win despite allowing nine hits and five earned runs in 5.0 innings. The win was the senior’s 10th of 2000, becoming the first Tiger to rach double digits since Mottl won 10 games as a freshman in 1997. Steve Reba pitched 4.0 scoreless innings in relief to earn the save. He allowed just two hits and one walk, and worked out of a second-and-third jam with no outs in the seventh inning without allowing a run. It was Clemson’s first opening game win in the College World Series in its last six appearances in Omaha.
Clemson Made Ninth Trip to College World Series Clemson made its ninth trip to the College World Series in its history in 2000, and its first since 1996. Clemson also made it to Omaha in 1995 and 1991. In 1996, Clemson went 2-2, including dramatic wins over Oklahoma State and Alabama. The 1996 team featured the likes of National Player-of-the-Year Kris Benson and All-American Billy Koch.
The 2000 year’s team was quite a contrast from the 1996 team. There were no players whose numbers jump out. There were even no 2000 first-team all-conference players on the squad. But there was a tenacious desire of 25 players and four coaches, in particular Jack Leggett, to make it back to Omaha.
Clemson is 7-18 all-time in Omaha. The Tigers made it to Omaha in Bill Wilhelm’s first two seasons at Clemson, 1958 and 1959. He also guided Clemson to Omaha in 1976, 1977, 1980, and 1991. Wilhelm was 4-12 in the College World Series. Jack Leggett has taken Clemson to three previous College World Series, 1995, 1996, 2000. He owns a 3-6 record in Omaha. Leggett was a member of Maine’s baseball team that played in the College World Series in 1976.
Clemson’s NCAA Tournament History The Tigers have participated in 26 NCAA Tournaments overall and 14 in a row. Only Miami (FL), Florida State. Clemson has also won at least one game in all 14 of the regionals. Clemson’s 26 appearances also ranks seventh in the nation, while the 14-year run ranks tied for sixth all-time in NCAA history. Clemson has a 70-55 (.560) all-time record in the tournament, including a 41-29 (.586) record during the 14-year run. Jack Leggett has a 25-15 (.625) record in NCAA Tourney play as the Tiger Head Coach as well. Leggett was 4-10 in the tourney at Western Carolina in five years (1985-89), therefore is 29-25 (.537) in 11 career NCAA Tourneys.
Tiger Streaks Rank Third Best in the Country Clemson has won at least 40 games for 15 straight seasons. The Tigers reached that mark against #4 Florida State on May 8, 2000, a 7-4 Tiger win. Clemson also participated in its 14th straight NCAA Tournament. Both marks rank in the top-three in the country currently. Clemson is tied for third in the nation in consecutive tournament appearances, trailing only Miami (FL) (28) and Florida State (23). Wichita State also has a 14-year run in the tournament. As far as consecutive 40-win seasons, Clemson is third in the country with its 15-year streak. The Tigers trail only Florida State (23) and Wichita State (23) in that area.
Tiger Bats Came Alive in the Postseason Clemson’s 9-4 record in postseason play can be attributed to the hot Tiger bats, as Clemson hitting .329 in its 13 postseason games. The Tigers averaged 8.7 runs per game and 11.8 hits per contest. The team also had a .415 on-base percentage and was 22-28 on stolen bases. The Tigers committed 16 errors in 13 games for a .968 fielding percentage.
In the 13 postseason games, Henr’ Stanley led the team with a .583 batting average and a .667 on-base percentage. Justin Singleton hit ..342, while Patrick Boyd hit .390 with two homers and 16 RBIs and a ..455 on-base percentage. Casey Stone hit .355 with 12 RBIs. Jeff Baker also had four homers and 15 RBIs in the postseason. Khalil Greene hit at a .368 clip with nine doubles, a triple, and homer in the postseason as well.
Relieved In the 2000 NCAA Tournament, Tiger pitchers had a 3.53 ERA, which was odd due to the fact that the five starting pitchers averaged just over 4.2 innings. Therefore the relievers have averaged just under 4.1 innings in the eight games. In 34.1 innings, Tiger relief pitchers allowed just nine earned runs for a 2.36 ERA. The relievers also allowed just 26 hits over that span as well.
Noteworthy
Clemson’s 339 Wins Since 1994 Fifth In The Nation The barometer of a great season in college baseball is getting to Omaha and winning 50 games. Since Jack Leggett took over as Clemson’s head coach in ’94, the Tigers have won 339 games for over a 48-win average. Leggett has led Clemson to four 50-win seasons and three appearances in the College World Series in seven seasons. Included in that total is 87 wins over top-25 teams and a 41-16 (.719) record against SEC teams.
OMAHA You don’t have to look far to see how important Omaha is to Clemson and Head Coach Jack Leggett. But you might have to look closely. On the back of Clemson’s caps in 2000 was the word “OMAHA” on the Tiger Paw in small letters. In past years, Leggett created a slogan to put on the back of the hats. One season it was “TEAM”. But Leggett had a great feeling about the 2000 team, so he put “OMAHA” on this year’s caps. He did that knowing full well that the last time “OMAHA” was on the caps was in 1996, Clemson’s last College World Series appearance.
The five-letter word is spoken every day at practice and in pep-talks. There is even an Omaha Four-Lapper and an Omaha Challenge, which is an offseason conditioning test. Just inside Clemson’s dugout is the home plate from the 1995 College World Series as well. It’s no secret what drives the coach who once played in the College World Series with Maine in 1976.
Tigers Reached 50-Win Plateau for Ninth Time With its 9-4 win against #10 Mississippi State on June 3, Clemson reached the 50-mark for the ninth time in school history and first time since 1996, when Clemson was 51-17. Clemson has won 50 or more games under Head Coach Jack Leggett four times in his seven seasons. Clemson won 57 games in 1994 and 54 games in 1995 in Leggett’s first two seasons at Clemson.
Tigers Finish in Second Place in Final ACC Standings Clemson’s 17-7 conference record was good for second place in the conference. The Tigers finished one game behind first place Georgia Tech, who was 18-6 in league play. Florida State finished third at 15-9 and Wake Forest fourth at 14-10. North Carolina finished fifth at 12-12, while N.C. State and Virginia were tied for sixth at 10-14. Maryland and Duke rounded out the conference standings. The Tigers have finished in the top three in the standings for 28 of the last 30 seasons. Since 1957, the season before Bill Wilhelm’s first of 36 seasons at Clemson, the Tigers have not finished worse than fifth in the ACC.
Clemson and Florida State both represented the ACC in the 2000 College World Series, as Clemson went 1-2 and Florida State went 2-2.
^ – ACC Tournament champion, Note: Records entering College World Series
Individual Player Miscellaneous Batting Stats Below is a look at Tiger batters’ batting averages in certain situations.
Tigers Absent From All-ACC First-Team for First Time Since 1969 Clemson’s 30-year streak of having at least one player on the First-Team All-ACC team ended in 2000. The last time Clemson did not have a first-team selection was 1969. The nine league coaches determine the all-conference team by vote. Three Tigers were selected to the second team. Jarrod Schmidt made the second team as a starting pitcher and Nick Glaser made it as the relief pitcher. Khalil Greene was the only position player selected, as he was the second-team third baseman.
Clemson 41-16 Against SEC Teams Under Leggett In seven seasons under Head Coach Jack Leggett, Clemson has had tremendous success against the Southeastern Conference. Leggett’s record against the SEC as the Tigers’ skipper is 41-16 (.719), including 18 wins against top-25 teams. Leggett has at least a .500 record against all eight SEC schools he has faced while at Clemson. Below is a list of Leggett’s record at Clemson against each of the eight SEC member schools he has faced:
Leggett Surpasses 700-Win Mark Jack Leggett picked up his 700th career win when Clemson downed Duke 12-8 on April 23, 2000. He has been a head coach for 21 seasons, including his seven at Clemson. His 716-420 record (.630) is quite a record for a coach his age. Leggett turned 46 in March, 2000 and started the season as the winningest active head coach age 45 or younger. Leggett has a 339-133 (.718) record at Clemson.
Defensive Performance Sets Team Record Clemson’s .969 fielding percentage finished ahead of the team single-season record of .967 (set in 1976). The team committed 86 errors in 69 games. Among some of the outstanding individual percentages included second baseman Ryan Riley’s .984 mark (four errors) and Khalil Greene’s .937 mark (14 errors).
Tigers Set School Record for Home Wins Clemson was 37-5 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium this season. Clemson broke the school record for home wins in a season when it defeated Middle Tennessee in the regional on May 28. The old record was 34 set in 1996. Clemson’s only losses have come to UNLV, #17 East Carolina, N.C. State, #2 South Carolina, and #11 Wake Forest. Clemson has a 718-155 (.822) all-time record in the facility’s 31st year. The facility was named Tiger Field up until the 2000 season.
