CLEMSON BASEBALL WEEKLY WRAPUP

April 10, 2011

Clemson University Overall Season Record: 18-13 ACC Regular-Season Record: 6-9

Last Week: 4-1 Tue. W, Home vs. Coastal Carolina, 5-4 (10 Innings) Wed. W, Home vs. Western Carolina, 12-3 Fri. W, Home vs. Maryland, 12-3 Sat. W, Home vs. Maryland, 7-0 Sun. L, Home vs. Maryland, 7-6

Next Week Tue. Home vs. Presbyterian College, 6:30 PM Fri. Away vs. Boston College, 2:30 PM Sat. Away vs. Boston College, 1:30 PM Sun. Away vs. Boston College, 12:00 PM

Last Week’s Game Notes Clemson went 4-1 in five games at home this past week. The Tigers won a pair of midweek games over Coastal Carolina and Western Carolina before defeating Maryland twice in three games over the weekend.

On the week, the Tigers hit .335 with a .535 slugging percentage and .435 on-base percentage. Brad Miller had a remarkable week at the plate, going 14-for-21 (.667) with two doubles, two triples, seven RBIs, eight runs, two walks, and four steals while not committing an error in 28 chances at shortstop over five games. After not starting at shortstop for the previous 14 games due to a broken finger, he returned to the position and made several highlight-reel plays. He also had at least two hits in each of the five games during the week and had at least three hits and two RBIs in each of the three games against Maryland.

Will Lamb was 6-for-10 with a double, triple, three RBIs, three runs, two walks, and a steal in three games, while Jeff Schaus added six hits, six runs, and eight walks, while John Hinson totaled six hits, a .500 on-base percentage, and five stolen bases.

The Tiger pitching staff had a 3.33 ERA and .229 opponents’ batting average on the week. David Haselden pitched 10.0 masterful innings in his two relief appearances. He allowed just three hits (all singles), no runs, and two walks (one of which was intentional) against six strikeouts along with an .094 opponents’ batting average while earning a win and save in his two outings. The Tigers committed just two errors (.990 fielding percentage) in five games, thanks in part to Miller returning to shortstop, Hinson returning to third base, Jason Stolz returning to second base, and Shaffer returning to first base.

Pinch-hitter Doug Kingsmore Stadium on April 5. The Chanticleers led 4-3 until pinch-hitter Dominic Attanasio tied the score in the ninth inning with a run-scoring double, then McGibbon’s one-out single in the 10th inning gave Clemson its first walkoff hit since 2009. Clemson outhit the Chanticleers 12-8. Miller, who made three stellar defensive plays to rob Coastal Carolina players of hits, went 2-for-4 with two runs and a walk, while Lamb went 2-for-3 with a key one-out triple and the tying run in the ninth inning along with two walks. Haselden pitched 7.0 scoreless innings of two-hit ball in relief to earn the win.

Doug Kingsmore Stadium on April 6. The Tigers scored five runs in the third inning and never trailed again. Clemson also scored two runs in the fourth inning, three runs in the fifth, and two runs in the eighth. Both teams tallied 10 hits, but Western Carolina only scored three of its 16 basesrunners. Starter Scott Weismann pitched 6.0 effective innings to earn the win. Jack Leggett earned career win #1,162 against the program he once served as head coach (1983-91), passing the late Bill Wilhelm and Norm DeBriyn for sole possession of 16th place on the all-time wins list by a head coach at a Division I school.

Clemson then won two of three games over Maryland by a combined score of 25-10 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium from April 8-10. Clemson outhit the Terrapins .347 to .213 and totaled eight doubles, four triples, one homer, 19 walks, and seven steals. Miller went 10-for-13 (.769) with two doubles, two triples, six RBIs, five runs, and two steals. Shaffer went 6-for-13 with two doubles, four RBIs, and three runs, Hinson went 4-for-11 with four steals, and Schaus added three hits, six runs, and six walks. The Tiger pitching staff had a 3.33 ERA and 24 strikeouts against 12 walks, while Clemson committed just two errors.

