Tuesday 07/06/2010
July 6, 2010
Final 2010 Notes
Clemson made its 12th trip to the College World Series and its sixth appearance in the last 16 years. The Tigers won their first two games over Arizona State (6-3) and Oklahoma (6-4) before falling twice to South Carolina (5-1, 4-3). Clemson also made it to Omaha in 2006, 2002, 1996, and 1995 under Head Coach Jack Leggett.
Clemson is 12-24 all-time in the College World Series. The Tigers have won two games three times (1996,02,10). In those seasons, Clemson finished tied for third in the nation. The Tigers made it to Omaha in Bill Wilhelm’s first two seasons at Clemson in 1958 and 1959. He also guided Clemson to Omaha in 1976, 1977, 1980, and 1991. Wilhelm was 4-12 in the College World Series.
Leggett has taken Clemson to six College World Series, including 1995, 1996, 2000, 2002, and 2006. He owns an 8-12 record in Omaha. As a player, Leggett was a member of Maine’s baseball team that played in the College World Series in 1976.
Clemson’s NCAA Tournament History The 2010 season marked Clemson’s 35th trip to an NCAA Tournament dating back to the 1947 season. That year, Clemson actually advanced to the Final Eight of the NCAA Tournament, but it is not considered a College World Series season because only two teams went to the CWS in those days.
Clemson won the 1947 District III Tournament in Charlotte by coming through the losers’ bracket. The Tigers, coached by Randy Hinson, lost in the first round to Alabama 8-2, then came back with a win over Auburn and two wins over Alabama to advance. Clemson’s season ended when Yale, led by future President George H.W. Bush, defeated the Tigers in New Haven, CT by a score of 7-3. Bush was 1-for-3 as the starting first-baseman.
Clemson made its first trip to Omaha and the College World Series in 1958 when the Tigers again came through the losers’ bracket. After losing to Florida in the first round, Clemson came back to defeat George Washington, Florida State, and Florida twice to advance under first year Head Coach Bill Wilhelm. Clemson defeated Florida 15-14 and 3-1 on June 9 to advance. Harold Stowe struck out 17 in that second game on June 9, and that is still a Clemson single-game record for strikeouts in an NCAA Tournament game.
The Tigers advanced to Omaha in 1959, this time with three wins (one over Georgia Tech and two over Florida State). One of the wins over the Seminoles was a 24-2 victory at Gastonia, NC. That tally is still tied for the most runs scored by Clemson in an NCAA Tourney game.
The Tigers did not advance to Omaha again until 1976. In fact, Clemson made just one NCAA Tournament appearance between 1960 and 1974. That was in 1967 when Clemson reached the Regional Championship but lost to Auburn 6-5.
Clemson made it to Omaha three out of five years between 1976-80. Clemson won a regional in Columbia, SC in 1976 with three straight wins, then came through the losers’ bracket in Miami (FL) in 1977 to advance to Omaha. The 1980 season was the first year Clemson played host to a regional, as Clemson swept three games by scoring 45 runs, including 17 in a 17-12 win over South Carolina.
Clemson has been to the NCAA Tournament every year since 1987 except one (2008). The Tigers have been to the NCAA Tournament 23 of the last 24 years. Clemson also made College World Series trips in 1991, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2006, and 2010.
Overall, Clemson has been to a regional in 35 seasons, sixth-most all-time. Clemson’s all-time record in NCAA play is 108-77, a 58.4 winning percentage.
Clemson is 63-37 (.630) under Head Coach Jack Leggett in NCAA Tournament play, including a 38-7 record (.844) in home NCAA Tourney games. Leggett has taken Clemson to a regional 16 times in the 17 years he has been Clemson’s head coach, and the Tigers have advanced to the College World Series six times. Leggett has also taken Clemson to a super regional nine of the 12 years that format has been in existence.
Clemson’s NCAA Tournament Leaders John Hinson was Clemson’s hottest hitter in the NCAA Tourney. The sophomore, who was named to the All-College World Series team, was 21-for-44 (.477) with five homers, one double, one triple, 13 RBIs, 13 runs, four walks, and three steals in 11 games. Freshman Richie Shaffer added three long balls and 12 RBIs as well. As a team, Clemson batted .313 with 12 homers, 22 doubles, three triples, and eight steals in the NCAA Tournament.
