Monday 06/21/1999
March 18, 1998
Thursday, March 19Clemson at Western Carolina 3:00 PMWestern Carolina Quick Facts1998 Record: 15-6Head Coach: Rodney HennonSeries Record: Clemson leads 36-6Pos # Player B-T Cl. G-GS Avg. HR RBIC 41 Brian Ellis L-R *So. 18-13 .487 1 17or 15 Derek Borgert R-R *Jr. 19-11 .200 1 51B 25 Jason Harris L-L Jr. 23-23 .422 5 292B 18 Kurt Bultmann R-R Jr. 22-22 .384 6 25SS 4 Doug Roper S-R *So. 23-23 .375 1 183B 11 Justin Singleton L-R Fr. 16-7 .423 3 12or 33 Mike Calitri R-R *Fr. 11-5 .375 1 9LF 9 Peter Nystrom R-R Fr. 22-19 .390 3 22CF 24 Patrick Boyd S-R Fr. 23-23 .345 5 27RF 22 Matt Padgett L-R Jr. 22-22 .392 4 19DH 1 Henri Stanley L-L So. 22-12 .381 2 9or 17 Justin Hyde R-R Jr. 18-6 .357 1 8 # Player Cl. W-L G-S ERA IP BB SO39 Matt White, LHP Jr. 1-1 6-4 5.11 24.2 10 24
Clemson Record * 1998 Overall Record 21-2 * 1998 ACC Record 0-0
Head Coach Jack Leggett * Career Record 601-361 (.625) (19th season) * Record at Clemson 224-74 (.752) (5th season) Clemson Rankings * Baseball America 10th * Collegiate Baseball 5th * USA Today/Baseball Weekly 6th
Date BA CB USAPre NR 16 222-9 23 16 NP2-16 23 16 162-23 21 14 133-2 16 10 103-9 12 5 73-16 10 5 63-233-304-64-134-204-275-45-115-185-25FinalNP - no poll
Tigers Take First Game Of Home-And-Home Series With Catamounts
Brian Adams pitched 7.1 strong innings to lead Clemson over Western Carolina 5-1 on a chilly Tuesday night (Mar. 17) at Tiger Field.
Adams won his second consecutive game, and also pitched seven or more innings and allowed only one run for the second straight game. The Bishopville, SC native allowed only five hits and one walk, while striking out six batters. Patrick Boyd hit his fifth home run in the first inning and ended with two hits and two RBIs. Jason Harris upped his RBI total with three RBIs on two doubles. Scott Clackum pitched the final 1.2 innings to earn his fifth save of the season.
Leggett Wins 600th In Sweep Of Alma Mater Maine
Head Coach Jack Leggett won his 600th career game in his 19th season as Clemson swept three games over Maine on Mar. 13-14. Ironically, he reached the milestone against his alma mater. In the series, the Tigers scored 49 runs. Despite the run total, only two players had three hits in a game.
In game one on Friday, Clemson scored eight runs in the sixth inning to secure the win 12-2. Ryan Mottl (5-0) pitched seven innings, allowing only four hits, one earned runs, and no walks while striking out seven to earn his ninth consecutive game dating back to last season. The top eight starters in the Tiger lineup had at least two hits apiece as well. Kurt Bultmann also hit his sixth homer in the game.
Game two saw Clemson score 12 runs in the fifth inning en route to a convincing 18-2 win. Skip Browning pitched five innings, allowing only one run, to pick up his fourth victory of the season. Jason Harris led the Tiger hitting attack with a double, homer, and five RBIs.
Leggett won his 600th career game in game three, which was also the second game of the day. Clemson used another big inning to come back from a 11-4 deficit. The Tigers scored 14 runs in the sixth inning to take a commanding 18-11 lead. It was the second highest scoring inning in Clemson history. The inning featured 10 hits, including seven extra base hits. Doug Roper also reached base three times in the inning, two by hits and once via a walk. Justin Singleton, son of former Major Leaguer Ken Singleton, came off the bench in the sixth inning for an injured Kurt Bultmann and hit two home runs, one to right field and one to left. Eleven players accounted for Clemson’s 16 hits.
Tigers Take It To Chanticleers Clemson defeated Coastal Carolina 17-3 on Mar. 10 in a mid-week game at Tiger Field.
Brian Adams pitched seven innings, only allowing two hits and one run to earn the victory. It was only the second start of the sophomore’s career.
The Tigers ran out to a 9-1 lead in the first inning. Peter Nystrom and Matt Padgett each hit homers in the first. Clemson added two runs in the fifth inning and four more in the sixth. Clemson was also aided by 15 Coastal Carolina walks. With the win, Clemson won its 14th game in 15 tries.
