Clemson Completes Series Sweep Over #4 Georgia Tech With 11-3 Victory Sunday

April 27, 2003

Clemson, SC- Clemson completed the series sweep over #4 Georgia Tech with an 11-3 victory Sunday afternoon in front of 5,060 fans at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The Tigers totaled 41 hits in the series, including 15 on Sunday. With the win, the Tigers improve to 31-13 on the season (8-7 in the ACC), while the Yellow Jackets fall to 32-11 (11-4 in the ACC).

Steven Jackson (6-2) earned the win for the Tigers. He pitched 6.1 innings and gave up four hits and three earned runs. Micah Owings (6-2) was credited with the loss for the Yellow Jackets. The freshman righthander pitched 7.0 innings, giving up seven earned runs.

The Tigers had five players with multiple hits in the game. Leading the way was Georgia native Brad McCann, who had four runs batted in to increase his team-leading total to 55. Steve Pyzik also had three hits on the afternoon.

Clemson led 2-0 after the second inning. With the bases loaded, left fielder Roberto Valiente hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score McCann from third. Then, with two on, Pyzik hit a single up the middle to plate David Slevin from second.

Clemson added two runs to its lead in the fifth inning when Brad McCann hit a double to right field that drove in Pyzik and Russell Triplett. The double was McCann’s 16th of the season.

Georgia Tech got on the board in the top of the seventh after Steven Blackwood hit his third home run of the year over the right field fence, a three-run shot off of Jackson. Blackwood was pinch hitting for catcher Andy Hawranick.

Clemson responded in the bottom of the inning. Zane Green singled up the middle, advanced to second on a single by Kyle Frank followed by placing a bunt down the third base line, scoring Johnson on the play. The Tigers stretched the lead to 8-3 after Yellow Jacket right fielder Jeremy Slayden misplayed a ball hit by Slevin, allowing both McCann and Frank to score on the play.

The final three runs were tacked on in the eighth after Green, McCann and Frank each got an RBI.

Clemson now gets a week of rest for final exams. The next game for the Tigers will be Sunday, May 4 against Duke at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 PM.