The pitching staff had a 4.04 ERA and .276 opponents’ batting average. In 98.0 innings pitched over 11 games, the staff yielded just 28 walks against 77 strikeouts, good for a 2.75-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. In three starts and one relief appearance, Scott Weismann was 3-0 with a 2.45 ERA, while Casey Harman was 2-2 with a 2.73 ERA.
Tigers Set School NCAA Tournament Records During Clemson’s run to the 2010 College World Series, the Tigers set several school records in NCAA Tournament play. The Tigers’ 11 NCAA Tourney games were the most in school history, while their seven wins and two wins in Omaha both tied the Tiger record. The 127 hits also set a school record.
John Hinson totaled 21 hits to set a Clemson record, while Scott Weismann three victories also tied a Clemson record for a single NCAA Tournament.
Clemson’s CWS Streak Continued With Clemson’s appearance in the 2010 College World Series, the Tigers’ streak of going no more than three years in a row without a CWS appearance continued. That means that every Tiger since the freshman class of 1988 who has been in the program and been on the postseason roster for four consecutive years has made at least one trip to Omaha. The last time the Tigers went four straight years without a trip to Omaha was 1987-90.
Only three other schools have current streaks as long as the Tigers. Miami (FL) has not gone more than three years in a row without making it to Omaha since 1970-73, while Cal State Fullerton (1971-74) and Louisiana State (1982-85) also have streaks longer than the Tigers’.
College World Series Recap
The Tigers went 2-2 in the College World Series to finish in a tie for third place in the eight-team event. The Tigers won their first two games over #1 Arizona State (6-3) and #6 Oklahoma (6-4) before #5 South Carolina downed Clemson twice by scores of 5-1 and 4-3. The two wins in Omaha tied the school record for most wins in the College World Series.
Clemson batted .237 with four stolen bases in four games. The pitching staff had a 4.11 ERA and .252 opponents’ batting average. John Hinson was named to the All-College World Series team thanks to going 7-for-16 (.438) with a triple, three RBIs, three runs, and two steals in four games. Alex Frederick’s had a save in both of Clemson’s wins as well.
Auburn Regional & Clemson Super Regional Recap The Tigers went a combined 5-2 in the Auburn Regional and Clemson Super Regional to advance to Omaha for the 12th time in school history. The Tigers defeated Southern Mississippi 10-1 and #14 Auburn twice in three games on its home field by a combined score of 28-20 to capture the regional title. Then the Tigers downed #16 Alabama twice in three games by a combined score of 31-16 at home in the Clemson Super Regional.
Clemson batted .349 with a .564 slugging percentage and .409 on-base percentage in the seven regional and super regional games. The team also had 21 doubles, one triple, 12 homers, and four steals.
Tigers Played in Ninth Super Regional Clemson made its ninth super regional appearance in the 12th year of the super regional format in 2010. Since 1999, Clemson has missed playing in a super regional just three times (2003,04,08). Clemson has been to the NCAA Tournament every year since 1987, with the exception of the 2008 season.
Clemson is tied for fourth in the nation in super regional appearances. Cal State Fullerton, Florida State, and Miami (FL) have all been to 10 super regionals, while Clemson is tied with Rice for fourth. In terms of all-time wins in regional and super regional play, the Tigers have 93, seventh-most in NCAA history.
Tigers Earned 35th NCAA Tournament Bid Clemson played in its 35th all-time NCAA Regional in 2010. The 35 appearances are sixth-most in NCAA history, trailing only Texas (54), Florida State (48), Miami (FL) (39), Oklahoma State (37), and Southern California (36).
Worth Noting
Polls The Tigers moved up four spots to #4 in the final Collegiate Baseball poll after going 2-2 in the College World Series to close the season. Clemson also moved up 16 spots to #4 in the final Sports Weekly coaches poll and #10 in the final Baseball America ranking after not being ranked in the top 25 of its previous poll.
With Clemson’s final top-25 ranking, it marked the 37th week in a row the Tigers were ranked in the top 25 of at least one of the three major polls dating to the start of the 2009 season.
Clemson has had at least one final top-25 ranking in 14 of Head Coach Jack Leggett’s first 17 seasons in Tigertown. The Tigers have also been ranked #1 for 20 weeks by at least one of the three major polls under Leggett. Their last #1 ranking came on February 12, 2007 by both Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball.