Leggett Reaches 600-Win Mark
Head Coach Jack Leggett is only in his 19th season as a head coach and has already reached the 600-win mark in his coaching career when Clemson defeated his alma mater Maine in the second game of a doubleheader on Mar. 14. He has a career record of 601-361 (.625) in five seasons at Vermont, nine at Western Carolina, and more than four seasons at Clemson.
Leggett has also amassed a 224-74 (.752) record while at Clemson, including each of the first three seasons that saw him win 50 or more games.
Newcomers Provide Instant Offense
The one question mark entering the 1998 season for Clemson was its ability to put runs on the board. That question has been answered emphatically thanks to many Tiger newcomers who have replaced the five graduating position starters from 1997.
Clemson’s 10 newcomers in the field have combined to hit .380 (132-for-347). Those players have also stolen 14 bases in 15 attempts, and scored 117 of the 245 runs (48%).
Consistency A Key To Tigers’ Success
Clemson is averaging nearly 11 runs per game in 1998 and doing so without great individual game performances, but rather a group effort. Through 23 games, 13 players have at least nine hits, 10 players have scored at least 10 runs, and 12 players have at least eight RBIs. Eleven of the 13 Tigers with at least 20 at bats are batting .345 or better at the plate. Also, only twice this season has a player had four hits in a game.
On the mound, all 12 pitchers have under a 6.00 ERA and have at least three appearances, with no one player appearing more than eight times this season.
Brian Adams Providing Strong Outings As Starter
Entering the 1998 season, lefthanded sophomore pitcher Brian Adams had not started a game on the mound as a Tiger. But if his last two starts are any indication, Adams will see a lot more starts. In his last two outings, Adams has pitched 14.1 innings, allowing only seven hits, two runs, and three walks while picking up two wins. He has lowered his ERA to a team best 2.10 figure. Opponents are only hitting .194 against him as well. Adams has a twin brother on the Tiger pitching staff. Unlike Brian, Darren throws from the right side and red-shirted the 1997 season.
Mottl Named ACC Player-Of-The-Week March 2
Sophomore pitcher Ryan Mottl earned Clemson’s first ACC Player-of-the-Week award in 1998 when he pitched seven innings and picked up his third win against UNC Wilmington on Feb. 27. The Florissant, MO native also won his seventh consecutive game dating back to the ’97 season. In the game against the Seahawks, he allowed just six hits and one walk, while striking out six.
For the season, Mottl is 5-0 with a 3.82 ERA in six starts. He won his last four decisions of ’97, therefore he has won nine decisions in a row. Mottl was a First-Team All-ACC starting pitcher as a freshman, and was the first freshman Tiger pitcher to ever accomplish that feat.
Boyd Garners ACC Honor March 9
Freshman Patrick Boyd was tabbed as the ACC Player-of-the-Week on March 9. He led Clemson to a 4-1 record for the week and hit .474 (9-for-19). The Palm Harbor native also was responsible for 14 runs in the five games, scoring nine runs and batting in five.
After starting the season 3-for-25 (.120), freshman Patrick Boyd has risen his batting average well over .300. He is hitting 27-for-62 (.435) over the last 16 games. As the everyday centerfielder, Boyd has started all 23 games, and has scored 32 runs and hit five home runs. Baseball America tabbed Boyd in the preseason as the ACC’s Newcomer-of-the-Year and as one of the top-10 prospects overall in the ACC regardless of class.
Leggett Has 41-7 Record in Februarys
Under Head Coach Jack Leggett, Clemson has gotten off to some fast starts, mainly in the month of February. In his five February’s at Clemson, Leggett has amassed a 41-7 (.854) record in the month of February. Leggett was 8-2 in 1994, 6-1 in 1995, 7-2 in 1996, 9-1 in 1997, and 11-1 in 1998.
Big Innings
Clemson has scored at least 11 runs in an inning an amazing four times already in 1998. The Tigers scored 12 runs in the third inning against UNC Wilmington on Feb. 28 in the 19-6 win. Clemson scored 11 runs in the fifth inning against Stetson on Mar. 6 in the 22-4 victory. Clemson then had double-digit scoring innings twice in the same day.
In game one of a doubleheader against Maine on Mar. 14, Clemson scored 12 in the fifth inning en route to the 18-2 win. Then in game two, Clemson scored 14 runs in the sixth inning to overcome a 11-4 deficit to win 19-11. The 14 runs was the second most ever scored by Clemson in an inning, behind only a 18-run ninth inning in Clemson’s 41-9 win against N.C. State in 1979.
