#6 Cavaliers Blank #4 Tigers 5-0 in Series-Opener Friday

March 11, 2011

Clemson, SC –

Danny Hultzen and Justin Thompson combined for 18 strikeouts in #6 Virginia’s 5-0 win over #4 Clemson at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Friday afternoon. The Cavaliers, who took a 1-0 series lead, improved to 14-1 overall and 1-0 in the ACC along with upping their winning streak to eight games. The Tigers fell to 7-4 overall and 0-1 in ACC play.

Hultzen and Thompson limited the Tigers to just five hits, all in the first three innings. However, the Tigers did have scoring opportunities in the first two innings. But each time, Hultzen worked out of a jam to keep the Tigers off the scoreboard.

The two Cavalier hurlers combined to strand all 10 Tigers that reached base in the game. In the process, Virginia ended Clemson’s 147-game streak of scoring at least one run dating back to the 2008 season.

Hultzen (4-0) pitched 6.2 scoreless innings of five-hit ball to earn the win. The junior lefthander struck out 14 batters while walking three. Thompson pitched 2.1 hitless and scoreless innings with four strikeouts to close out the game.

Scott Weismann (2-2), the first of four Tiger pitchers, suffered the loss. In 6.2 innings pitched, he yielded eight hits, five runs (three earned), and two walks with three strikeouts.

After the Tigers stranded four runners on base over the first two innings, the Cavaliers took the game’s first lead in the third inning. John Barr led off with a double that bounced over third-baseman John Hinson. Two batters later, Chris Taylor walked. Two batters later with two outs, John Hicks singled up the middle to score Barr.

In the sixth inning, Hicks led off with a high pop-up that fell between three Tigers just inside the right-field line for a double. Hicks, who advanced to third on the play on a throwing error, scored on Hultzen’s sacrifice fly to left field.

The Cavaliers took advantage of more Tiger miscues to add to their lead in the seventh inning. David Coleman struck out to lead off the inning, but he reached on a wild pitch. After Barr advanced Coleman to second on a sacrifice bunt and Reed Gragnani grounded out, Taylor lined a two-out single to center to score Coleman. Hicks followed with a groundball to Brad Miller, but the Tiger shortstop was unable to field the ball and Taylor scored on the error. Hultzen then laced a single to center to score Werman, giving Virginia a 5-0 lead.

Along with his pitching exploits, Hultzen went 1-for-2 with a game-high two RBIs to lead Virginia, who had 10 hits in the game. Taylor, Hicks, and Kenny Swab added two hits apiece.

Jeff Schaus went 2-for-3 with a walk to pace Clemson.

Clemson and Virginia will play game-two of the three-game series on Saturday at 2:00 PM.