Clemson’s longest homestand in years, 23-games long, was completed on Mar. 26 with a 6-3 win over The Citadel. Clemson was 21-2 in the 23 games. The Tigers finished another long homestand, 11-games long, on April 18 with a win over Elon. Clemson was 8-3 on that homestand. Clemson’s regular-season home schedule ended with a three-game sweep over Florida State from May 6-8. Clemson went 5-0 in hosting two regionals at home.
Opportunistic Tigers A big part of Clemson’s success in 2000 was due in part to clutch hitting and pitching. The Tigers as a team hit .381 with the bases loaded and .320 with runners in scoring position. On the other hand, Tiger pitchers limited teams to a .217 batting average with the bases loaded and .256 average with runners in scoring position.
But perhaps Clemson’s most successful clutch situation came with two outs. Clemson hit .300 with two outs, while Tiger pitchers held opponents to a .213 average with two outs. Ryan Riley had a team-best ..408 batting average with two outs, while several pitchers have sub-.200 opponent batting averages with two down, including Steve Reba (.125), Thomas Boozer (.160), Nick Glaser (.174), and Ryan Childs (.197).
Several players also had great success driving in runs with two outs. Thirty-five of Khalil Greene’s 64, 26 of Jeff Baker’s 64, 22 of Ryan Riley’s 39, and 13 of Justin Singleton’s 24 RBIs came with two outs. Almost 42 percent of Clemson’s RBIs in 2000 came with two outs.
Tiger Bats Warmed Up With the Weather Clemson’s batting average, which had hovered around the .280 mark around midseason, climbed well over .300 thanks to the team hitting ..308 in April, .330 in May, and .304 in five June games. Khalil Greene and Casey Stone were especially hot in May. Greene hit .406 with a ..486 on-base percentage in 15 May games, while Stone hit .460 in May. Clemson hit .262 to the end of February and .295 in March. Clemson, who set many offensive records a season ago, hit .306 in 1999.
Why So Few Home Runs? The most common question asked in 2000 about Clemson when it came to statistics was, “Why did Clemson have so few home runs?” The answer is simple…Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The spacious dimensions of the ballpark, including big gaps, made it very difficult to hit a “cheap” home run. But the biggest reason for so few long balls was due to a simple force of nature…wind. Doug Kingsmore Stadium sits just a few hundred yards from Lake Hartwell. And since the field faces towards the southwest, winds blew off the lake from the southwest, meaning the wind blew straight in. It did just that in almost every Clemson game this season, more than past years. As evidence, Clemson averaged 0.74 homers per game away from home, but just over 0.4 homers per game in the friendly confines of Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Despite playing 15 more games at home than away from home, the Tigers hit one more homer on the road than at home. Tiger pitchers allowed just seven homers in 42 home games, compared to 22 in 27 games away from home. Clemson went its last nine home games without allowing a home run in 2000.
Tiger Players and Team in Clemson Record Lists Below is a look at Tiger players who have set or are in select company in Clemson statistical records. All season records are for the 2000 season only.
Lynn Superb in the Postseason Junior righthander Kevin Lynn (North Augusta, SC) turned up his game a notch in the postseason. He made five appearances in the postseason for a team-high 25.1 innings pitched. He struck out 20 and allowed just four walks. He also had a 3.20 ERA and allowed three doubles and no homers during that stretch. His best outing in the postseason came against #10 Mississippi State on June 2 in the Super Regional, where he came out of the bullpen to pitch 7.1 shutout innings and allowed just three hits while not allowing a walk. Overall, Lynn was 5-1 with a 3.91 ERA in 2000. He pitched 50.2 innings and had 49 strikeouts against just 15 walks in 15 relief appearances and three starts. Over 50 percent of his innings in 2000 came in the postseason.
Reba Was on a Roll Late in the Season Steve Reba (Fort Wayne, IN) got off to a great start in 2000, as he was 1-0 with a 0.55 ERA in his first 16.1 innings pitched over five outings. He also had a streak before his injury where he went 10.1 consecutive innings without allowing a hit and 13.1 straight innings without allowing a run. But in late March, the righthander experienced the dreaded “sore arm” and missed nearly a month of action. The ninth-round pick out of high school by the Cubs made his first appearance after his absence on April 21 at Duke. He struck out four batters in 1.1 innings. Against #2 Florida State on back-to-back nights (May 6,7), he retired all nine batters he faced over the two games to pick up a save, the first of his career, and a win. Overall in 2000, Reba was 3-0 with a 2.79 ERA. He also had a .217 opponent batting average and 33 strikeouts against only 15 walks in 42.0 innings. He also had a .125 opponent batting average with two outs.
Mottl Front and Center in Several Tiger Record Lists Senior righthander Ryan Mottl passed Kris Benson with his 30th career victory when he beat Duke on April 23. He allowed three runs and six hits in 7.0 innings. He also pitched a complete game six-hitter against #4 Florida State in the ACC Tournament to earn All-ACC Tournament honors. His shutout against Middle Tennessee in the Clemson Regional on May 26 was the first by a Tiger since 1996 (Ken Vining). He allowed just four hits and one walk while striking out eight in that game. He was 10-4 on the mound in 2000. He won 10 games as a freshman, nine as a sophomore, and four as a junior.
Mottl also had 360 career strikeouts, placing him in third place in that category in the Clemson recordbook. Mottl also had a 3.70 ERA in 19 starts and two relief appearances in 2000. Entering 2000, he had given up 39 career home runs. But in 2000, he has only allowed three long balls.
Ryan Mottl in Clemson Career Record Lists
Mottl’s Return Payed Dividends for Clemson After becoming Clemson’s first freshman to be First-Team All-ACC pitcher in 1997, and being one of 12 semifinalists for the Smith Award in 1998 as a sophomore, Mottl struggled in 1999 with a 4-8 record and 6.14 ERA in 1999. He was drafted in the 27th round by the Texas Rangers in the ’99 draft, a disappointing position for the righthander. So he returned for his senior season and set many several Tiger records in the process. But more importantly, he helped Clemson to the College World Series and significantly improved his draft status (sixth-round pick in 2000). He was clocked in the low 90s after barely reaching 90 mph in 1999. He had excellent command of all his pitches in 2000, including his “fosh”, which acts like a sinker and a changeup. Against #4 Florida State in the ACC Tournament, he pitched a complete game six-hitter against. In his next start against Middle Tennessee in the Clemson Regional opener, he pitched a four-hit shutout. It was the first shutout by a Tiger since 1996 (Ken Vining) and the first of his career.
Berney in Control Senior righthander Scott Berney (Hamden, CT) pitched 106.1 innings in 2000. In those 106.1 innings, he allowed just 25 walks and had a 2.12 walks per nine innings pitched mark. He also threw just three wild pitches and seven in his career, which included 286.0 innings pitched. He threw in the middle to upper 80s, therefore relied on “spotting” his pitches.
Berney, who played three seasons at Connecticut before transferring to Clemson, was 9-4 in 2000 with a 3.39 ERA in 17 starts. He had a .239 opponent batting average. He was victorious in each of his first seven starts as a Tiger and went his first 32.2 innings without allowing a run, a Clemson record.
Glaser Sets Clemson Single-Season Save Record Junior righthander Nick Glaser transferred to Clemson from Edmonds CC in Washington with the hopes of making an immediate impact. He did just that as he had an ACC-best and Clemson record 15 saves in 33 relief appearances in 2000. The Second-Team All-ACC relief pitcher and Third-Team All-American by NCBWA allowed 38 hits, 11 earned runs, and 29 walks along with 40 strikeouts in 40.1 innings. Six of his 29 walks were intentional. He pitched 4.0 innings in relief in the first game of a doubleheader against #11 Wake Forest on April 15, then pitched 2.0 more innings in game two. He earned the save in game two and did not allow a run in either game. He also pitched the final 3.0 innings against Mississippi State in the Super Regional, as he earned the record-breaking save and sent Clemson to the College World Series. He exudes the typical closer personality with his slingshot-type delivery and fiery attitude.
Clemson Single-Season Save Leaders
Additon Sets Tiger Appearance Record Senior righthander Matt Additon (Turner, ME) will never win a fast-pitch contest, but his value to the Clemson program the past four seasons cannot be measured. “Peach” and his sharp breaking pitch were able to shut the door on opposing teams many times. Additon sported a 7-3 record and 4.84 ERA in 26 relief appearances in 2000. Additon made 98 career appearances as well, a Tiger record. He broke the record against N.C. State on April 9. Additon was a starter in five of those games and did an admirable job every time he was called upon. With his outing at #5 Georgia Tech on April 30, he also broke the Tiger record with his 88th career relief appearance.