In the fifth and sixth innings, Clemson has outscored its opponents 95-18 (43-9 in 5th and 52-9 in 6th).
The offense has also been scoring runs at a record pace. The Tigers have scored 245 runs in 23 games, or 10.7 per game. The team record for runs in a season is 698 by the 1991 team. That team averaged 9.97 runs per game.
Freshman Nystrom An Instant Hit
Peter Nystrom has made an instant impact on the Tiger offense as the starting left-fielder. The freshman from Dunedin, FL is hitting .390 with six doubles, one triple, three home runs, and 22 RBIs in only 59 at bats. Nystrom has played in 22 of the 23 games, starting 19 in left-field.
Calitri Homers In First Career At Bat
Red-shirt freshman Mike Calitri waited a whole year to do what few have ever done. The Canton, MA native hit an opposite field two-run homer in his first career at bat in the Tigers 16-4 win over East Carolina on Feb. 14. Calitri is 9-for-24 (.375) on the season, including two doubles, a triple, and nine RBIs at first and third base. Calitri had an outstanding game in the second game of a doubleheader against Maine on Mar. 14 when he had a double, triple, and four RBIs.
Roper Comes Back Strong
After missing all but one game of the 1997 season, redshirt sophomore shortstop Doug Roper has started 1998 with a bang. The Vidalia, GA native has 27 hits in 72 at bats for a .375 batting average. Ironically, he bats in the nine-spot in the lineup. He also has six stolen bases, tied for third most on the team. Roper was a career 5-for-47 (.106) entering the ’98 season.
Harris Impressive As Tigers’ First Baseman
Junior Jason Harris is hitting .422 with five homers. He also leads the team with 29 RBIs and is second with 31 runs as the Tigers’ new first baseman in 1998. The Brevard College transfer also has seven stolen bases in seven attempts. He also has not committed an error in 218 chances.
Harris’ production is magnified by the fact that the left-handed hitter is hitting .429 against lefties. He is also on a current 10 game hitting streak, has 12 multi-hit games, and has a team best 10 multi-RBI games. During his hitting streak, he his hitting .410 (16-for-39), including two homers, 16 RBIs, and 17 runs scored.
Bultmann Picks Up Where He Left Off
Kurt Bultmann has started 1998 on a roll after setting the Clemson single-season record for doubles with 31. The junior from Seminole, FL hit two doubles in the three-game Olive Garden Classic. He also had six hits in 14 at bats and was named the tournament MVP. The second baseman has moved over from the shortstop position now that Doug Roper is back from a season-ending injury in 1997.
Bultmann is currently hitting .384 with eight doubles, a triple, six home runs, and 25 RBIs in starting 22 of the 23 games. His fielding percentage has also been a bright spot this season. He has committed only three errors in 94 chances for a .968 fielding percentage. Bultmann had one of his best games in his career against Stetson on Mar. 6, where he was 2-for-2 with two home runs, a two-run shot and a grand slam.
Bultmann now has 49 career doubles, which ties him for 12th place all time in Clemson history. Below is a look at the Clemson career doubles leaders:
Rk. Name (Years) Doubles1. Gary Burnham (1994-97) 772. Bert Heffernan (1985-88) 633. Chuck Baldwin (1984-87) 624. Shane Monahan (1993-95) 605. Jim Crowley (1988-91) 576. Jim McCollom (1982-85) 567. Kevin Northrup (1989-92) 55 Billy McMillon (1991-93) 559. Brian Kowitz (1988-90) 5310. Mike Milchin (1987-89) 51 Robert Bonnette (1976-79) 5112. Kurt Bultmann (1996-present) 49 Steve Baucom (1984-87) 49 Jeff Miller (1990-93) 4915. Matthew LeCroy (1995-97) 48
1. Florida State (3) 732. Clemson (2) 70 Georgia Tech (3) 704. N.C. State 455. Wake Forest (1) 446. Duke 387. North Carolina 318. Virginia 239. Maryland 11
Clemson * #3 recruiting class by Baseball America#24 Patrick Boyd, OF * Top newcomer in the ACC by Baseball America * #5 overall prospect in the ACC#18 Kurt Bultmann, 2B * Third-Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball#27 Ryan Mottl, RHP * #10 prospect in the ACC by Baseball America * Second-Team All-American by The Sporting News * Third-Team All-American by Collegiate BaseballMottl, Boyd Among Nine USA Baseball Team Training Camp Invitees
Clemson sophomore pitcher Ryan Mottl (Florissant, MO) and freshman outfielder Patrick Boyd (Palm Harbor, FL) were among the first nine players invited to the USA Baseball National Team summer camp.
