Baseball Sweeps Maine

March 14, 1998

CLEMSON, SC–Fifth-ranked Clemson had a double-digit scoring inning in both games of a doubleheader, and Head Coach Jack Leggett gained his 600th career coaching victory as the Tigers swept Maine on Saturday. The Tigers won the games by 18-2 and 19-11 scores and improved their record to 20-2 with the wins. Maine fell to 5-9 overall.

Leggett, who led Maine to the College World Series in 1976 as the school’s captain, won his 600th game over a career that has included stints at Vermont, Western Carolina and Clemson. His Tigers will face Western Carolina on Tuesday night at 7:00, Clemson’s first home night game of the season.

Clemson scored 12 runs in the bottom of the fifth to put the contest away. It tied a school record for the highest scoring fifth inning in school history. The Tigers had the 12 runs on five hits and three errors. Jason Harris had a three-run homer and a two-run double to highlight the frame. Justin Hyde, his replacement later in the game, had a double and knocked in two runs, giving Clemson seven RBIs at the number-four slot in the order.

While the Tigers had 18 runs scored in the game, Clemson had just 12 hits. Twelve Tigers reached based on walks, including four by leadoff hitter Henri Stanley. Harris and Peter Nystrom were the only two Tigers to have two hits. Skip Browning was the winner for Clemson, improving his record to 4-0. He allowed just six hits and one run.

Maine was led by Brian Harvie in the first game, as the Maine second baseman had three hits. Julian Bracali had a pair of hits for support.

Clemson had a 14-run sixth inning, the second highest scoring inning in school history, in the 19-11 victory over Maine in the second game. The only more productive frame in Clemson history took place at NC State in 1979 when Clemson scored 18 runs in the ninth in a 41-9 victory. It was the fourth time this year Clemson has scored at least 11 runs in an inning.

The Tigers were trailing 11-4 heading into the bottom of the frame, thanks to a seven-run inning by the Black Bears in the fifth. The Tigers big inning brought them from a seven-run deficit to a seven-run lead in one inning.

Clemson had seven extra base hits in the frame. Doug Roper reached base three times in the inning, via a double, single and a walk. Justin Singleton, son of former Major League star Ken Singleton, had two homers in the game even though he did not enter the contest until the sixth. He had a two-run homer in the sixth.

Donovan Harrison got the win in relief for Clemson. Matt Additon and Scott Clackum did not allow a hit over the last three innings when Clemson shutout the Black Bears.

Clemson had 16 hits in the second game, but once again, no one had more than two. Patrick Boyd had three RBIs and scored three runs from the leadoff position. Peter Nystrom had four walks and Mike Calitri had four RBIs on a double and a triple.

Julian Bracali led Maine in the second game with two hits and four RBIs, while outfielder Rex Turner knocked in three runs.