25th-Ranked Kansas Edges #2 Clemson 6-5 Saturday

March 11, 2006

Clemson, SC- 25th-ranked Kansas overcame an early 4-0 deficit and held on to defeat #2 Clemson 6-5 in front of 5,261 fans at Doug Kingsmore Stadium Saturday. The Jayhawks improved to 15-5, and the Tigers dropped to 9-3.

Andy D’Alessio had a two-run double for the Tigers, and Ben Hall added a pinch-hit home run. Jared Schweitzer, John Allman, and Brock Simpson each had two hits apiece for the Jayhawks.

Stephen Clyne suffered the loss in relief for Clemson, falling to 1-1. Don Czyz pitched 2.1 scoreless innings for Kansas to earn the win, improving to 2-0.

Clemson scored four unearned runs in the first on two hits. Herman Demmink drew a lead off walk, and went to second on Brad Chalk’s single through the right side on an 0-2 pitch. After Taylor Harbin flew out to center, Tyler Colvin hit a ground ball to third that Erik Morrison could not handle, allowing Demmink to score. Chalk advanced to third and Colvin went to second on the error. Travis Storrer hit a sacrifice fly to center that scored Chalk. Marquez Smith was then hit by a pitch, and D’Alessio followed with a double to the gap in left-center to score Colvin and Smith.

Kansas got on the board in the fourth. Schweitzer singled through the left side to lead off the inning, and moved to second on a one-out single by Allman. Morrison struck out, but Simpson hit a two-out single up the middle to score Schweitzer.

The Jayhawks continued to cut into Clemson’s lead in the fifth with the help of three Tiger errors. Dylan Parzyk singled to left to lead off the inning, and went to third on a throwing error by Adrian Casanova on a bunt by Kyle Murphy. Murphy advanced to second on the error. Ritchie Price had an RBI groundout, and then a fielding error by Stan Widmann on Schweitzer’s grounder to short allowed Murphy to score. Gus Milner reached on an infield single, and moved to second on a throwing error by Demmink, and Schweitzer moved to third. Clemson brought in reliever P.J. Zocchi and he struck out Allman and Morrison to end the threat.

Kansas took the lead in the seventh. Price singled to left to lead off the inning, and after a fly out and a strike out, Allman drew a walk. Morrison then hit a two-run double to left-center to give the Jayhawks a 5-4 lead.

With one out in the seventh, pinch-hitter Hall hit a solo home run to left to tie the score, his first of the season. Demmink was hit by a pitch, and then advanced from first to third on a wild pitch. However, Chalk grounded to second against a drawn-in infield, and Harbin grounded to short to end the inning.

Preston Land led off the eighth with a solo home run to right-center, his third of the season as Kansas regained the lead, 6-5.

Widmann singled up the middle to lead off the ninth, but could not get past second base. Doug Hogan struck out on a bunt attempt, and Demmink grounded out to first. Chalk flew out to left to end the game.

Clemson ended the game 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

P.J. Zocchi, and Clyne combined to strike out 15 Kansas hitters on the day.

The Tigers and the Jayhawks conclude their three-game series Sunday at 1:00 PM at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.