Clemson Ranked #4 in Two Final Polls Clemson was ranked #4 in the final Collegiate Baseball and Sports Weekly polls in 2010. The Tigers finished the season with a 45-25 record, including a Final Four finish at the College World Series in Omaha, NE.
Clemson’s #4 final ranking tied for the second-best in Clemson baseball history. The only season that was higher was the 2002 season when Clemson was ranked #3 by Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, and Sports Weekly.
It marked the fifth time in school history that Clemson finished the season ranked #4 in the nation. Those took place in 1980 (Collegiate Baseball) and 1991 (Baseball America) under Head Coach Bill Wilhelm along with 1994 (Baseball America) and 1996 (Collegiate Baseball, Sports Weekly) under current Head Coach Jack Leggett. The 2010 season marked the sixth top-five finish for Leggett as Clemson’s head coach.
Clemson was ranked #20 in the Sports Weekly poll entering the NCAA Tournament and moved to #4 in the final poll. The 16-place improvement from the beginning of the tournament to the final poll was the greatest improvement in school history. The previous best was a five-place improvement from the final regular-season poll to the final poll in Baseball America in 1989. Clemson improved 12 spots in Collegiate Baseball’s poll from the final regular-season poll to the final poll.
Strength of Schedule #5 In 2010, Clemson had an unofficial strength of schedule of #5 according to WarrenNolan.com. Clemson had a 25-17 record against teams with an RPI of 50 or better. Only three other schools had more top-50 RPI wins than the Tigers. There were 301 schools that played Division I baseball in 2010.
Tigers Captured ACC Atlantic Division Title Thanks to a regular-season-ending sweep against #7 Florida State at Doug Kingsmore Stadium from May 20-22, the Tigers captured their first ACC Atlantic Division title since 2006 and their second overall since the league was split into divisions in 2006. Clemson finished in a tie with Florida State at 18-12, but the Tigers claimed the division championship thanks to the three-game sweep over the Seminoles.
Tigers Won Football & Baseball Division Crowns Clemson swept #7 Florida State on the diamond in May to capture the ACC Atlantic Division title. In doing so, Clemson became the first ACC school to win a division title in both football and baseball in the same academic year. The ACC went to a division format when it expanded to 12 teams in the 2005-06 academic year. Clemson won the Atlantic Division football title in the fall of 2009 with a 6-2 league record, then it posted an 18-12 mark in baseball in the spring of 2010.
There was one common denominator on the two Tiger teams. Kyle Parker was the starting quarterback in all 14 football games in the fall of 2009. He had 20 passing touchdowns and 2,526 passing yards, both school freshman records. In 2010, Parker hit 20 home runs and also led the team in slugging percentage (.656) and on-base percentage (.478). He was drafted in the first round (#26 overall pick) of the Major League draft on June 7 as well.
Parker became the first Division I athlete in history to throw 20 touchdown passes and hit at least 20 home runs in the same academic year. He actually became the only one to total 20 passing touchdowns and 15 home runs. Parker also became the first ACC athlete to play on an ACC division championship team in football and baseball in the same academic year.
Clemson One of Eight With Major Sports Triple With its selection to the NCAA Baseball Tournament, Clemson became one of just eight Division I schools to participate in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, the NCAA Baseball Tourney, and a football bowl game during the 2009-10 academic year.
Joining Clemson with the accomplishment in 2009-10 were California, Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Minnesota, Texas, and Texas A&M. As you can see by the list below, the ACC was the only conference in the nation with three schools to do it.
Clemson also accomplished the “Major Sports Triple” in 2008-09. The only four schools to do it each of the last two years were Clemson, Florida State, Minnesota, and Texas.
This was the ninth year Clemson played in a bowl game, the NCAA Basketball Tournament, and the NCAA Baseball Tournament in the same academic year. It first occurred in 1979-80 when Clemson played in the Peach Bowl under first-year Head Coach Danny Ford, reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament under Head Coach Bill Foster, and advanced to the College World Series under Head Coach Bill Wilhelm.
This was the third time Clemson achieved the feat in at least back-to-back years. Clemson also did it in 1988-89 and 1989-90 along with 1995-96, 1996-97, and 1997-98. Clemson had seven teams ranked in the final top 25 of their respective sports, including six in the top 16. Football finished #24 in the AP poll. Women’s indoor track finished #7 and the outdoor team was #18.
