CLEMSON BASEBALL WEEKLY WRAPUP

Feb. 20, 2011

Clemson University Overall Season Record: 2-1 ACC Regular-Season Record: 0-0

Last Week: 2-1 Fri. W, Home vs. Eastern Michigan, 14-3 Sat. L, Home vs. Eastern Michigan, 7-6 Sun. W, Home vs. Eastern Michigan, 5-1

Next Week Fri. Home vs. Cincinnati, 4:00 PM Sat. Home vs. Charleston Southern, 1:00 PM Sun. Neutral* vs. Michigan State, 1:00 PM * – Greenville, SC (Fluor Field)

Notes Clemson, ranked as high as #4 in the nation, won two of three games over Eastern Michigan by a combined score of 25-11 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium from February 18-20. The Tigers outhit the Eagles .337 to .228 and totaled 25 walks and eight steals. Chris Epps hit both of Clemson’s home runs in the series. Brad Miller added three hits and six walks along with four stolen bases. The Tiger pitching staff had a 3.67 ERA and 26 strikeouts against only six walks. The two wins in 2011 moves Jack Leggett into a tie for 20th place (with Jay Bergman) in all-time victories by a head coach at a Division I school.

In game-one on February 18, Clemson totaled 16 hits and 10 walks en route to a 14-3 win over Eastern Michigan. Every Tiger starter had at least one hit. Epps led off the season for Clemson with a homer, then the Tigers added three more runs in the first inning and never relinquished the lead. The Tigers added three runs in the third, fourth, and seventh innings. Miller went 2-for-3 with three runs, two RBIs, and two walks, Kieboom went 1-for-2 with four RBIs and two of the team’s five sacrifice flies, and John Hinson added three runs and three walks. Scott Weismann, the first of four Tiger pitchers, pitched 5.0 solid innings with four strikeouts to earn the victory.

In game-two on February 19, Daniel Russell scored on a wild pitch with two outs in the eighth inning to give Eastern Michigan a 7-6 win over Clemson. The Eagles scored three runs in both the second and fourth innings to build a 6-0 lead, but the Tigers evened the score on Phil Pohl’s run-scoring single in the seventh inning. Clemson stranded 11 runners on base against only seven for Eastern Michigan. Russell went 4-for-4 with two doubles and two runs to pace Eastern Michigan, who outhit the Tigers 11-9. Kieboom went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs to lead Clemson.

In game-three on February 20, Kevin Brady struck out 10 batters to lead Clemson to a 5-1 win over Eastern Michigan. In 5.1 innings pitched, Brady allowed just two hits, one run, and one walk to earn the win. David Haselden pitched 3.0 innings, allowing just two hits, no runs, and no walks with two strikeouts to record the save. Brady, Haselden, and Jonathan Meyer combined to limit the Eagles to five hits and one walk with 12 strikeouts. Epps hit a two-run homer in the third inning to give Clemson a 3-0 lead. Hinson went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs, and two steals, while Jason Stolz reached base in all four of his plate appearances.

Clemson will have four days off before returning to action next weekend in three games against three different opponents in the First Pitch Invitational. The Tigers will host Cincinnati on Friday and Charleston Southern on Saturday before traveling to Greenville, SC to face Michigan State on Sunday. It will be the first of four Tiger games at Fluor Field in 2011.