CLEMSON BASEBALL WEEKLY WRAPUP

March 20, 2011

Clemson University Overall Season Record: 10-7 ACC Regular-Season Record: 3-3

Last Week: 3-1 Wed. L, Neutral* vs. Presbyterian College, 4-3 Fri. W, Home vs. Duke, 9-6 Sat. W, Home vs. Duke, 16-7 Sun. W, Home vs. Duke, 9-3 * – Greenville, SC (Fluor Field)

Next Week Tue. Home vs. Elon, 6:30 PM Wed. Home vs. Elon, 6:30 PM Fri. Away vs. N.C. State, 6:30 PM Sat. Away vs. N.C. State, 6:30 PM Sun. Away vs. N.C. State, 1:00 PM

Last Week’s Game Notes Clemson, ranked as high as #16 in the nation, had a 3-1 record in four games this past week. The Tigers suffered a one-run loss to Presbyterian College in Greenville, SC on Wednesday before sweeping Duke at home over the weekend.

On the week, the Tigers hit .389 with a .583 slugging percentage and .450 on-base percentage. Jeff Schaus went 9-for-17 (.529) with four doubles, one triple, five RBIs, seven runs, three walks against no strikeouts, and a steal in four games. Richie Shaffer and Phil Pohl were both 8-for-16 with four runs, while Pohl added two doubles, one homer, and seven RBIs. The Tiger pitching staff had a 3.75 ERA and .245 opponents’ batting average along with 42 strikeouts against only eight walks on the week.

Tony Micklon scored the go-ahead run on an error with two outs in the eighth inning to lift Presbyterian College to a 4-3 win over Clemson at Fluor Field on March 16. It was the Blue Hose’s first win over Clemson since 1949. Pohl hit a solo homer and Justin Sarratt pitched 5.1 strong innings in relief, allowing four hits, one earned run, and no walks with eight strikeouts. Four Tiger pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts against only one walk.

The Tigers then swept Duke by a combined score of 34-16 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium from March 18-20. Clemson outhit the Blue Devils .430 to .238 and totaled 49 hits, including 14 doubles, two triples, and two homers, 16 walks, and five steals against a team that entered the series with a 2.70 ERA. Schaus had three hits in each game, as he was 9-for-14 with seven runs, four doubles, one triple, five RBIs, two walks, and a steal in the series. Shaffer was 7-for-12, Chris Epps added two homers as well. The Tiger pitching staff had a 4.00 ERA and 27 strikeouts against seven walks in the series.

In game-one on March 18, Clemson totaled 14 hits in its 9-6 win over Duke. Clemson scored two runs in both the first and second innings, then Duke tied the score with four two-out runs in the top of the third inning. But the Tigers responded with four two-out runs of their own in the bottom of the third inning to take the lead for good. Alex Frederick got the Tigers out of a jam in the ninth inning to record the save. John Hinson went 3-for-5 with three runs, Schaus went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two runs, and Pohl went 2-for-5 with a game-high three RBIs.

In game-two on March 19, Clemson batted around in the first and fourth innings and tallied 18 hits in its 16-7 victory over Duke. After Duke scored three runs in the top of the first inning, the Tigers answered with five runs in the bottom of the first. The Blue Devils took the lead in the top of the fourth inning, but Clemson scored seven runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead for good. Seven different Tigers totaled two runs, while Schaus, Shaffer, Epps, and Stolz all had three hits apiece. Clemson also amassed six doubles, a home run by Epps, and nine walks along with two hit-by-pitches. Kevin Pohle pitched 3.0 solid innings in relief to earn the victory.

In game-three on March 20, Clemson pounded out 17 hits in its 9-3 win over Duke. The Tigers jumped out to a 6-0 lead after five innings and cruised to victory. Schaus went 3-for-5 with a double, triple, two RBIs, and three runs as one of six Tigers with at least two hits in the game. Shaffer and Spencer Kieboom added three hits apiece, while Epps went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs. Starter Scott Firth pitched 6.2 strong innings to earn the win. He allowed just three hits, no earned runs, and one walk with five strikeouts. In one stretch of 19 batters, Firth allowed just one baserunner, as that one reached on an error. Three Tiger pitchers combined to limit Duke to three hits in the game.

2011 Season Notes Clemson has a 10-7 overall record and 3-3 ACC mark on the season. The Tigers are in second place in the ACC Atlantic Division standings behind Florida State (4-2), who won one of three extra-inning, one-run games at Virginia over the weekend.

The Tigers, who have cumulatively outscored their opponents in each of the nine innings this season, are 101st in the nation in winning percentage against Division I opponents (.588), but they are 18th in the nation in scoring margin (+3.9). That is due to the fact that nine of Clemson’s 10 wins have been by four runs or more, while six of its seven losses have been by three runs or less, including five one-run defeats, against the nation’s #2-toughest schedule according to WarrenNolan.com

The Tigers are hitting .333 with a .467 slugging percentage and .433 on-base percentage thanks to 98 walks and 17 hit-by-pitches on the season. The team has also totaled 36 doubles, six triples, 10 homers, and 25 stolen bases. Clemson is fielding at a .957 clip as well.

Brad Miller is batting .385 with a .545 on-base percentage. Miller did not start a game this past week due to a broken finger suffered on March 11.

Clemson’s hottest hitter is senior outfielder Jeff Schaus. In the last nine games, he is 17-for-37 (.459) with eight doubles, one triple, 12 RBIs, nine runs, and a .512 on-base percentage. He did not have an extra-base hit in the first eight games of the year. On the season, Schaus is batting .339 with eight doubles, one triple, 17 RBIs, 11 runs, and a .456 on-base percentage thanks to 12 walks and three hit-by-pitches against only six strikeouts.

The pitching staff has a 3.58 ERA and .238 opponents’ batting average in 151.0 innings pitched this season. It has allowed 136 hits and 37 walks with 127 strikeouts, good for a 3.43 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Freshman righthander Matt Campbell has emerged out of the bullpen in 2011. In 4.2 innings pitched over three relief appearances, he has allowed no hits, no runs, and one walk with six strikeouts. Jonathan Meyer has a 1-0 record, 1.76 ERA, and .151 opponents’ batting average in 15.1 innings pitched over six relief appearances. In 10.0 innings pitched out of the bullpen during his last two outings (against #6 Virginia and Duke), he has allowed just four hits, no runs, and three walks with nine strikeouts.

Clemson will return to action with a two-game, midweek series against Elon at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Tuesday and Wednesday. Then over the weekend, the Tigers will travel to Raleigh, NC to take on N.C. State in a three-game series.