Clemson Baseball Weekly Wrapup

March 10, 2008

Clemson University Overall Season Record: 7-4 ACC Regular-Season Record: 1-2

Last Week: 2-2 Wed. W home vs. Wofford, 9-7 Sat. L away vs. Wake Forest, 13-11 Sun. L away vs. Wake Forest, 5-3 (Game 1) Sun. W away vs. Wake Forest, 12-11 (Game 2)

Next Week Tue. Home vs. UNC Greensboro, 4:00 PM Wed. Home vs. UNC Greensboro, 4:00 PM Fri. Home vs. Boston College, 4:00 PM Sat. Home vs. Boston College, 2:00 PM Sun. Home vs. Boston College, 1:00 PM

Notes Clemson went 2-2 in four games this past week, including defeating Wofford 9-7 on Wednesday and falling twice in three close games at Wake Forest over the weekend.

Clemson, ranked #17 in the nation, rallied from a 7-2 deficit to defeat Wofford 9-7 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on March 5. The Terriers scored five runs in the top of the fourth inning thanks in part to three Tiger errors, then Clemson responded with five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the score. Wilson Boyd’s two-out, two-run single in the seventh inning gave the Tigers the lead for good. Clemson outhit the Terriers 14-11, as Ben Paulsen and Jeff Schaus each had three hits. Matt Zoltak pitched 2.0 scoreless innings in relief with three strikeouts to pick up the win, while Matt Vaughn pitched a perfect ninth inning to record the save. Five Tiger pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts as well.

Clemson then lost two of three games at Wake Forest on March 8,9. The Tigers hit .293, but Wake Forest outscored the Tigers 29-26, as the three games were decided by a combined five runs. The Demon Deacons also hit .472 with runners in scoring position in the series. Kyle Parker was 5-for-8 with six runs scored, a double, three homers, and seven RBIs, while Matt Sanders was 4-for-8 with three RBIs in the series.

In game-one on March 8, Wake Forest outslugged Clemson 13-11 at Hooks Stadium behind Allan Dykstra’s 4-for-4 performance with two homers and three RBIs. Clemson trailed 3-0 but rallied to take a 7-4 lead in the fourth, highlighted by Doug Hogan’s three-run homer. However, Wake Forest scored the next nine runs to take a 13-7 lead, including five runs in the sixth inning after the first two batters of the frame were retired. Clemson clawed its way back to a two-run deficit with four runs in the seventh inning, but the Tigers left runners at second and third base in the ninth inning. Sanders led Clemson’s 12-hit attack with three hits and three RBIs, while every Tiger starter scored at least one run on a day with strong winds blowing out to right field.

In game-two on March 9, which was the first game of a doubleheader, Wake Forest scored four runs in the sixth inning to defeat Clemson 5-3. D.J. Mitchell and Casey Harman limited Wake Forest to just five hits, but they combined to allow five walks. Demon Deacon starter Garrett Bullock only allowed five hits and three unearned runs in 7.1 innings pitched to earn the win. The Tigers scored two runs in the eighth inning, but they came up short thanks to leaving eight runners on base against five for Wake Forest.

In game-three on March 9, which was the second game of a doubleheader, Parker hit three homers with seven RBIs in Clemson’s 12-11 comeback win over Wake Forest. Parker, who went 5-for-5 with five runs scored, a double, and 15 total bases, became the 12th Tiger in history to hit three homers in a game, as his last was a three-run shot that tied the score in the ninth inning. Stan Widmann’s two-out, run-scoring single later in the frame scored the winning run. The Tigers, who were behind by seven runs at one point, trailed 11-5 entering the eighth inning, but they scored three runs in the eighth and four runs in the ninth inning. Four Tiger pitchers held Wake Forest hitless and scoreless in the final four innings, as Trent Rothlin earned his first career win and Vaughn recorded the save.

During the week, the Tigers hit .320 with a .405 on-base percentage and 35 runs scored in four games. The pitching staff had an 8.21 ERA and .298 opponents’ batting average.

Parker led the Tigers with six hits in 12 at-bats along with seven runs scored, a double, three homers, and seven RBIs in three games. Wilson Boyd’s and Widmann added five RBIs apiece, while Hogan’s 24-game hitting streak, tied for the fifth-longest streak in school history, came to an end in the Wake Forest series.

Reliever Justin Sarratt continues to impress. During his three relief appearances this past week, he pitched 4.2 innings, allowing just three hits, no earned runs, and no walks with five strikeouts. Vaughn also picked up two saves in as many appearances during the week.

The Tigers have a 7-4 overall record and 1-2 ACC mark. The team is hitting .322 with a .399 on-base percentage and .524 slugging percentage thanks to 18 home runs in 11 games. Parker leads the team with a .382 batting average along with four homers and nine RBIs in nine games. Paulsen is hitting .371 with three homers and Boyd is hitting .367 with five homers and 16 RBIs, both team-bests. Addison Johnson, slated to be Clemson’s leadoff batter and starting centerfielder, has still yet to play in a game this year due to several injuries. Starting third-baseman John Hinson has missed the last eight games due to injury as well.

The pitching staff has a 5.34 ERA and .286 opponents’ batting average on the season. Vaughn is among the national leaders with four saves, while Sarratt has an 0.96 ERA in six relief appearances.

Clemson will begin a 12-game homestand this week, beginning with a two-game, midweek series against UNC Greensboro on Tuesday and Wednesday before playing host to Boston College in a three-game series next weekend.