Boyd, rated as the top newcomer in the ACC by Baseball America, is the only freshman amongst the nine invitees. Mottl, a First-Team All-ACC pitcher in 1997 as a freshman, was a member of the 1997 USA Baseball National Team. Both players attended the 1998 USA Baseball National Team Trials at Hi Corbett Field in November, 1997.
Camp is tentatively scheduled to open June 1 at Hi Corbett Field in Tucson, AZ, home of USA Baseball and Cactus League spring training home of the Colorado Rockies. The USA Baseball National Team will begin its competition in mid-June and play approximately 30 games in preparation for the International Baseball Association’s XXXIII World Championship in Italy on July 21 – August 2.
Seven Current Tigers Picked In Major League Draft
The following is a list of current Clemson players selected in the Major League draft:
Player Year Team RoundPatrick Boyd 1997 Seattle Mariners 2ndMike Paradis 1996 Oakland Athletics 7thJustin Singleton 1997 Arizona Diamondbacks 9thSkip Browning 1996 Florida Marlins 11thPeter Nystrom 1997 Arizona Diamondbacks 13thPaul Stryhas 1997 San Francisco Giants 21stRyan Mottl 1996 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 39th
Clemson’s 203 Wins Since ’94 Second In The Nation
The barometer of a great season in college baseball is getting to Omaha and winning 50 games. Since Jack Leggett took over as Clemson’s head coach in 1994, the Tigers have won 203 games (excluding 1998) for an average of almost 51 per season. Included in that total is 53 wins against top 25 teams. Included among the 53 wins is 24 victories over top 10 teams.
Tiger Field Rated Among Best In The Country
Beautiful Tiger Field has helped Clemson gain one of the best home-field advantages in the country. The Tigers have won over 84 percent of its home ACC games and 82 percent of its overall home games, dating back to 1970.
Baseball America recently published its rankings of the top baseball stadiums in the country based on aesthetics, playing conditions, and amenities. Tiger Field was ranked #8 in the country in Baseball America’s preseason issue, which is also tops in the ACC.
Date Opponent ResultFeb. 6 # South Florida W, 4-2Feb. 7 # Central Florida W, 7-6Feb. 8 # Auburn W, 9-4Feb. 13 EAST CAROLINA L, 1-6Feb. 14 EAST CAROLINA W, 16-4Feb. 15 EAST CAROLINA W, 8-2Feb. 20 OLD DOMINION W, 5-4Feb. 21 OLD DOMINION W, 11-10Feb. 22 OLD DOMINION W, 12-7Feb. 26 NORTH CAROLINA-CHARLOTTE W, 11-7Feb. 27 NORTH CAROLINA-WILMINGTON W, 13-0Feb. 28 NORTH CAROLINA-WILMINGTON W, 19-6Mar. 1 NORTH CAROLINA-WILMINGTON W, 6-3Mar. 3 FLORIDA ATLANTIC W, 6-5Mar. 4 FLORIDA ATLANTIC L, 5-6Mar. 6 STETSON W, 22-4Mar. 8 STETSON (1) W, 10-5Mar. 8 STETSON (2) (8 innings) W, 9-4Mar. 10 COASTAL CAROLINA W, 17-3Mar. 13 MAINE W, 12-2Mar. 14 MAINE (1) W, 18-2Mar. 14 MAINE (2) W, 19-11Mar. 17 WESTERN CAROLINA W, 5-1Date Opponent TimeMar. 