In game-one on April 8, Clemson scored five runs in the second inning and defeated Maryland 12-3. The Terrapins scored three runs in the fifth inning to narrow Clemson’s lead to 6-3, but the Tigers scored four two-out runs in the sixth inning to pull away. Miller went 3-for-4 with a double, triple, three runs, and two RBIs to lead Clemson, who had 13 hits in the game. Schaus and Attanasio both added one triple, while Lamb went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs, and two runs. Jonathan Meyer pitched the final 4.1 innings to earn the win. He allowed just two hits, no runs, and one walk with five strikeouts.

In game-two on April 9, Scott Firth and Haselden combined for a three-hit shutout in Clemson’s 7-0 win over Maryland. Firth worked out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the first inning and cruised the rest of the way. He allowed just two hits with five strikeouts in 6.0 innings pitched to earn the win. Haselden yielded only one hit and no walks with three strikeouts to record the save. The Tigers scored four runs in the first inning and never looked back. Miller went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs to pace Clemson, who had 13 hits in the game. Shaffer added three hits, while Phil Pohl hit a two-run homer.

In game-three on April 10, Michael Montville’s single scored Alfredo Rodriguez with one out in the ninth inning for the winning run in Maryland’s 7-6 victory over Clemson. The back-and-forth game saw the Tigers tie the score in the sixth inning, but Clemson was kept off the scoreboard for the rest of the game. Rodriguez, who went 3-for-4, led off the ninth with a double before he scored the winning run. Miller went 4-for-5 with a triple and two RBIs, while Shaffer totaled two doubles and two RBIs. Both teams had nine hits, but Clemson stranded nine runners on base and could not take advantage of nine walks and one hit-by-pitch by Maryland pitchers.

2011 Season Notes

Clemson has an 18-13 overall record and 6-9 ACC mark on the season. Of the Tigers’ 13 losses, seven have been by one run and another was by two runs.

The Tigers are in third place in the ACC Atlantic Division standings, behind Florida State (9-6) and Boston College (6-8). Clemson is also in seventh place in the overall ACC standings. Clemson is three games under .500 in the ACC thanks in large part to an 0-5 record in games decided by two runs or less, including four one-run losses. Nevertheless, Clemson is outhitting its ACC opponents .297 to .255 and has outscored its ACC opponents 94-87.

The Tigers are hitting .317 with a .453 slugging percentage and .418 on-base percentage thanks to 171 walks and 30 hit-by-pitches in 2011. The team has also totaled 62 doubles, 13 triples, 18 homers, and 47 stolen bases. The Tigers are hitting .350 with runners in scoring position on the season. Clemson is fielding at a .965 clip as well.

Brad Miller leads the ACC in batting average (.423) and on-base percentage (.545) along with totaling five doubles, three triples, 17 RBIs, 23 runs, 22 walks, and nine stolen bases in 24 games (22 starts). He has raised his batting average from .302 to .423 thanks to going 17-for-25 (.680) with nine RBIs, eight runs, and four steals in the last six games.

Jeff Schaus is hitting .330 with 11 doubles, two triples, and a .458 on-base percentage thanks to 26 walks and three hit-by-pitches against only nine strikeouts. Schaus leads the ACC with a .441 batting average in ACC regular-season games. John Hinson has a team-high 12 stolen bases as well.

The pitching staff has a 3.78 ERA and .242 opponents’ batting average in 273.2 innings pitched this season. It has allowed 250 hits and 101 walks with 235 strikeouts.

David Haselden has a 2-1 record, two saves, a 2.47 ERA, and .217 opponents’ batting average in 40.0 innings pitched over 12 appearances (four starts). Scott Firth is 3-0 with a 2.87 ERA and .181 opponents’ batting average in 31.1 innings pitched over eight appearances (four starts). Jonathan Meyer is 2-0 with a 2.60 ERA and .198 opponents’ batting average in 27.2 innings pitched over 12 relief appearances as well.

Clemson will face Presbyterian College on Tuesday night at Doug Kingsmore Stadium before traveling northward to face Boston College on the road in a three-game series over the weekend.