Clemson Claims Ninth-Inning 7-6 Victory Over Duke on Sunday

May 4, 2003

Clemson, SC- Steve Pyzik singled to left-center with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to give #14 Clemson a 7-6 victory over Duke on Sunday in front of 3,219 fans at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Kyle Frank scored the game-winning run on Pyzik’s second career walkoff hit. He won a game against North Carolina in 2001 with a walkoff single as well. The win improved the Tigers to 32-13 (9-7 in the ACC) and dropped the Blue Devils to 15-29 (1-17 in the ACC).

Paul Harrelson (4-1) earned the win for Clemson. He faced just one batter, but struck him out in the top of the ninth. Tim Layden (0-6) suffered the loss for Duke after giving up three hits and one run in 4.1 innings pitched.

Brad McCann went 3-for-4 with two runs batted in to lead Clemson. The sophomore third baseman now has nine RBIs over the last four games. Michael Johnson also drove in two runs on the night.

Duke got off to a quick start, scoring three runs at the outset of the game. Brian Patrick reached on a two-out single, advanced to second after Lumsden hit Tim Layden, and then scored on an RBI-single by Troy Caradonna. The Blue Devils added two more runs on an RBI double by Grant Stanley.

Clemson responded with two runs in the bottom of the first frame. After Zane Green reached on an error, he moved to third on a single by Russell Triplett and then scored on an RBI single by Johnson. Triplett was then plated after David Slevin slapped a single to right field.

Duke extended the lead to 4-2 in the top of the fourth inning after Brian Hernandez scored on a single by Senterrio Landrum.

The Tigers took a 6-4 lead in the fourth. Johnson drove in Steve Pyzik and advanced Green to third on a single to right field. Johnson and Green scored on Kyle Frank then singled in McCann.

The Blue Devils cut the lead to 6-5 in the fifth. Adam Murray walked to lead off the inning and later scored on Troy Caradonna’s double to left center. Duke tied the game in the top of the eighth when Layden tripled to center field and scored on Grant Stanley’s sacrifice bunt.

Duke threatened to take the lead in the top of the ninth. Duke appeared to have at least one run after Layden singled to centerfield, but Frank came up with a clutch throw to throw out Adam Murray out at home plate. Then, the Blue Devils loaded the bases for Stanley. Harrelson barely missed on a 2-2 pitch and then got Stanley to chase a 3-2 pitch out of the strike zone to end the threat.

The Tigers and Blue Devils will hook up for the second of the three-game series Monday night at 7:15 PM at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The game will be broadcast by Clemson Tiger Sports Properties and can be followed on www.clemsontigers.com via live stats.