Clemson Career Leaders in APPEARANCES
Schmidt Had Stellar Freshman Season on the Mound Freshman Jarrod Schmidt came to Clemson with accolades such as First-Team All-American and Georgia Gatorade Player-of-the-Year out of Lassiter High School in Marietta, GA. And early on in 2000, he started at first base and outfield. But when the Tigers got into the rigorous college baseball schedule, Schmidt added another position to his repetoire…pitcher. Schmidt, who was “Mr. Do It All” at Lassiter, has done the same at Clemson. Very few times in recent years has a Tiger pitcher played in the field and vice versa. But Schmidt is bucking that tradition as he solidified himself as a weekend starter in Clemson’s rotation.
Schmidt had a perfect 9-0 record, including a complete game at #8 North Carolina on April 1, one of only three by a Tiger pitcher in 2000. Schmidt allowed no earned runs and seven hits at Chapel Hill. Overall, Schmidt had a 3.61 ERA. The Second-Team All-ACC starting pitcher threw in the high 80s to lower 90s. Schmidt also hit .230 with five homers and 26 RBIs.
Jack Leggett foresees a bright future for Schmidt, and not just on the mound. Schmidt has shown the ability to play catcher along with first base and outfield. Schmidt can also hit for power, and with more consistency, could find a spot in the middle of the Tiger lineup in the future. Expect to see Schmidt in the next few years…all over the field.
Greene Solid All-Around Sophomore third baseman Khalil Greene continued right where he left off last season. Overall, the Key West, FL native hit a team-best .364 with five homers, 24 doubles and 64 RBIs. Thirty-five of his 64 RBIs came with two outs thanks to his .444 batting average with runners in scoring position and .376 average with two outs. Greene had a team-season high five hits at Duke on April 23 and against Virginia in the ACC Tournament on May 20. He was named to the All-ACC Tournament team after hitting .500 in the five games. He was also named Second-Team All-ACC at third base. Greene, who would have been a first-teamer in most conferences, was unfortunate in that Georgia Tech third baseman and All-American Mark Teixeira plays in the same conference. The self-proclaimed Ric Flair and avid wresting fan had a 20-game hitting streak that ended on May 27, the longest streak by a Tiger since 1997. He also hit .436 away from home in 2000. Greene hit ..358 with a Tiger freshman-record 98 hits in ’99. Greene also made many great plays at third base. He was the only regular in the infield >from ’99. Greene had a .937 fielding percentage (14 errors) in 2000 after having a not-so-great .881 mark in 1999.
Stone Thrived as Tiger Leadoff Hitter Junior outfielder Casey Stone (Abbeville, SC) cemented his role as the Tiger leadoff hitter thanks to his consistent hitting the latter half of 2000. He batted in the leadoff spot 44 times, including in each of the last 38 games. In those 38 games, he hit 67-for-169 (.396). He was also 41-for-his-last-92 (.446) with 23 RBIs since he lined out to right field at #5 Georgia Tech in his first at bat on April 30 21 games before the season ended. Stone upped his batting average to .357, second-best on the team. He had a .477 on-base percentage when leading off an inning overall and was an excellent “table-setter” for Jack Leggett. He even hit lefties well with his .342 batting average against Southpaws. Stone hit his first career homer at #5 Georgia Tech on April 30, 2000. It came on his 361st career at bat. He also had the game-winning hit in the ninth inning to beat #2 Florida State on May 7. He was named the Clemson Regional MVP as well, as he hit .357 with six RBIs. Stone, who stands 5-6 and weighs 155 pounds, is a hard-nosed aggressive player in the mold of Jack Leggett himself. Stone had 11 doubles, three triples, and 25 stolen bases as well. He also had 14 sacrifice bunts, most in a season by a Tiger in history. He also holds the career record in that category with 25. Stone is engaged to Kimberly Stewart, a Clemson student. The wedding is set to take place on December 30, 2000.
Singy Hit .374 After Starting Season 1-for-28 Junior outfielder Justin Singleton began the season 1-for-28. Then, just when he seemingly started to get his bat going, he suffered a broken finger sliding into a base against Maryland and missed nearly a month. But Singleton (Sparks, MD) still managed to keep his hot bat, going 34-for-91 (.374) after the season-beginning slump. Singleton went 3-for-5 with four RBIs against Ohio on March 11 to begin his streaky hitting. He was 3-for-3 against #11 Wake Forest on April 16 in his first start since the Ohio game on March 11. He had a clutch hit, a two-run triple, coming off the bench against Illinois on May 27 to salt away the game. He was named to the All-Regional team at Clemson, as he went 4-for-6 with five runs scored and four RBIs. Singleton hit ..370 as a freshman, but struggled in 1999 with a .237 average.
Stanley’s Stance Senior outfielder Henr’ Stanley (Columbia, SC) was never for a loss of words. The sociology major has well above a 3.0 GPA. He even “told it like it was” in his personal journal that he did in the 2000 postseason for the official Clemson athletic website (at www.clemsontigers.com) called “Stanley’s Stance.” He let fans read about the daily happenings of a student athlete on the field, but more importantly off the field as well.
On the field, the speedy DH was 57-64 in his career on stolen bases. He also walked 144 times in his career, fourth most in Tiger history. In 19 career NCAA Tournament games, Stanley hit .393 with 21 runs scored, two homers, 7-9 on stolen bases, and 16 walks resulting in an outstanding .519 on-base percentage. In the 2000 Clemson Regional, he was 5-for-8 with four runs scored, 4-4 on stolen bases, and a .727 on-base percentage, as he was named to the All-Regional team. In the 2000 NCAA Tournament, he was 12-for-19 (.632) with an .696 on-base percentage.
Riley Rose to the Occasion Junior second baseman Ryan Riley (Seattle, WA) raised his batting average to .298 thanks to a barrage of hits the last half of the season. In the last 35 games, Riley had five triples, 31 RBIs, and hit ..336 (39-for-116). He led the team overall with seven triples. No Tiger had seven triples since David Miller had 10 in 1995. Riley was also a clutch hitter, with a .408 batting average with two outs and ..405 average with runners in scoring position. He also committed just four errors and had a remarkable .984 fielding percentage. He had streaks of 17 games and 15 games in 2000 without committing an error. He also had 90 and 70 chance-streaks without booting a ball as well.
Baker Provided Punch as Freshman Freshman shortstop Jeff Baker (Woodbridge, VA), who was rated as the #1 freshman in the nation in the preseason by Baseball America, hit ..313 with a team-best 11 homers and 64 RBIs. He actually had 11 of Clemson’s 37 homers (30 percent). Baker also had 26 multi-hit games. He also had a respectable .920 fielding percentage for a freshman. Baker was a star on the USA Junior National Team that won it all in Taiwan in the summer of 1999. He teamed with South Carolina shortstop Drew Meyer. Baker actually drove home Meyer for the game-winning run in the championship game. Baker was the starting shortstop for the team as well. Baker was one of first 20 players invited for the USA National Team trials set to start in June.
On the Personal Side…
Tiger Field Renamed Doug Kingsmore Stadium Former Clemson baseball star and current Board of Trustees member Doug Kingsmore gave the Clemson athletic department a $1 million gift towards renovation of Clemson’s baseball stadium, formerly known as Tiger Field. George Bennett, executive director of IPTAY, made the announcement on January 28, 2000 at a dinner at the Madren Center on the Clemson campus. Bennett also announced that the facility would be called Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
In accepting the honor Kingsmore said, “Life has been all I could have asked for and more. I’ve been blessed to have the business and professional opportunities afforded me and doubly blessed with a family that’s truly loving and supportive. With Clemson’s strong legacy and promising future, it’s a pleasure to give something back that will affect the lives of many who participate and become part of the Clemson family in the future.”
Kingsmore played for the Tigers from 1952-54. An All-ACC and All-District III outfielder in 1954, Kingsmore became the first Clemson player in history to hit 10 home runs in a season. He did that in 1954 while playing in just 24 games. He led the ACC in home runs and runs scored (25) that year, and led Clemson in batting average (.371), slugging percentage (.742), and RBIs (27).
Kingsmore played three years of professional baseball in the Baltimore Oriole organization before beginning a successful business career. He is currently president and chief executive of the Graniteville Company in Aiken, SC. He is serving in his third term on the Clemson University Board of Trustees and will become Trustee Emeritus when his current elected term expires in 2002.
“I can’t tell you how excited I am about this announcement,” said Head Coach Jack Leggett. “This will be a great lift to our program. Everyone in our program is appreciative and it means so much to come from a former Clemson baseball player, and a man who has meant so much to Clemson University.”
