Berken Leads #10 Clemson Past #12 N.C. State 4-2 on Saturday

March 25, 2006

Clemson, SC-

Jason Berken tied a career high in innings pitched (7.0), allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits as #10 Clemson defeated #12 N.C. State 4-2 in front of 3,914 fans at Doug Kingsmore Stadium Saturday. The Tigers won for the second time in as many nights against the Wolfpack to improve to 15-6 overall, and 2-3 in the ACC. N.C. State dropped to 21-7, and 5-3 in the ACC.

Designated-hitter Ben Hall was 1-for-1 with an RBI and a run scored for the Tigers. Combined with two walks, Hall reached base in each of his three plate appearances. Matt Mangini had two of N.C. State’s six hits on the night.

Berken (3-2) struck out five and pitched into the eighth inning to earn the win for Clemson. Daniel Moskos pitched 2.0 scoreless innings to record his second save of the season. Eric Surkamp (2-1) allowed four runs on six hits in 5.2 innings pitched, and suffered his first loss of the season.

Clemson opened the scoring in the fourth with four runs on five hits, three of which went for extra bases. Brad Chalk tripled off the glove of Brian Aragon in right to lead off the inning. Taylor Harbin followed with a double over the head of Matt Camp in center that scored Chalk, and Tyler Colvin then tripled to center to score Harbin. Hall singled to center on a 3-0 pitch one out later to score Colvin, and then moved to second on a wild pitch. With two outs, D.J. Mitchell lofted a single to left-center that scored Hall.

The Wolfpack had runners on second and third with one out in both the fifth and sixth innings, but could not score. A pop up to second resulted in the second out in each inning. A groundout to third by Camp ended the fifth, and a fly out by Aragon ended the sixth.

Camp walked to lead off the eighth, and Bobby Hubbard hit a hard grounder up the middle that took a tough hop on Stan Widmann on what was a potential double play ball. Aaron Bates walked to load the bases, and ended the night for Berken. The Tigers brought in Moskos, and he walked pinch-hitter Ryan Pond to force in Camp for the first N.C. State run of the game. Ramon Corona hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Hubbard, but Moskos induced Aragon into a groundball double play to end the inning.

Mangini reached on a fielding error at third by Herman Demmink to lead off the ninth. Caleb Mangum then flew out to right, and Jonathan Diaz grounded out to first attempting to bunt for hit, advancing Mangini to second. Camp walked, and pinch-hitter Jon Still followed with a single up the middle. Camp made a wide turn at second as Chalk threw behind him from centerfield, and Camp was tagged out before he could return to second base by Harbin to end the game. Mangini did not cross home plate before the tag was made at second, and the game ended in a 4-2 final score.

Clemson and N.C. State conclude their three-game series Sunday at 1:00 PM at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.