CLEMSON BASEBALL WEEKLY WRAPUP

March 6, 2011

Clemson University Overall Season Record: 7-2 ACC Regular-Season Record: 0-0

Last Week: 2-1 Wed. W, Home vs. Wofford, 5-1 Fri. L, Away vs. #4 South Carolina, 6-3 Sun. W, Home vs. #4 South Carolina, 10-5

Next Week Tue. Neutral* vs. South Carolina, 7:00 PM Wed. Away vs. Western Carolina, 4:00 PM Fri. Home vs. Virginia, 4:00 PM Sat. Home vs. Virginia, 2:00 PM Sun. Home vs. Virginia, 1:00 PM * – Greenville, SC (Fluor Field)

Notes Clemson, ranked as high as #4 in the nation, went 2-1 In three games this past week, which included a 5-1 win over Wofford on Wednesday and a split of two games against #4 South Carolina over the weekend. The game scheduled for Saturday between the two rivals at Fluor Field in Greenville, SC was rained out and will be made up on Tuesday night.

Four Tiger pitchers combined to limit Wofford to one unearned run in Clemson’s 5-1 win at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on March 2. The win was Clemson’s 1,000th all-time victory at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The Terriers scored a run in the top of the fourth inning, but Clemson tied the score with a run in the bottom of the fourth and took the lead for good with two runs in the fifth inning. Freshman Brad Miller went 1-for-1 with two RBIs and three walks. Wofford outhit Clemson 8-6, but the Terrier pitching staff issued seven walks and three hit-by-pitches.

Clemson then split the first two games of the three-game series against South Carolina over the weekend. The Tigers have outhit the Gamecocks .328 to .215, led by four hits by Jason Stolz.

In game-one at Carolina Stadium in Columbia on March 4, Brady Thomas, Christian Walker, and Scott Wingo all hit two-run homers to lift South Carolina to a 6-3 win over Clemson. The Tigers scored three runs in the second inning on Phil Pohl’s two-run double and Stolz’s run-scoring single. But that was the only one of five innings in which Clemson scored after putting its leadoff batter on base. Michael Roth pitched 7.0 strong innings to earn the win, while Matt Price pitched 1.2 perfect innings to record the save.

In game-two at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson on March 6, Clemson scored six runs in the eighth inning for a come-from-behind 10-5 win over South Carolina. The Gamecocks scored four runs in the seventh inning to take a 5-3 lead. Trailing 5-4, the Tigers scored six runs on six hits in the eighth inning to pull out the win. Every Tiger starter scored at least one run and nine of the 10 Tigers in the lineup had at least one hit. Clemson outhit South Carolina 15-5, as Stolz had a game-high three hits. Jeff Schaus added two doubles and three RBIs. Joseph Moorefield pitched 2.0 hitless and scoreless innings with two strikeouts to close out the game and earn his first career win. Six Gamecock pitchers combined to issue eight walks and South Carolina committed four errors, as its 14-game winning streak came to an end.

On the week, the Tigers hit .298 with a .427 on-base percentage thanks to 18 walks and four hit-by-pitches. Pohl went 4-for-7 (.571) with two doubles and two RBIs to lead Clemson. The pitching staff had a 3.81 ERA and .227 opponents’ batting average. Moorefield pitched in all three games during the week and faced the minimum nine batters in 3.0 combined innings pitched.

Clemson has a 7-2 overall record on the season and has won six of its last seven games. The Tigers are hitting .350 with 85 runs (9.4 per game), a .472 slugging percentage, .471 on-base percentage thanks to 66 walks against 41 strikeouts, and 20 stolen bases. The team is fielding at a .972 clip as well.

Kieboom leads the team with a .538 batting average along with 14 hits, 11 RBIs, and seven walks against only one strikeout. Kieboom’s backup catcher, who has been Clemson’s predominant DH in 2011, is second on the team with a .478 batting average along with four doubles, one homer, and seven RBIs. Stolz is batting .423 with four steals and Chris Epps has a team-high five stolen bases. Freshman Jon McGibbon is 5-for-6 and has reached base in eight of his nine plate appearances as well.

The pitching staff has a 2.92 ERA and .205 opponents’ batting average in 80.0 innings pitched this season. It has allowed 80 hits and 19 walks with 66 strikeouts, good for a 3.47 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

In three starts, Kevin Brady is 2-0 with a 1.10 ERA in 16.1 innings pitched. He has allowed just nine hits (.155 opponents’ batting average) and one walk with 23 strikeouts. Brady left the game prior to the fifth inning against South Carolina on Sunday due to an arm injury. His status will be re-evaluated during the upcoming week. David Haselden is 1-0 with a 1.64 ERA in 11.0 innings pitched over four appearances (one start).

Clemson will face South Carolina for the final time during the 2011 regular season on Tuesday at Fluor Field in Greenville, SC at 7:00 PM, then the Tigers will travel to Cullowhee, NC to face Western Carolina on Wednesday at 4:00 PM. Over the weekend, the Tigers will begin ACC play against Virginia in a three-game series at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in a matchup of the favorites (according to the ACC head coaches) to win their respective divisions.