Corbin Named USA National Team Assistant Coach Assistant Head Coach Tim Corbin was named one of four assistant coaches for the USA National Team on February 1. The team, headed by Southern California Head Coach Mike Gillespie, will play on the US WEST Red, White, and Blue Summer Tour in 2000.
Corbin, Clemson’s recruiting coordinator, is in his seventh season as Jack Leggett’s top assistant. Corbin’s 1999 recruiting class was ranked #1 in the nation by Baseball America and he is a major reason Clemson has won 288 games (fifth most in the country) during his six seasons at Clemson.
Corbin, 38 and a 1984 graduate of Ohio Wesleyan, joins Southern California pitching coach John Savage, Louisville Head Coach Lelo Prado, and Loyola Marymount Head Coach Frank Cruz on the USA National Team coaching staff.
Clemson & South Carolina to Play Four Times in 2001 College baseball fans in the state of South Carolina will have the opportunity to see the two in-state rivals play four times on the baseball diamond in 2001, as the two teams will meet twice in Columbia and twice at Clemson. The four games will be spread out over three separate weekends. Clemson will play host to the Gamecocks on March 3, a Saturday. The following day, the two teams will play at South Carolina. On April 18, a Wednesday, Clemson will play at South Carolina. A week later on April 25, Clemson will play host to South Carolina. The last season the two teams played four games against each other was in 1997. The Tigers and Gamecocks split the 1997 season series. Clemson won the only game played between the two in 1998, Clemson won both games played in 1999, and South Carolina won both games in 2000.
HEAD COACH JACK LEGGETT
Jack Leggett in no stranger to success. In just seven seasons, he has led Clemson to 339 wins, over 48 per season, seven NCAA Tournament berths, and three College World Series appearances. His .718 winning percentage at Clemson ranks second-best in ACC history. Clemson is the fifth-winningest program in college baseball during his time as head coach.
The enthusiastic mentor, who turned 46 on March 5, 2000, has not built up that win total against easy competition. Eighty-seven of his 339 victories, 26 percent, have come against teams ranked in the top 25 of at least one of the three major polls heading into the game. He also already has 46 victories over top-10 teams and 25 wins in NCAA Tournament competition at Clemson.
Leggett has been with the Clemson program since the 1992 season. He served as recruiting coordinator and assistant head coach under Bill Wilhelm in 1992 and 1993. He was a major contributor to a pair of Clemson teams that were ranked in the final top 20 of every poll and advanced to two NCAA Regionals. The Tigers also won the ACC Tournament Championship in 1993.
The word championship is also in the lexicon of terms when summarizing Leggett’s first seven years as the head coach in Tigertown. In 1994, Clemson won the ACC regular-season championship and went on to win the tournament title as well. In 1995, the Tigers repeated as regular-season conference champions and won the NCAA East Regional title. The 1996 season brought Clemson another NCAA Regional title and a second consecutive berth to the College World Series. In ’99, Clemson won four games in two days to capture the Fayetteville (AR) Regional. He also led the Tigers to the Clemson Regional Championship in 2000
Clemson has won at least 40 games for 15 straight seasons and has participated in an NCAA Regional for 14 years in a row. Also, four of the seven seasons have seen the Tigers finish in the top 10 of all three major polls and there has been at least a top-25 final ranking every season under Leggett.
For his accomplishments, Leggett was named ACC Coach-of-the-Year in his first two seasons (1994,95). He was just the fourth coach in the history of the ACC, regardless of sport, to be named ACC Coach-of-the-Year in each of his first two seasons in the league. Former Clemson football coach Charley Pell and current Tiger men’s track and field coach Bob Pollock are two of the other coaches to be awarded that honor.
Leggett’s demeanor is one of aggressiveness and passion for the game. One can see the South Burlington, VT native sprinting to the third-base coaching box between innings and diving into the pre-game huddle to get his players fired up. Leggett expects the same intensity and has gotten that out of his players. He even carries with him to all games a old glove and pair of shoes that his father wore in the 1940s to remind himself and the team of how the game is meant to be played.
Leggett’s Tigers have shown excellence in all areas of the game over his seven seasons. Leggett’s first year as Clemson’s head coach was truly remarkable. The 1994 campaign was filled with unprecedented accomplishments. With just three starters returning in the field, Clemson was unranked in the preseason top 20, but the Tigers quickly reached the top 20 of every poll with a two-game sweep of a top-10 Tennessee team. Those were the first two of 19 wins over top-25 teams in 1994, a Clemson single-season record. The Tigers won a record 13 straight conference games to open the season and concluded the year with a 20-4 ACC ledger, a record for ACC wins in a season. That was quite an accomplishment considering the ACC had the #1-RPI ranking in that season. Clemson also had a 57-18 overall record thanks to an outstanding pitching staff that ranked in the top 25 in the nation in ERA.
After two wins over Miami (FL) in late April, 1994, Clemson ascended to the #1 ranking in the nation according to Collegiate Baseball. The May 4 ranking was a first in Clemson baseball history. Seven times in 1994 Clemson defeated a team ranked in the top three in the country.
Leggett’s Tigers won the ACC regular-season championship, then captured the ACC Tournament by gaining victory in four games against top-20 teams in ’94. It was just the fifth time in Clemson history that the Tigers captured the regular season and the ACC Tournament championships in the same year. Clemson was rewarded as a regional host for the first time in 14 years.
Clemson was eliminated in the NCAA Regional, but still concluded the ’94 season as the nation’s winningest team. The Tigers’ 57 victories ranked second in ACC history as far as total victories in a season is concerned. All of this against a schedule ranked in the nation’s top five.
The summer following the 1994 season Leggett was chosen to the University of Maine Hall of Fame.
In 1995, his Tigers had a 54-14 record due in part to an offense that ranked in the top 10 in the nation in scoring (8.4 runs a game). The team also ranked seventh in double plays turned per game.
In 1996, the season ended with the Tiger pitching staff owning the best ERA in the nation at 3.03. With a record of 51-17, Clemson was fourth in wins in the nation and 27th in fielding with a percentage of ..965.
The 1996 team also produced eight Major League draft choices, with seven of those going in the first 17 rounds. Included in those selections were pitchers Kris Benson (Pittsburgh Pirates), the first pick overall, and Billy Koch (Toronto Blue Jays), the fourth pick overall. It was only the second time in the history of the draft, which dates back to 1965, that one school produced two of the first five picks.
In 1998, Clemson reached as high as #3 in the nation and finished the season as high as #19. Leggett also reached the 600 career-win plateau during the ’98 season. Ironically, he got his 600th win against his alma mater (Maine).
In 1999, Clemson was 6-6 against top-10 teams, with just one of the 12 games at home.
In 2000, he led Clemson to a 51-18 record. Clemson finished second in the ACC with a 17-7 record and finished second in the ACC Tournament in 2000. The Tigers also claimed the Clemson Sub and Super Regional titles. He reaced the 700-win mark during the season as well.
Leggett has been proving his expertise in recruiting for many years. But he also has experience in terms of teaching the finer points and game management. Prior to his move to Clemson, Leggett served as a head coach for 14 years, five at Vermont and nine at Western Carolina. He already had 377 career wins, 302 at Western Carolina and 75 at Vermont, before he came to Clemson. Leggett has a career record of 716-420, six conference titles, and 12 NCAA Tournament appearances on his resume. So far, 31 of the players Leggett has brought to Tigertown have signed professional baseball contracts.
Leggett led Western Carolina to five NCAA Tournaments (1985-1989), five Southern Conference baseball titles, and a national top-30 ranking during his tenure as head coach. His 1988 team set a school record for wins, posting a 38-24 record, while the 1989 squad set a conference record by winning its fifth straight Southern Conference title. Under Leggett’s guidance, the Catamounts averaged 33 wins per season during his time in Cullowhee, NC, and his teams played in the conference championship game in eight of the nine seasons.
The 1991 Catamounts posted a 36-26 record. One of the 36 wins came in a 9-7 victory over Clemson, one of 10 losses the #4 Tigers had in the 1991 season.
He was named the 1987 Division I Atlantic Region Coach-of-the-Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association and was also named the Southern Conference Coach-of-the-Year that same season. In 1989, he was appointed to the NCAA Division I Baseball Committee and served the committee through the 1995 season.
In his tenure at Western Carolina, Leggett produced 35 First-Team All-Southern Conference players, six conference players-of-the-year, and had 16 players sign professional contracts. One-hundred percent of the players who played for Leggett for four seasons graduated, and better than 50 percent compiled a 3.00 or better grade point average.
