Clemson Baseball Weekly Wrap-Up

March 11, 2007

Clemson University Overall Season Record: 10-4 ACC Regular-Season Record: 0-0

Last Week: 3-1 Wed.: W home vs. #17 Coastal Carolina, 4-0 Fri.: L home vs. Memphis, 4-6 (10 innings) Sat.: W home vs. Memphis, 8-2 Sun.: W home vs. Memphis, 7-2

Photo Gallery (courtesy of Randy Rampey)

Next Week Wed.: Home vs. Georgia Southern, 7:15 PM Fri.: Home vs. Duke, 7:15 PM Sat.: Home vs. Duke, 4:00 PM Sun.: Home vs. Duke, 1:00 PM

Notes

Clemson went 3-1 last week in four games, including one against #17 Coastal Carolina (entered the game with a 12-2 record) and three versus Memphis (entered with a 7-3 record). The Tigers shut out the Chanticleers 4-0, then outscored Memphis by a combined score of 19-10 in winning two of three games.

Four pitchers combined to lead #6 Clemson to a 4-0 shutout victory over #17 Coastal Carolina at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on March 7. Starter P.J. Zocchi picked up the win by pitching 5.1 innings, while Daniel Moskos struck out three of the four batters he faced to record the save. Matt Zoltak and Stephen Clyne combined with Moskos to pitch 3.2 hitless innings in relief. The Tigers did not allow an extra-base hit as well. Ahead 1-0 late in the game, the Tigers scored three runs in the eighth inning, highlighted by Marquez Smith’s RBI double down the left-field line. Clemson outhit the Chanticleers 11-5, including three hits apiece by Smith and Brad Chalk, and two doubles by Taylor Harbin.

Clemson won two of three games over Memphis from March 9-11 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Clemson hit .301 to Memphis’ .222 and stole nine bases while committing only two errors.

In game-one on March 9, Josh Irvin’s two-run single in the 10th inning lifted Memphis to a 6-4 victory over Clemson. Memphis took a 4-0 lead in the fifth inning thanks to a two-run homer by Joseph Lieberman. But Clemson rallied with one run in the fifth and two in the seventh. Then with two outs in the ninth inning, D’Alessio hit a towering solo homer to right-center to tie the score. But Irvin’s bases-loaded single in the 10th proved to be the difference. Clemson put 17 runners on base, but only scored four runs and stranded 11 on base. Clemson was also 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. D’Alessio had a game-high three hits. Matt Vaughn pitched 3.1 scoreless innings in relief, allowing one hit and no walks with six strikeouts as well.

In game-two on March 10, Clemson scored five runs in the sixth inning on its way to an 8-2 victory over Memphis. D’Alessio went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer in the first inning. After Memphis tied the score 2-2, Clemson erupted for five runs in the sixth, highlighted by Smith’s two-run homer to left field. Chalk added a two-run single in the frame. Clyne picked up the win by pitching 3.1 scoreless innings in relief of one-hit ball with four strikeouts. Ryan Hinson allowed just two runs in 5.2 innings pitched with six strikeouts as well. Two Memphis errors led to four unearned runs scored by Clemson.

In game-three on March 11, five pitchers held Memphis to four hits in Clemson’s 7-2 victory. Clemson scored two runs in the second inning and two more in the third. After Memphis cut Clemson’s lead to 4-2 in the top of the fifth inning, Clemson responded with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on a wild pitch and RBI single by Addison Johnson. Johnson had two hits and a team-high two RBIs, as Clemson had 10 hits overall. Clemson also stole seven bases, including two each by Chalk and Harbin. Alan Farina allowed just two hits in 4.2 innings pitched in his first career start, while Brock Schnabel picked up his first win as a Tiger by pitching 1.1 scoreless innings in relief.

In four games during the week, Clemson hit .309 with 10 doubles and nine stolen bases. Chalk was 8-for-11 (.727) with two doubles, three RBIs, three walks, three hit-by-pitches, and four steals in four attempts in four games. D’Alessio was 8-for-16 (.500) with two homers and four RBIs, while Smith was 7-for-16 (.438) with a homer and four RBIs. The pitching staff had a 2.43 ERA and .208 opponents’ batting average and 34 strikeouts against 12 walks while allowing only four extra-base hits.

David Bunnell moved to the starting spot at second base and performed well. The first-year senior walk-on was 3-for-9 with two walks and no errors in 15 chances in three games, as he provided a spark at the bottom of the lineup. Hogan only started one game versus Memphis after suffering a finger injury against Coastal Carolina on Wednesday, but hopes to be back at full-strength this upcoming week. Chalk also upped his streak of reaching base via a hit or walk to 41 games, while Clyne has pitched 30 consecutive innings without allowing a run, one of the longest streaks in ACC history.

On the season, Clemson has a 10-4 record. The team is hitting .287 with a .370 on-base percentage. Chalk leads the way with a .469 batting average, .571 on-base percentage, and four stolen bases. Hogan is hitting .415 with four homers and seven RBIs as well.

The Tigers have a 3.16 ERA and .240 opponents’ batting through 14 games. Clyne has allowed eight hits, no runs, and two walks with 14 strikeouts in 14.2 innings pitched. Hinson has a 1.74 ERA, while Moskos has a team-high two saves.

Clemson will play host to Georgia Southern on Wednesday at 7:15 PM before opening its ACC schedule over the weekend against Duke at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.