#24 Clemson Uses Balance to Down #20 College of Charleston 8-5 Tuesday

May 17, 2005

Clemson, SC-

Clemson, ranked #24 by Collegiate Baseball, extended its winning streak to six games with an 8-5 victory over #20 College of Charleston in front of 3,963 fans at Doug Kingsmore Stadium Tuesday. Eight different Tigers contributed to the team’s nine hits and Clemson scored in six of the eight innings in which it batted. The Tigers improved to 34-19, including 12-7 against top-25 ranked teams, while the Cougars dropped to 41-11. With the win, Clemson also extended its all-time series lead to 14-0 against College of Charleston.

David Kopp (4-3) pitched 6.0 innings, giving up four runs on eight hits to earn the win. Jeff Hahn picked up his second save of the year, as the senior righthander pitched 2.2 scoreless innings. Danny Gemma (7-3) surrendered six runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings and suffered the loss.

Five Cougars had multiple-hit games, led by Byron Barber’s 3-for-5 night with two RBIs. College of Charleston outhit the Tigers 13-9, but left seven runners on base to the Tigers’ four. Herman Demmink led the Tigers at the plate, going 2-for-3 with three runs scored. Taylor Harbin, Tyler Colvin, and Andy D’Alessio each had two RBIs.

College of Charleston wasted little time getting on the board in the first inning. Brett Gardner singled on the first pitch of the game, extending his hitting streak to 16 games, and stole second on the next pitch. After a Phillip Coker sacrifice bunt, Gardner scored on Barber’s double to right-center.

Demmink hit the first pitch of the bottom of the first into the gap in right-center for a double. Brad Chalk’s sacrifice bunt moved Demmink to third, and he later scored on Harbin’s sacrifice fly to left.

Travis Storrer extended his hitting streak to 17 games with one out in the second on an infield single. Stan Widmann later drilled a two-out double to the fence in right-center to score Storrer.

Oliver Marmol led off the third with a double over the head of the drawn-in Chalk in centerfield. Gardner beat out the throw on a sacrifice bunt for an infield single, advancing Marmol to third. Gardner was then thrown out at second on only his second caught stealing of the year in 31 attempts. Coker followed with a sharp single off the glove of the diving Demmink to score Marmol. With two outs, Chris Campbell hit a two-run homer to left to give the Cougars a 4-2 lead. It was Campbell’s team-leading 12th homer of the year.

Kris Harvey led off the fourth with a single to center and moved to second on a wild pitch. Storrer’s groundout moved Harvey to third. D’Alessio then grounded out to first, scoring Harvey.

Demmink singled with one out in the fifth and moved to second when Chalk was hit by a pitch. Harbin followed with a “hustle” double to left-center that scored Demmink, tying the score. The Cougars then went to reliever Josh McLaughin. Tyler Colvin greeted him with an RBI groundout to score Chalk. Harbin then scored the Tigers’ third run of the inning on a wild pitch.

With one out in the sixth, D’Alessio crushed his 14th home run of the year, a solo shot to center.

Marmol led off the seventh with an infield single and moved to second on Gardner’s groundout. Coker walked, and Barber singled to center, as Marmol slid in just ahead of Jeff Hahn, who got Campbell to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Demmink walked to begin the seventh and moved to second on Chalk’s ground out to third. With two outs, Colvin laced a single to right-center to score Demmink for the final scoring of the night.

Clemson will finish the regular season with a three-game series against #4 Miami (FL) at Doug Kingsmore Stadium beginning Thursday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 PM.