Leggett’s first Clemson team had two First-Team All-Americans in Mike Hampton and Shane Monahan. In 1995, a record five different Clemson players were chosen to All-America teams. In the classroom, a record 10 players earned a spot on the ACC Academic Honor Roll in 1997. Leggett also coached the first Tiger player to be named a First-Team Academic All-American in Paul Galloway (1995), who had a a perfect 4.0 career GPA in mechanical engineering. He has recruited and coached five players in the last five years that were drafted in the first round of the Major League Draft.
Before going to Western Carolina for the 1983 season, Leggett spent five seasons at the University of Vermont, where he turned that team into a consistent winner from day one. He coached the Vermont club team in 1977 and then organized and coached the school’s first intercollegiate team in 1978. At age 23, he was the youngest NCAA baseball coach in the nation. He had a winning season in his first year and had a 75-61 overall record at Vermont.
Leggett graduated with honors from the University of Maine in 1976, where he was an all-star performer in both football and baseball. He captained the 1976 Maine team that advanced to the College World Series, and was a two-time All-Yankee Conference selection in football as a defensive back and placekicker. He still holds the Maine record for the longest field goal, a 52 yarder.
In December, 1999, Leggett was seriously injured and nearly paralyzed when he had a skiing accident while on vacation in Colorado. Leggett, an avid skier, hit a depression in the snow and lost his balance, causing him to land awkwardly on his neck and back. He was forced to wear a neck brace until mid-February, but did not miss any games or practice time during the 2000 season.
Leggett and wife Stephanie have two children, Tanner (8-12-83) and Colby (10-21-85).
* – conference champion
#28 Matt Additon RHP * R-R * 6-0 * 202 * Sr. * 3VL * Leavitt HS * Turner, ME
Crafty righthander who made 98 career appearances, 93 of which came in a relief roles, both are Clemson records…had a career record of 19-8 with eight saves and 186 strikeouts in 198.2 innings pitched in four seasons at Clemson…his eight career saves ranks tied for 10th most in Tiger history…had a 5.16 career ERA…threw an array of offspeed pitches from different arm angles…was very versatile and pitched in many situations from starting to middle relief to closing.
2000: Had a 7-3 record, one save, and 4.84 ERA in 26 relief appearances (35.1 innings pitched)…his 26 relief appearances is tied for eighth most in a season in Tiger history…opposing hitters batted just .214, as he allowed just 28 hits…allowed just one homer…had a 6-1 record and 3.15 ERA along with a .176 opponent batting average in day games…went his first 9.2 innings over nine outings without allowing an earned run, he also allowed just one hit over that span…picked up his second win in as many outings by pitching 1.2 scoreless innings in relief against Coastal Carolina on Mar. 1…picked up the win by pitching 2.0 scoreless innings against William & Mary on Mar. 8…pitched 2.1 scoreless and hitless innings in relief at #8 North Carolina on Apr. 1…pitched a scoreless ninth inning, striking out two, to earn the save against Furman on Apr. 5…tied the Clemson career record with his 87th appearance against N.C. State on Apr. 8…set the Clemson career appearance record with his 88th against N.C. State on Apr. 9…picked up the win at Duke on Apr. 21, he pitched 1.2 scoreless innings while striking out two…pitched 4.0 innings, allowing four hits and two runs to earn the win against #2 Florida State on May 6, he improved to 3-0 all-time against the Seminoles…picked up the win at Virginia on May 14, he pitched 2.0 innings, and allowed one hit and one run.
1999: Had a 6-4 record with a 5.97 ERA in 21 relief appearances and five starts…tied for the team lead in wins and led in appearances (26)…struck out 71 and walked 29 in 66.1 innings (9.6 strikeouts per 9.0 innings)…struck out 31 and walked just six against ACC regular-season competition…had a 3-0 record away from Doug Kingsmore Stadium, also held opponents to a .238 batting average and one home run in 38.1 innings away from home…pitched brilliantly against #6 Miami (FL) on Apr. 3 to get the win, he pitched 2.2 hitless and scoreless innings while striking out four…picked up the save at #1 Florida State on Apr. 10 by allowing one run while striking out four in 3.0 innings, the loss broke the Seminoles’ 21-game winning streak…despite suffering the loss, he struck out nine and walked none in 6.1 innings of relief against Duke on Apr. 17…struck out four batters an 1.0 inning against #20 South Carolina on Apr. 21…made his first career start against #19 Georgia Tech on Apr. 25, he pitched 5.2 innings and allowed three runs in earning the win…picked up the win in his second career start against Virginia on May 2 by allowing three earned runs in a career-high 8.0 innings (allowed one walk while striking out seven)…allowed no runs, no walks, and one hit while striking out three in 2.2 innings at N.C. State on May 15…got the win over #2 Florida State in the ACC Tournament, he started and pitched 7.1 solid innings, allowing six hits and four earned runs.
1998: Appeared in 22 games, second most behind only Scott Clackum’s 23 appearances…was a set-up man…was 2-0 with a 3.81 ERA in 54.1 innings pitched and had 46 strikeouts against 17 walks…had a 3.2-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in day games…righthanded hitters only hit ..201 against him…had a 2-0 record and 2.20 ERA in 13 games against non-conference foes…opponents hit just .197 in night games…was 2-0 with a 3.08 ERA at Doug Kingsmore Stadium…had one save, coming against Stetson on Mar. 8 in the first game of a doubleheader…retired all 13 Georgia batters he faced to record the win on Mar. 31 in his best outing of the season…recorded the win against Charleston Southern on Apr. 8 by pitching 3.1 innings, only allowing one hit and one walk while striking out four…pitched 2.2 scoreless innings against North Carolina in the ACC Tournament on May 13, he allowed one hit and two walks while striking out four…allowed one run on three hits in 4.1 innings against #5 and eventual National Champion Southern California on May 23 in the East Regional.
1997: Led the team in saves (5) and tied for the team lead with 24 appearances as a true freshman…appeared mainly in middle and set-up relief roles…opponents hit only .222 against him…had a 3.63 ERA and 3-0 record at Doug Kingsmore Stadium…saved both games in the sweep of a doubleheader versus Kentucky on Feb. 22, in game one, he struck out two and gave up no earned runs in 1.0 inning of work, in game two, he pitched 0.2 innings and struck out one…first win of his career came on Mar. 15 against Virginia, giving up no earned runs in 2.0 innings pitched…picked up the win in relief over Florida State on Apr. 4 when he went 4.1 innings, giving up five hits and two earned runs…pitched 3.1 innings of scoreless relief in getting the win against South Carolina (the nation’s top run-scoring team at the time) on Apr. 16…went 6.1 innings against N.C. State on May 17 in the ACC Tournament, allowing only three runs while striking out six, his relief pitching against the Wolfpack enabled Clemson to win an 11-6 thriller in 10 innings…had a 10-2 record in the summer of 1997 in the Great Lakes League.
BEFORE CLEMSON: Named to the Maine State Pastimer and the Senior All-Stars…was his high school’s team captain and MVP…an all-around athlete who was the Class B Player-of-the-Year and Shrine Bowl quarterback at Leavitt High School…also team MVP in basketball…lettered four times in baseball, four times in basketball, and twice in football…Leavitt High School had a 46-7 record in his final three seasons, while he had a 19-2 record over that time.
PERSONAL: Member of the academic honor roll in the fall of 1996…Matt’s father, Ken, played baseball at the University of Maine >from 1967-71, which is Jack Leggett’s alma mater…pronounced ADD-ih-tuhn…nicknamed “Peach”…majoring in Management…born September 18, 1977.
Additon Career Stats
#19 Jeff Baker SS * R-R * 6-1 * 198 * Fr. * HS * Gar-Field Senior HS * Woodbridge, VA
Heralded freshman who made a big impact in the infield and at the plate…one of the top freshmen in the country…showed a strong arm, and showed a consistent and steady glove work in the last half of the 2000 season…showed great power for a shortstop…did not get cheated at the plate…showed power to all fields.
