Baseball Blanks Furman

April 7, 1998

Clemson, S.C.–Matt White pitched six shutout innings and eight different Tigers had extra base hits, leading third-ranked Clemson to an 18-0 victory over Furman at Tiger Field. Clemson improved to 32-5 with the victory, while Furman fell to 14-20-1.

The victory was Clemson’s 24th in a row over the Paladins dating to the 1984 season. Clemson will play host to Charleston Southern Wednesday night. As a special promotion, children 12-and-under will be permitted to run on the field and stand with their favorite player during the playing of the national anthem during pregame festivities.

White started and went six innings for the Tigers, who recorded their third shutout of the season. He raised his record to 2-2 for the season by allowing just four hits and no runs. The junior from Windsor, MA struck out nine and walked just one. Mike Proto and Darren Adams finished off the shutout for Jack Leggett’s Tigers, who have now scored 368 runs in 37 games this year, nearly a 10 runs per game average.

Derek Borgert and Peter Nystrom batted in three runs apiece. Kurt Bultmann and Casey Stone had three hits apiece, while Matt Padgett scored three runs and batted in two. Five Tigers had doubles, one had a triple and there were a pair of home runs. Justin Hyde and Peter Nystrom stroked home runs for the Tigers, who are now 8-0 at night this year.

Furman was led by Jim Morrill and Chris Valdes at the plate with two hits apiece. Furman did not get a runner to third base all evening.

Clemson scored a pair of runs in the second, then exploded for nine runs in the third. The third inning has been Clemson’s highest scoring inning this year, and the Tigers have now outscored the opposition 72-11 in the third frame this year.

Casey Stone, who had a pair of hits in the inning, started the frame with a bunt single. Patrick Boyd followed with a walk, and when Kurt Bultmann singled to left, Stone scored. One out later the inning continued when Matt Padgett reached on an error, scoring Boyd and Bultmann.

Clemson was just getting warmed up. Later in the inning Derek Borgert singled to drive in two runs. He was followed by four consecutive extra base hits, a triple by Doug Roper and doubles by Stone, Boyd and Butlmann. Clemson had nine runs on seven hits before it was over.

The Tigers added four runs in the sixth with the big hit a three-run homer by Nystrom, his sixth home run of the season. Clemson added a pair of runs in the seventh on a two-run homer by Justin Hyde, who now has 14 hits for the season, nine for extra bases.

It was the 10th time this year Clemson has scored at least 15 runs in a game, including the second game in succession. The Tigers downed Virginia 15-6 last Sunday.