CLEMSON BASEBALL WEEKLY WRAPUP

April 22, 2012

Clemson University Overall Season Record: 24-17 ACC Regular-Season Record: 12-9

Last Week: 4-0 Tue. W, Home vs. Charleston Southern, 3-2 Fri. W, Away vs. Maryland, 5-4 Sat. W, Away vs. Maryland, 5-3 (Game 1) Sat. W, Away vs. Maryland, 7-2 (Game 2)

Next Week Tue. Home vs. Coastal Carolina, 6:30 PM (ESPN3) Fri. Away vs. Georgia Tech, 7:00 PM (CSS) Sat. Away vs. Georgia Tech, 4:00 PM (CSS) Sun. Away vs. Georgia Tech, 1:00 PM (ESPN3)

Last Week’s Game Notes Clemson went 4-0 in four games this past week, as it had its first undefeated week of the season. The Tigers edged Charleston Southern at home on Tuesday before Clemson started, finished, and won three games in less than 23 hours at Maryland over Friday and Saturday.

On the week, the Tigers outscored their opposition 20-11 and batted .312 with a .486 slugging percentage and .355 on-base percentage. They also totaled 11 doubles, two triples, three homers, 10 walks, and one stolen base. Clemson committed just one error and fielded at a .993 clip as well.

Jason Stolz was 7-for-14 with two doubles, one homer, three RBIs, and four runs, while Phil Pohl was 7-for-16 (.438) with two doubles, one homer, five RBIs, and three runs on the week. Jon McGibbon went 5-for-12 (.417) with two doubles. Thomas Brittle added six hits and three RBIs.

The Tiger pitching staff had a 2.75 ERA and .269 opponents’ batting average on the week. The staff also allowed 36 hits and 12 walks with 25 strikeouts in 36.0 innings pitched.

In 9.0 innings pitched over two relief appearances, Jonathan Meyer allowed just five hits, no runs, and two walks with four strikeouts. Mike Kent pitched 4.2 scoreless innings with three strikeouts against no walks in 4.2 innings pitched over two relief appearances as well.

Brittle’s two-out single in the ninth inning plated Doug Kingsmore Stadium on April 17. The Tigers led 2-0 before the Buccaneers scored two runs in the sixth inning. Charleston Southern put two runners on base in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings, but Tiger hurlers worked out of jams each time. Slaton led off with a single in the bottom of the ninth inning and moved to second on Stolz’s sacrifice bunt. Two batters later, Brittle slapped a 1-2 pitch through the left side for a single to score Slaton. Slaton scored a game-high two runs, while Richie Shaffer added a solo homer in the first inning.

Clemson then swept Maryland by a combined score of 17-9 at Bob Smith Stadium on April 20,21. Clemson outhit the Terrapins .318 to .262 and totaled 11 doubles, two triples, and two homers along with committing just one error in the field. Stolz went 6-for-11 (.545) with two doubles, one homer, and three RBIs, while Pohl went 6-for-12 with two doubles, one homer, and five RBIs. The Tiger pitching staff had a 3.00 ERA with 18 strikeouts against only eight walks.

In game-one on April 20, Shaffer’s two-out, two-run triple in the ninth inning gave Clemson a 5-3 lead and the Tigers held on for a 5-4 victory over Maryland. Clemson took a 3-0 lead with two runs in the fifth inning, but Maryland tied the score with three runs on three two-out hits in the eighth inning. However, Shaffer clobbered an opposite-field triple to the wall in right field to score two runs. Maryland native Kevin Brady pitched 7.0 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts, but did not factor in the decision. Stolz had a team-high three hits and scored two runs for Clemson, who amassed 10 hits.

In game-two on April 21, which was the first game of a doubleheader, Kent pitched 3.1 scoreless innings to close out Clemson’s 5-3 victory over Maryland. Starter Dominic Leone pitched 5.2 effective innings to earn the win, then Kent recorded the save. The Tigers scored three runs in the first inning and never relinquished their lead. Clemson totaled 12 hits, including seven on 0-2 (4) or 1-2 (3) pitches. Pohl went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, while Brittle added two hits and two runs for the Tigers.

In game-three on April 21, which was the second game of a doubleheader, Clemson scored five combined runs in the final three innings to defeat Maryland 7-2. Stolz’s solo homer in the fifth inning tied the score, then Clemson scored three runs in the seventh inning to take the lead for good. Stolz went 2-for-3 with a homer, double, two RBIs, and two runs to lead Clemson, who totaled 12 hits. Brittle added two hits and two RBIs. Meyer pitched 7.0 scoreless innings in relief of four-hit ball to earn the victory.

2012 Season Notes Clemson has a 24-17 overall record and 12-9 ACC mark on the season. The Tigers are still in third place in the ACC Atlantic Division standings behind Florida State (19-2) and N.C. State (13-8). Clemson is in a tie for fourth place with Miami (FL) in the overall ACC standings. Virginia is sixth (11-10), while Wake Forest and Georgia Tech are tied for seventh at 9-12. Atlantic Division teams have also won six more league games than Coastal Division teams in 2012.

The Tigers, who are averaging 5.5 runs per game, are hitting .275 with a .389 slugging percentage and .363 on-base percentage thanks to 174 walks and 33 hit-by-pitches in 2012. The team has also totaled 66 doubles, 11 triples, 25 homers, and 40 stolen bases. Clemson is fielding at a .971 clip as well.

Richie Shaffer leads the team with a .378 batting average, 14 doubles, two triples, eight homers, 38 RBIs, 34 runs, 41 walks, a .508 on-base percentage, and five steals. Thomas Brittle is hitting .343 with a team-high eight steals. He is riding a current 14-game hitting streak and is 29-for-65 (.446) during the streak. Steve Wilkerson is batting .318 with a team-high 36 runs, while Phil Pohl is hitting .300 with six homers and 40 RBIs.

The pitching staff has a 3.50 ERA and .265 opponents’ batting average in 373.0 innings pitched this season. It has allowed 375 hits and 150 walks with 315 strikeouts, good for a 2.10 strikeout-to-walk ratio. In Clemson’s 41 games, the pitching staff has allowed five earned runs or less in 37 games. The Tigers have not lost a game by more than five runs all season as well.

Kevin Brady leads the weekend rotation with a 2.58 ERA in 52.1 innings pitched over 10 starts. He also has 52 strikeouts and a .229 opponents’ batting average.

Scott Firth has been the team’s best reliever, as he is 4-0 with a 1.77 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 35.2 innings pitched over 15 relief appearances.

Matt Campbell has a 2.14 ERA and 22 strikeouts against seven walks in 21.0 innings pitched over 11 relief appearances as well. He has not pitched since his outstanding outing against Miami (FL) on March 30 due to injury, but the Tigers hope to get him back on the mound during the upcoming week.

Clemson will return to action on Tuesday night when it hosts Coastal Carolina before traveling to Atlanta, GA to face Georgia Tech in a three-game series over the weekend.