2000: Freshman All-America shortstop (one of three) according to Collegiate Baseball…was the starting shortstop from day one…hit ..313 with a team-best 11 homers and 64 RBIs…his 11 homers tied for the second most in a season by a Tiger freshman in history…hit 11 of Clemson’s 37 home runs (30 percent)…started 67 of the 69 games…had a respectable .920 fielding percentage for a freshman, committing 23 errors…had a .950 fielding percentage in ACC regular-season games…batted in the middle of the Tiger lineup (including 42 times as the cleanup hitter), and did so all season…was 6-for-15 (.400) with the bases loaded…had 26 two-out RBIs…hit .348 at home…hit a team-best .360 in March…had 26 multi-hit games and a team-best 17 multi-RBI games…named to the All-ACC Tournament team by hitting .333 (6-for-18) with a double, two homers, and nine RBIs in five games despite being nagged by a calf injury…went 3-for-4 with a double against #7 Rice on Jan. 28 in the ACC Disney Blast at Lake Buena Vista, FL in his first collegiate game…had a key two-run infield single against #4 Miami (FL) on Jan. 29 in the ACC Disney Blast at Lake Buena Vista, FL…had two doubles and three RBIs against James Madison on Feb. 27…went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBIs against Ohio on Mar. 11…went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and four RBIs in the first game of a doubleheader against Maryland on Mar. 18…went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs against UNC Charlotte on Mar. 22…had two hits, two runs scored, and an RBI against The Citadel on Mar. 26, giving him six straight multi-hit games…went 4-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs against Western Carolina on Apr. 4…went 3-for-4 with three RBIs against N.C. State on Apr. 9…went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two sacrifice flies against Georgia on Apr. 11…went 4-for-6 with two RBIs against Elon on Apr. 18…went 2-for-5 with three runs scored, two RBIs, and a homer that proved to be the game-winning run at #5 Georgia Tech on Apr. 30…hit two homers, scored three runs, and drove in five runs against Virginia in the ACC Tournament on May 20…in his first NCAA Tournament game, he hit two solo homers against Middle Tennessee in the Clemson Regional on May 26…listed as the #1 freshman prospect in the ACC and country, along with being named the ACC Freshman-of-the-Year and top newcomer in Baseball America’s College Preview issue…one of the first 20 players invited to the USA National Team trials.
BEFORE CLEMSON: One of 18 players selected for the United States Junior National Baseball team, which played in the IBA Junior World Championships in Taiwan in the summer of ’99, he was the team MVP for the United States team that captured the World Championship…was 13-for-27 (.481) with eight runs scored, four doubles, a homer, 12 RBIs, and three stolen bases in just seven games as the starting shortstop…also drove in the winning run in the championship game against Chinese Taipei, he lined a two-out, two-run single to centerfield to break an 8-8 deadlock in the eighth inning, Team USA went on to win 10-9, ironically, the 10th and winning run was scored by South Carolina signee Drew Meyer…finished second in the voting (by one vote), behind tennis star Andre Agassi, for the September (1999) Male Athlete-of-the-Month award given by the U.S. Olympic Committee…drafted in the fourth round by the Cleveland Indians in the ’99 June Draft…appeared in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces in the Crowd” in the summer of ’99…Virginia State Player-of-the-Year as a senior at Gar-Field Senior High School…was also an All-State selection and Gatorade Virginia Player-of-the-Year as a senior…All-American according to Baseball America…#2 high school prospect in Virginia by Baseball America…played in the Virginia Commonwealth Games in 1997 and 1998…also a member of the USA Youth National Team in ’97 and the National Team One in 1998…in 29.2 innings pitched in Legion in ’98, he allowed just 13 hits and two walks while striking out 59, also had six saves and a 0.47 ERA…All-Cardinal District and All-Metro selection as a junior…hit .365 in 63 at bats as a junior…was 4-1 on the mound with a 0.70 ERA and 58 strikeouts against nine walks as a junior, he also allowed just 24 hits in 40.0 innings…in the summer of ’97, he played for the USA Junior National Team, hitting .444 with 13 RBIs in just 27 at bats…led the ’97 Youth National Team in RBIs with 97…All-Cardinal District, All-Metro, and All-Region pick as a sophomore…as a sophomore, his team was 20-3, including district champions, state quarterfinalists, and ranked #19 in the nation by USA Today…batted .405 in 79 at bats and had a 0.48 ERA in 29.1 innings as a sophomore…high school team was 19-5 as a freshman, including regional champions and state semi-finalists…lettered four times in baseball…coached by Mike Wright at Gar-Field Senior High.
PERSONAL: His father, Larry, played baseball at Army…Larry worked in the Air Defense division of the Army for 22 years…the Baker family has lived in nine different cities around the world, including in Germany, Hawaii, Phoenix, and Key West along with living in the United Arab Emerites…the family has lived in Woodbridge, VA, their current hometown, longer than any other place, just four years…nicknamed “Bakes”…major is undeclared…born Jeffrey Glen Baker on June 21, 1981 in Badkissagen, Germany.
Baker Career Stats
#4 Chad Bendinelli RHP * R-R * 5-10 * 150 * Fr. * HS * Lassiter HS * Marietta, GA
Small in stature, but can throw upwards of 90 miles per hour…another player from Marietta, GA, Clemson has had much success in that area over the years, with the likes of Kris Benson and Shane Monahan.
2000: Made nine relief appearances (10.0 innings pitched)…allowed a ..263 opponent batting average…opponents stole one base in three attempts…opponents had two hits in 11 at bats with two outs…had a 4.15 ERA in three outings in April…threw a perfect inning against #23 Central Florida in the ACC Disney Blast in Lake Buena Vista, FL on Jan. 30…also threw scoreless innings against Old Dominion on Feb. 18, UNC Charlotte on Mar. 22, and Elon on Apr. 18.
BEFORE CLEMSON: Had 21 career victories and two no-hitters in his career at Lassiter High School…Dugout All-Star as a senior…won team’s Cy Young Award as a senior…his team finished 35-2 and won the state title as a senior…All-County selection as a junior…also a member of the Georgia Dugout All-Tournament team as a junior…played in the NABF World Series in ’98, where he was the MVP of the championship game, the team also won the World Series championship…a member of the ’97 AAU National Champions…member of the Atlanta Journal/Constitution All-Cobb County team as a junior…received Lassiter High’s Cy Young Award and Pitching Stats Award as a junior…was 7-1 with a 1.52 ERA in 64.2 innings as a junior, also struck out 65 and walked 22…in 10 starts as a junior, he threw five shutouts, including one no-hitter…as a sophomore, he was Lassiter High’s Rookie-of-the Year and played on the AAAA State runner-up team…lettered three times in baseball…had a 3.57 GPA after his junior year and made a 1240 on the SAT…from the same hometown as former Tiger star Shane Monahan…high school teammate of fellow Tiger teammate Jarrod Schmidt, grew up next door to Schmidt in Marietta as well, the two have lived next door to each other since the age of one…Lassiter High had sent 13 players to college baseball in the four years prior to Bendinelli coming to Clemson…coached by Mickey McMurtry at Lassiter High.
PERSONAL: Nicknamed “Bendo”…major is undeclared…born Chad Michael Bendinelli on January 16, 1981 in Portsmouth, OH.
Bendinelli Career Stats
#30 Scott Berney RHP * R-R * 6-2 * 203 * Sr. * TR * Univ. of Connecticut * Hamden, CT
Senior transfer who made an impact on the starting rotation from day one…followed in the line of Chris Heck (1999) and David Shepard (1996), who were both senior transfers and pitchers who starred in their one season with the Tigers…meticulous on the mound…not overpowering, but focused on hitting his spots…threw just seven wild pitches in 286.0 career innings pitched…his 2.12 walks per nine innings pitched mark at Clemson is second in Tiger history on a career basis…set a Clemson record with 32.2 scoreless innings, he that streak actually encompassed his first 32.2 innings as a Tiger…transferred from Connecticut with the hopes of playing for a national championship.
2000: Started the season without allowing a run in his first 32.2 innings pitched, a Tiger record…had a 9-4 record and 3.39 ERA in 17 starts…picked up wins in each of his first seven starts…allowed just 96 hits (.239 opponent batting average) in 106.1 innings pitched…drafted in the 18th round by the Rockies…had a 2.12 walks per 9.0 innings pitched mark, ninth best in a season in Tiger history…threw just three wild pitches…held righthanded hitters to a ..202 batting average…opponents hit just .207 with two outs and .210 with runners on base…in his first game as a Tiger, he shut down #4 Miami (FL) on Jan. 29 in the ACC Disney Blast at Lake Buena Vista, FL, ending the Hurricanes’ 13-game winning streak and handing them their first loss coming off their national championship 1999 season, he pitched 7.0 innings, allowing three hits, no walks, and no runs while striking out eight to earn the win…pitched 7.0 shutout innings, allowing three hits and no walks while strking out three to get the win against Old Dominion on Feb. 18…picked up the win and ran his consecutive scoreless innings streak to 22.0 by allowing only six hits and a walk while striking out four in 8.0 innings against James Madison on Feb. 25, earned ACC Pitcher-of-the-Week honors for that performance…ran his scoreless inning streak to 30.0 by allowing six hits and no runs in 8.0 innings to get the win against UNLV on Mar. 3, received Louisville Slugger National Player-of-the-Week honors (along with four others) for that performance, also received ACC Pitcher-of-the-Week honors for the second straight week for that performance…saw his scoreless inning streak end at 32.2 innings against Ohio in the first game of a doubleheader on Mar. 10, he still picked up the win, as he allowed two runs in 7.0 innings…picked up his sixth win against Maryland on Mar. 17, he allowed five hits, two runs, and no walks while striking out seven in 8.0 innings…got the win against The Citadel on Mar. 24, he allowed just three hits (including just one after the second inning), two runs, and two walks while striking out eight in 8.0 innings…suffered his first loss of the season at #8 North Carolina on Mar. 31, he allowed just three hits, one earned run, and two walks while striking out seven in 7.0 innings…suffered the loss in his next outing despite shutting out N.C. State on Apr. 7 for the first 7.2 innings, in his first two losses, he had one run and five hits of support…picked up his first win since Mar. 24 when he went 5.2 innings, allowing three runs against #4 Florida State on May 8…got the win against Virginia in the ACC Tournament on May 17, he pitched 7.1 innings, allowing eight hits and four earned runs.