19 at Western Carolina 3:00Mar. 20 * MARYLAND 7:15Mar. 21 * MARYLAND 2:00Mar. 22 * MARYLAND 2:00Mar. 25 THE CITADEL 7:00Mar. 27 * WAKE FOREST 7:15Mar. 28 * WAKE FOREST 7:00Mar. 29 * WAKE FOREST 2:00Mar. 31 GEORGIA 7:15Apr. 1 at South Carolina 7:00Apr. 3 * at Virginia 3:00Apr. 4 * at Virginia 2:00Apr. 5 * at Virginia 1:00Apr. 7 FURMAN 7:00Apr. 8 CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 7:00Apr. 10 * at Duke 3:00Apr. 11 * at Duke 1:00Apr. 12 * at Duke 1:00Apr. 15 NORTH CAROLINA-ASHEVILLE 7:00Apr. 17 * N.C. STATE 7:15Apr. 18 * N.C. STATE 7:00Apr. 19 * N.C. STATE 2:00Apr. 21 SOUTH CAROLINA 7:15Apr. 22 at Georgia 7:00Apr. 24 * FLORIDA STATE 7:15Apr. 25 * FLORIDA STATE 7:00Apr. 26 * FLORIDA STATE #% 1:00May 3 * at Georgia Tech 1:30May 4 * at Georgia Tech # 7:00May 5 * at Georgia Tech # 7:00May 8 * at North Carolina 7:00May 9 * at North Carolina 1:00May 10 * at North Carolina # 4:00M.12-17 ACC Tournament @ Durham, NCM.21-24 NCAA RegionalsM.29-J.6 College World Series @ Omaha, NE# - Olive Garden Classic @ Kissimmee, FL; * - ACC game; # - televised on Fox SportSouth; % - tape delayed (4:00) # Player (#) Opponent (Date) Inning Outs *Type Pitcher 1. Nystrom (1) Central Florida (2/7) 3rd 0 1 Maroth (L) 2. Harris (1) Central Florida (2/7) 9th 2 2 Victoria (L) 3. Borgert (1) Auburn (2/8) 6th 1 2 Gliemmo (L) 4. Hyde (1) East Carolina (2/14) 2nd 0 3 Fields (L) 5. Bultmann (1) East Carolina (2/14) 4th 1 1 Bucy (R) 6. Boyd (1) East Carolina (2/14) 6th 0 1 Bucy (R) 7. Harris (2) East Carolina (2/14) 6th 0 2 Bucy (R) 8. Calitri (1) East Carolina (2/14) 7th 2 2 Wood (R) 9. Harris (3) East Carolina (2/15) 3rd 2 2 Outlaw (R) 10. Bultmann (2) East Carolina (2/15) 5th 0 1 Outlaw (R) 11. Nystrom (2) East Carolina (2/15) 7th 1 3 Thompson (R) 12. Boyd (2) Old Dominion (2/21) 6th 0 1 Dye (R) 13. Padgett (1) Old Dominion (2/22) 5th 0 3 Weaver (R) 14. Stanley (1) Old Dominion (2/22) 7th 0 1 Weaver (R) 15. Bultmann (3) North Carolina-Charlotte (2/26) 1st 2 1 Poplin (R) 16. Ellis (1) North Carolina Charlotte (2/26) 5th 0 1 Stanford(L) 17. Stanley (2) North Carolina-Wilmington (2/27)2nd 0 1 Temple(R) 18. Roper (1) North Carolina-Wilmington (2/27)3rd 1 3 Temple (R) 19. Boyd (3) Florida Atlantic (3/3) 1st 1 1 Moser (L) 20. Bultmann (4) Stetson (3/6) 1st 1 2 Aulet (R) 21. Harris (4) Stetson (3/6) 2nd 2 2 Aulet (R) 22. Bultmann (5) Stetson (3/6) 5th 0 4 Johnson (R) 23. Singleton (1) Stetson (3/6) 5th 1 3 Higginbotham (R) 24. Boyd (4) Stetson (3/8) (2) 1st 1 1 House (R) 25. Padgett (2) Stetson (3/8) (2) 6th 1 2 House (R) 26. Nystrom (3) Coastal Carolina (3/10) 1st 1 3 Crossen (L) 27. Padgett (3) Coastal Carolina (3/10) 1st 1 1 Crossen (L) 28. Bultmann (6) Maine (3/13) 6th 0 2 Koutrouba (L) 29. Padgett (4) Maine (3/14) (1) 1st 2 2 O'Brien (R) 30. Harris (5) Maine (3/14) (1) 5th 0 3 O'Brien (R) 31. Singleton (2) Maine (3/14) (2) 6th 0 2 Hewey (R) 32. Singleton (3) Maine (3/14) (3) 7th 0 1 Brewer (R) 33. Boyd (5) Western Carolina (3/17) 1st 0 1 Hutchinson (L) * - 1...Solo, 2...2-run, 3...3-run, 4...Grand Slam # Player Pos. Games R H AB Avg HR RBI 25 Jason Harris 1B 10 17 16 39 .410 2 16 24 Patrick Boyd OF 6 14 12 24 .500 2 14 18 Kurt Bultmann 2B 4 7 6 15 .400 1 6 41 Brian Ellis C 4 3 5 10 .500 0 3 # Player Pos. GP 2 3 4 5+ Tot 18 Kurt Bultmann 2B 22 10 2 0 0 12 25 Jason Harris 1B 23 9 3 0 0 12 22 Matt Padgett OF 22 8 3 0 0 11 24 Patrick Boyd OF 23 5 4 0 0 9
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