Baseball Blanks UNC Wilmington

Feb. 27, 1998

CLEMSON, S.C. — Sophomore Ryan Mottl pitched seven shutout innings as Clemson defeated UNC Wilmington 13-0 in the series opener at Tiger Field Friday afternoon.

Mottl (3-0) picked up his seventh straight win dating back to last season as he gave up only six hits and one walk, while striking out six. Freshmen Mike Proto and Mike Rhue each pitched an inning to close out the game. Seahawk starter Jack Temple (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season.

Clemson (10-1) scored a run in the first on a Peter Nystrom single and another run in the second on a leadoff homer by Henri Stanley to right field.

The Tigers broke the game open in the third with four runs. Nystrom walked, Stanley singled, and Brian Ellis doubled to bring home Nystrom. Then, with two runners on, shortstop Doug Roper hit his first career home run, a towering shot to right field, which put the Tigers ahead 6-0.

After a single run in the sixth on a Patrick Boyd RBI double, Clemson scored six more runs in the seventh. Derek Borgert brought two runs home on an opposite field double. The other four runs came on an RBI fielder’s choice by Casey Stone, an RBI single by Bradley LeCroy, and two RBI double by Justin Hyde. In all, Clemson played 22 players.

UNC Wilmington (4-5) was led at the plate by Terry Williams, who was 3-for-4 with two doubles, giving him six two-baggers on the season. Greg Troutman also contributed with a 2-for-3 performance.

Boyd, Nystrom, and Stanley had two hits apiece to lead the Tiger attack. Sophomore Tito Holloway had a hit in his first collegiate at bat.

The shutout for Clemson was the first of 1998. The Tigers had only one shutout in all of 1997.

Clemson will again play host to UNC Wilmington on Saturday at 2:00.

UNC Wilmington  0  0  0     0  0  0     0  0  0     -       0     8  3Clemson         1  1  4     0  0  1     6  0      -         13   13  1Win - Mottl (3-0)   Loss - Temple (2-1)2B - Williams 2 (6), Boyd (1), Hyde (1), Ellis (2), Borgert (1)HR - Stanley (2), Roper (1)Start:  2:59 PM Time:  2:30Attendance:  1,360Dean faced 4 batters in the 7th