BEFORE CLEMSON: Drafted in the 28th round by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the ’99 June Draft…played three seasons at Connecticut, accumulating a 14-9 record in 179.2 innings…had excellent control at Connecticut, with a 2.45 walks per nine innings pitched mark and 2.55 strikeout-to-walk ratio, also threw just four wild pitches in three seasons with the Huskies…was 6-5 with four complete games and a 5.33 ERA in 12 starts and two relief appearances in ’99…also had a 3.1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and threw just one wild pitch in 77.2 innings pitched as a junior for the Huskies…named to the Cape Cod League All-Star team for Falmouth in the summer of ’98…as a sophomore, he was limited to nine appearances due to a case of mononucleosis…was 4-2 with a 4.71 ERA as a sophomore…allowed just two hits and no earned runs in 7.0 innings against Pittsburgh…posted a 4-2 record as a freshman in ’97…appeared in 14 games, 11 as a starter, and had a team-high 44 strikeouts in 52.1 innings…threw a complete game against West Virginia on April 13, 1997…All-State and All-Area as a senior at Hamden High School…was 9-3 with a 1.07 ERA in his senior season…was also All-Area and Honorable Mention All-State in basketball…lettered four times in baseball and four times in basketball…coached by Andy Baylock at Connecticut…coached by Vin Virguito at Hamden High.
PERSONAL: Majoring in Speech & Communications…born Scott Harris Berney on October 25, 1977 in Toledo, OH.
Berney Career Stats
* – stats at Connecticut
#35 Thomas Boozer LHP * L-L * 6-2 * 199 * So. * 1VL * Richland Northeast HS * Columbia, SC
Hard-throwing lefthander who gained valuable experience pitching as a freshman in 1999 and worked primarily out of the bullpen in 2000…one of only two lefthanders on Clemson’s 2000 postseason roster….allowed just three homers in 72.1 career innings pitched.
2000: Had a 1-1 record and 4.63 ERA in 23 relief appearances and one start (23.1 innings pitched)…did not allow a home run and allowed just one stolen base…opponents hit .160 with two outs…ptched 2.0 scoreless innings of relief against The Citadel on Mar. 26…pitched 0.2 perfect innings against #2 Florida State on May 6…pitched 1.1 scoreless and hittless innings of relief in the second game of a doubleheader at Virginia on May 13.
1999: Had a 6-3 record and 6.98 ERA in seven starts and eight relief appearances (49.0 innings)…his six wins tied for the team lead and he also had a save…won his last four decisions…held lefthanded batters to a .245 batting average…earned the win in his first career outing against Kansas State in the season opener on Feb. 12 by pitching 4.1 innings in relief…earned the save in his second outing, this time against #24 Washington, he entered the game with the bases loaded and no outs with Clemson ahead 13-11, he then forced a ground ball double play and got the final batter to foul out to end the game…earned the win in the second game of a doubleheader against Liberty on Mar. 6 by pitching 7.1 innings, allowing seven hits and one earned run…got wins in three consecutive starts against Wofford (Mar. 24), East Tennessee State (Apr. 1), and Western Carolina (Apr. 7), he pitched 5.0 innings in each game…pitched a perfect ninth inning against #10 North Carolina on May 9 (struck out two batters as well)…got the win against Maryland in the ACC Tournament on May 21 by pitching 4.0 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits…pitched 1.2 scoreless innings at #2 Texas A&M in the Super Regional on June 4.
BEFORE CLEMSON: All-Region selection as a sophomore and All-Area as a junior at Richland Northeast High School…played for the Region IV AAAA champions as a freshman and sophomore…earned four letters in baseball…from the same high school as current Tiger Henr’ Stanley…coached by Barry Mizzell at Richland Northeast High.
PERSONAL: His father, Tommy, lettered in football at Clemson >from 1972-74…his godfather, Mike O’Cain, was Clemson’s football MVP in 1976 and lettered three times (1974-76), O’Cain is currently an assistant football coach for the North Carolina Tar Heels…majoring in Financial Management…born Thomas Chappell Boozer on Dec. 23, 1979 in Columbia, SC.
Boozer Career Stats
#24 Patrick Boyd OF * S-R * 6-3 * 201 * Jr. * 2VL * Clearwater Central Catholic HS * Palm Harbor, FL
Possesses all the tools, he can hit for average and for power, switch hits, has tremendous speed and exhibits aggresiveness on the basepaths, gets great jumps on fly balls, makes spectacular catches, and has a strong arm…career .341 hitter with a .442 on-base percentage and 49 stolen bases in three seasons…his .341 career average ranks 21st best in Clemson history…his 133 career walks ranks tied for seventh in Tiger history…his 56 career doubles ranks tied for seventh in Tiger history…his 194 career runs scored ranks ninth in Tiger history…his 258 career hits ranks ninth in Tiger history…his 178 career RBIs ranks ninth in Tiger history…a career .430 hitter (37-for-86) in NCAA Tournament play.
2000: One of seven captains…hit .293 with three homers, 21 doubles, and 49 RBIs in starting all 69 games in centerfield…had a .402 on-base percentage…had 18 steals in 24 attempts…drafted in the fourth round by the Pirates…hitting .390 with 16 RBIs in 13 postseason games…hit .386 with five doubles, a triple, two homers, and 10 RBIs in nine NCAA Tournament games…hit .377 with two outs and ..359 with runners in scoring position…hit .329 in March…had 25 multi-hit games…batted at least one time in the second, third, cleanup, fifth, sixth, and seventh spots in the lineup…named to the All-ACC Tournament team by hitting .450 (9-for-20) with eight runs scored, two doubles, a triple, a homer, and eight RBIs…went 2-for-2 with two runs scored, two walks, the game-winning RBI, and a stolen base against Old Dominion on Feb. 19 after going 1-for-17 to start the season…went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and four RBIs against William & Mary on Mar. 8…scored three runs without a hit at #8 North Carolina on Apr. 1…broke out of a 0-for-21 slump with a 2-for-5 night against N.C. State on Apr. 8…went 4-for-5 with two runs scored, a double, and two stolen bases at Duke on Apr. 23…had three hits, including a double, two runs scored, and three RBIs against Virginia in the ACC Tournament on May 17…went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBIs along with a home run and triple against #3 Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament on May 20…went 4-for-7 with two doubles and three RBIs against Middle Tennessee in the Clemson Regional on May 28..had two hits, including a three-run homer, against #7 San Jose State in the College World Series on June 9…listed by Baseball America as the #2 college prospect for the 2000 Major League Draft in the preseason…Preseason First-Team All-American according to NBCWA, joining Florida State’s Marshall McDougall as the only two ACC players on the team…Preseason First-Team All-American by Baseball America…Preseason Second-Team All-American according to Collegiate Baseball…listed as the #3 college and #1 ACC prospect for the 2000 Major League Draft along with being tabbed as the ACC’s best baserunner, best defensive outfielder, and outfielder with the best arm in Baseball America’s College Preview issue…Preseason First-Team All-ACC by Baseball America.
