CLEMSON BASEBALL WEEKLY WRAPUP

April 4, 2011

Clemson University Overall Season Record: 14-12 ACC Regular-Season Record: 4-8

Last Week: 1-3 Tue. W, Home vs. Georgia, 11-5 Fri. L, Away vs. #6 North Carolina, 13-3 Sat. L, Away vs. #6 North Carolina, 9-5 Sun. L, Away vs. #6 North Carolina, 5-4

Next Week Tue. Home vs. Coastal Carolina, 6:30 PM Wed. Home vs. Western Carolina, 6:30 PM Fri. Home vs. Maryland, 6:30 PM Sat. Home vs. Maryland, 7:00 PM Sun. Home vs. Maryland, 1:00 PM

Last Week’s Game Notes Clemson, ranked as high as #16 in the nation, went 1-3 in four games this past week. Clemson rallied to defeat Georgia 11-5 on Tuesday night before suffering a sweep at #6 North Carolina over the weekend.

On the week, the Tigers hit .301 with a .391 slugging percentage and .407 on-base percentage. Jeff Schaus also went 7-for-15 with two RBIs, four runs, four walks, and a stolen base. Chris Epps added a homer and five RBIs as well.

The Tiger pitching staff had a 5.61 ERA and .263 opponents’ batting average on the week. Kevin Pohle allowed just one hit and no earned runs in 4.0 innings pitched over three relief appearances. The Tigers had a .953 fielding percentage on the week as well.

Shaffer’s grand slam capped a seven-run sixth inning in Clemson’s 11-5 win over Georgia at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on March 29. Georgia led 4-1 before Epps hit a solo homer in the fifth inning. Then in the sixth inning, Clemson took advantage of five walks, a hit-by-pitch, and Shaffer’s first career grand slam to take a five-run lead. Shaffer led Clemson’s 11-hit attack by going 2-for-4 with a grand slam, three runs, a walk, and steal. Epps went 2-for-2 with a homer, two RBIs, three runs, and two walks. Tiger batters combined for 10 walks against only two strikeouts. Pohle retired the only batter he faced in the sixth inning to earn the victory. Seven Clemson pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts, including six by Will Lamb in relief.

North Carolina then swept Clemson by a combined score of 27-12 at Boshamer Stadium from April 1-3. Clemson outhit the Tar Heels .279 to .250, but North Carolina totaled 20 walks and nine stolen bases while committing just one error in the series. Schaus went 7-for-12 (.583) with two RBIs, three runs, two walks, and one steal, while Shaffer was 5-for-11 (.455) with a double, triple, and two walks. Pohle allowed just one hit and no earned runs in 3.2 innings pitched over two relief appearances as well.

In game-one on April 1, North Carolina scored the game’s final 13 runs to down Clemson 13-3. The Tigers took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but Tommy Coyle hit a two-run homer in bottom of the first. After North Carolina took the lead with two two-out runs in the third inning, Clemson committed two costly errors that led to six Tar Heel runs in the fifth inning. Seth Baldwin went 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs, while North Carolina outhit the Tigers 10-5. Clemson managed just two hits after the first inning. Phil Pohl went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Starter Patrick Johnson struck out 11 in 7.0 innings pitched to earn the win.

In game-two on April 2, North Carolina broke a 5-5 tie with four runs in the eighth inning to defeat Clemson 9-5. The Tar Heels scored three runs in the fifth inning, then Clemson scored three two-out runs in the seventh inning to tie the score. But Levi Michael’s run-scoring double in the eighth gave the Tar Heels the lead for good. Clemson scored just five of its 22 baserunners in the game and left 13 runners on base. Schaus went 4-for-5 with two RBIs to lead Clemson, who outhit the Tar Heels 12-9. Pohl added two hits and two runs as well.

In game-three on April 3, Colin Moran hit a walkoff single with two outs in the ninth inning to score Levi Michael in North Carolina’s 5-4 win over Clemson. The Tigers tied the score in the eighth inning on Brad Miller lined into a double play, quelling a potential big inning for Clemson. The Tigers outhit North Carolina 12-6 and had four infield lineouts, while Tar Heel infielders made several diving stops on hard-hit ground balls to rob Tiger hitters of more hits. Shaffer and Miller both went 3-for-4, while Shaffer scored three runs.

2011 Season Notes Clemson has a 14-12 overall record and 4-8 ACC mark on the season. The Tigers are tied with Wake Forest for fourth place in the ACC Atlantic Division standings behind Florida State (8-4), N.C. State (5-7), and Boston College (4-7). Clemson is also tied for eighth place in the overall ACC standings. The Tigers are four games under .500 despite outhitting their opponents .285 to .265 in ACC games.

The Tigers, who have cumulatively outscored their opponents in every inning but the fifth this season, are hitting .314 with a .437 slugging percentage and .415 on-base percentage thanks to 141 walks and 27 hit-by-pitches in 2011. The team has also totaled 49 doubles, seven triples, 15 homers, and 36 stolen bases. Clemson is fielding at a .959 clip as well.

Brad Miller is hitting .333 with a .500 on-base percentage. Pohl, Kieboom, and Miller are all tied for the ACC lead in on-base percentage. Richie Shaffer is up to .330 with four homers, 19 RBIs, a team-high 31 runs, and a .470 on-base percentage as well.

The pitching staff has a 3.87 ERA and .244 opponents’ batting average in 227.2 innings pitched this season. It has allowed 212 hits and 82 walks with 198 strikeouts.

Freshman righthander Justin Sarratt has a 2.05 ERA and 23 strikeouts against just three walks in 22.0 innings pitched over eight appearances (three starts).

Clemson will return home to play five games at Doug Kingsmore Stadium this upcoming week. The Tigers will host Coastal Carolina (Tuesday) and Western Carolina (Wednesday) during the midweek, then Maryland will come to town for a three-game series over the weekend. Fifteen of Clemson’s next 20 games will be at home.