1999: Second-Team All-American by Baseball America…Third-Team All-American by NCBWA…First-Team All-Atlantic Region selection by ABCA…First-Team All-ACC…was on fire in the last 24 games, in which he hit safely in 21 of them while raising his batting average 52 points (was at .338 and finished at .390), during that stretch he was 47-for-101 (.465) with five homers, 13 doubles, and 30 RBIs while having 17 multi-hit games during the 24-game stretch…had 30 multi-hit games and 18 multi-RBI games overall…missed six games early in the season due to a torn labrum that required surgery…started 33 games in centerfield and 28 as the designated hitter…batted .390 overall with 96 hits, 78 runs scored, 17 homers, 22 doubles, a triple, 70 RBIs, 20 stolen bases, and a .490 on-base percentage…led the team in batting average, homers, extra base hits (40), total bases (171), slugging percentage (.695), on-base percentage, and two-out RBIs (27)…was second on the team in runs scored, hits, RBIs, doubles, multi-hit games, mutli-RBI games, and stolen bases…his 17 homers tied for the sixth most in a season by a Tiger…his 40 extra base hits tied for the seventh most in a season by a Tiger…his 30 multi-hit games tied for the seventh most in a season by a Tiger…his 171 total bases tied for the ninth most in a season by a Tiger…his 78 runs scored were the 10th most in a season by a Tiger…his 22 doubles tied for the 10th most in a season by a Tiger…finished third in the ACC in hitting, fifth in hits and homers, sixth in runs scored, and seventh in doubles, stolen bases, and RBIs…batted .383 with runners in scoring position…led the team with a .368 batting average against ACC teams in the regular season…hit .409 batting lefthanded…hit .459 with runners on base and .500 (5-for-10) with the bases loaded…hit a team-best .417 with 10 homers, 40 RBIs, and a .534 on-base percentage in 30 games at Doug Kingsmore Stadium…hit .366 and had 16 doubles in 32 games away from home…had a 12-game hitting streak from May 1 (first game of a doubleheader) to May 19, that streak tied for the longest by a Tiger in ’99…named to the All-ACC Tournament team by hitting .421 with four doubles, a homer, five runs scored, and a .560 on-base percentage…named to the All-Regional Team in Fayetteville by hitting .429 with eight runs scored, two doubles, two homers, six RBIs, and three stolen bases in five games…had at least two hits in each of the three games in the Super Regional at #2 Texas A&M from June 4-6, he was a team-best 7-for-13 (.538) with three doubles…hit .471 (16-for-34) in eight NCAA Tournament games and .453 (24-for-53) with nine doubles, three homers, and 13 RBIs in 13 post-season games…hit a team-best .372 against teams in the NCAA Tournament and a team-best ..372 against top-25 teams…hit .428 when playing in the outfield…was 3-for-3 with three RBIs against Coastal Carolina on Mar. 10…had four hits against Georgia on Mar. 23…went 2-for-2, both homers, with three walks, four RBIs, and five runs scored (team season high) against East Tennessee State on Apr. 1…against #6 Miami (FL) on Apr. 4, he had a career-high six RBIs, including a towering home run, hit four homers with 12 RBIs that week…had four hits, including two homers, and four RBIs against #19 Georgia Tech on Apr. 24…drove in the winning run in the 11th inning against Virginia in the second game of a doubleheader on May 1…had three hits, including a triple, three runs scored, and five RBIs (all with two outs) against #10 North Carolina on May 9…hit a grand slam and drove in five runs at N.C. State on May 14…had three hits, including two doubles, against N.C. State in the ACC Tournament on May 19…went 2-for-3 with a double, homer, and three RBIs against Maryland in the ACC Tournament on May 20…went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and a stolen base versus #2 Florida State in the ACC Tournament on May 22…went 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBIs in the Fayetteville Regional at #8 Arkansas on May 29…went 4-for-5 with three runs scored, three RBIs, a homer, and two doubles in the first of two games in the Fayetteville Regional against Southwest Missouri State on May 30…went 3-for-4 with an RBI at #2 Texas A&M in the Super Regional on June 4…one of 33 players invited to participate in the 1999 USA National Team Training Camp, he selected to play in the Cape Cod League instead…Preseason First-Team All-American and All-ACC outfielder, Preseason ACC Player-of-the-Year, and the best defensive outfielder in the ACC by Baseball America…also listed as the #1 college prospect in the ACC and country for the 2000 Major League Draft in Baseball America’s Early Draft Preview issue…won the Omaha Challenge in the fall, and set the Tiger “four-lapper” record with a time of 12:08.
1998: Arrived at Clemson as one of the most heralded freshmen in Tiger history and did not disappoint…named ACC Rookie-of-the-Year, becoming just the second player in Clemson history to receive the honor (Matthew LeCroy is the other)…named a First-Team Freshman All-American by The Sporting News and Collegiate Baseball…Second-Team All-ACC selection…a key reason Collegiate Baseball rated Clemson’s recruiting class #3 in the nation entering the season…also listed as the fifth-best prospect in the ACC, regardless of class, by the same publication…one of three outfielders to be named a First-Team Freshman All-American by Baseball America…Baseball America also listed Boyd as the National Freshman-of-the-Year in its midseason report…started the season going just 3-for-25, but hit .370 over the last 52 games of ’98…hit .344 overall, including a .438 on-base percentage…had a team-best 66 runs, six sacrifice flies, and 44 walks as the everyday centerfielder…also tied for the team lead with 59 RBIs…had 25 multi-hit games, including 11 games with at least three hits…hit .373 with runners in scoring position…one of two players (along with Jason Harris) to start every game…hit .382 with 42 RBIs and a .471 on-base percentage at home…hit a team-best .538 in the East Regional, that mark was also the third highest average of any player in the regional…had 11 steals in 14 attempts…the switch-hitter showed power to both gaps as he hit eight homers, a triple, and 13 doubles…had a .520 on-base percentage when leading off an inning…made many spectacular diving catches in centerfield…named ACC Player-of-the-Week on Mar. 9 by hitting .474, scoring nine runs, and driving in five more in five games…had a streak in March and April where he hit safely in 21 of 22 games, including a stretch of multi-hit games in six of seven games…scored four runs in three different games, no other Tiger scored four runs in a game in ’98…tied a Clemson game record held by many with two sacrifice flies against North Carolina-Charlotte on Feb. 26…had four hits and two RBIs at Virginia on Apr. 3…had back-to-back three-hit games at Georgia Tech from May 3-4…had at least two hits in all three East Regional games, helping him to be named to the All-Regional team…played for the USA National Team in the summer of ’98, as he joined fellow Tiger Ryan Mottl played in the World Championships in Italy…hit .264 in 39 games (21 starts), the 39 games tied for third most on the squad…had five outfield assists, two homers, and 15 RBIs…top ACC newcomer by Baseball America in the preseason.
BEFORE CLEMSON: USA Today Super 25 National Player…All-American according to USA Today…drafted in the second round by the Seattle Mariners…ninth-best high school prospect in the country according to Student Sports magazine…lettered three times in baseball at Clearwater Central Catholic High School outside of Tampa, FL…1996 Eastern Conference MVP for the Devil Rays in the Area Code Games…First-Team All-State in ’96…that team was 27-4 and ranked #1 in the state of Florida…a Team One Showcase player…coached by Todd Vaughn in high school…a participant in the USA Baseball Team Trials in the summer of 1997, he was 4-for-11 in starting four games…was also one of the first nine players invited to the 1998 USA Baseball Team Training Camp…among those nine players, he was the only freshman.
PERSONAL: His brother, Jonathan, played three seasons (1996-98) at Bluefield (VA) College, Jonathan led his team with 14 homers as senior…Patrick names Jonathan as his “best friend”…while in the eighth grade, Patrick became interested in Clemson while traveling with Jonathan on a recruiting trip to Clemson…nicknamed “Patty”…majoring in Management…born Patrick Francis Boyd on Sept. 7, 1978.
Boyd Career Stats
#32 Artie Catoe LHP * L-L * 6-3 * 190 * Fr. * HS * Lexington HS * West Columbia, SC
Freshman lefthander was red-shirted in 2000, but expects to make an impact in 2001…highly rated pitcher out of the successful Lexington High program.
2000: Red-shirted.
BEFORE CLEMSON: All-Region, All-Area, and All-State Coaches Association as a senior at Lexington High School…had a perfect 7-0 record with a 1.40 ERA his senior season…played for the State Champions as a senior at Lexington High, who finished with a 32-3 record…#5 high school prospect in the state of South Carolina by Baseball America…All-Area, All-Region, and All-State selection as a junior…tabbed as the Best Defensive Player at Lexington High as a junior…a 1998 Invitee to the East Coast Professional Showcase…a member of the 1998 Southeastern Baseball Classic All-Tournament Team…tabbed by USA Today as an Honorable Mention All-America lefthander his junior season…Lexington was 21-7 in his junior season and 20-6 in his sophomore season…selected the Lexington Post 7 team MVP in 1998…lettered three times in baseball at Lexington High…coached by Tommy Williams at Lexington High.
PERSONAL: Pronounced CAYT-oh…majoring in Elementary Education…born Archie Ray Catoe III on May 6, 1981 in Florence, SC.
#33 Mike Calitri 1B/3B * R-R * 6-3 * 206 * *Jr. * 2VL * Xaverian Brothers HS * Canton, MA
Makes the most of his opportunities…solid defensive first baseman…team-oriented player…never complains when he doesn’t getting the starting nod…shared