The Clemson rowing team finished #15 at the NCAA Championships, while the women’s tennis team had a #11 final ranking. The Clemson men’s golf team finished #16 in the NCAA National Tournament at The Honors Course in Chattanooga, TN in early June.
The Tiger baseball team was ranked #4 in the final coaches poll.
38 That’s how many of Clemson’s 70 games were against teams that played in the 2010 NCAA Tournament, which equates to over 54 percent. Clemson had a 21-17 record against the teams in the field. The Tigers played 14 different teams that were in the NCAA Tournament.
Clemson played four top-eight national seeds in Virginia, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Tech, and Arizona State for a total of nine games. The Tigers were 3-6 in those nine contests, but only one of those games was played at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The Tigers were also 11-10 against #1 seeds, 5-2 against #2 seeds, and 5-5 against #3 seeds. Clemson, who was 7-3 against teams who made the College World Series, did not play a #4 seed in 2010.
NCAA Stat Finishes Kyle Parker finished in the top 25 in the nation in four statistical categories in 2010 according to final statistics released by the NCAA. Parker was one of four Tigers in the top 25 of at least one category.
Parker finished fifth in the nation in runs (85), the fifth-highest total in school history. Parker was also tied for 15th in the nation in walks (56), the sixth-highest figure in Clemson history, and 22nd in runs per game (1.27). Parker had 20 home runs in 2010 to lead the team and was tied for 25th in the nation.
Jeff Schaus had 87 RBIs to lead the team, also fourth-most in the nation. Schaus’ #4 finish was the highest by a Tiger since Denny Walling led the nation in that category in 1975.
Brad Miller was tied for 23rd in the nation in walks (50) as well.
As a team, Clemson finished the season in the top 20 of nine different categories. Clemson was second in the nation in double plays turned (81) and sixth on a per-game basis (1.16). The Tigers were third in the nation in walks (375), fifth in runs (600), tied for fifth in sacrifice flies (42), eighth in hits (764), tied for 15th in homers (93), 19th in runs per game (8.6), and tied for 25th in stolen bases (106).
Clemson 12-6 Against ACC Tournament Teams Clemson, who was 18-12 during the ACC regular-season slate, had a 12-6 regular-season record against teams that made the 2010 ACC Tournament. That included three-game sweeps of N.C. State, Virginia Tech, and #7 Florida State. The Tigers also defeated Boston College twice in three games, won one of three games at #1 Virginia, and lost all three contests at #5 Georgia Tech. Clemson’s 66.7 winning percentage tied Virginia for the best mark by any ACC team against teams who made the ACC Tournament.
Clemson was 6-3 against the teams in its bracket, including 3-0 records against N.C. State and Virginia Tech along with an 0-3 mark against Georgia Tech. The Tigers were 6-6 against the four teams (Duke, North Carolina, Maryland, Wake Forest) that did not make the ACC Tournament.
Tale of Three Seasons Thanks to Close Results Clemson’s 2010 season can be broken down into three parts. The Tigers got off to a 17-2 start, thanks in part to a 5-2 record in games decided by two runs or less, that enabled them to move as high as #5 in the coaches poll.
But Clemson dropped 15 of its next 23 games (8-15 record) and stood at 25-17 in early May. Eleven of those 15 losses were by two runs or less, one of the major reasons for the Tigers’ slide. The Tigers were 0-11 in games decided by two runs or less during that 23-game span.
However, after losing to Florida Gulf Coast by a score of 4-2 on May 1, the Tigers won 20 of their last 28 games (20-8 record) and rallied from three games down to Florida State to capture the ACC Atlantic Division crown with their three-game sweep over the Seminoles from May 20-22. In that 28-game stretch, Clemson was 5-4 in games decided by two runs or less. The Tigers were 10-17 in games decided by two runs or less overall.
Second to None Clemson put up its best offensive numbers in the second inning in 2010. The Tigers scored 95 runs in the second inning, an average of 1.4 runs per game in that frame. The Tigers, who averaged 8.6 runs per game, also scored 84 runs in the fifth inning, 74 runs in the eighth inning, and 71 runs in the first inning.
On Base Hits…walks…hit-by-pitches. When it came to those three cumulative categories, Clemson had one of its best seasons in recent history. In 70 games, the Tigers totaled 764 hits, 375 walks, and 60 hit-by-pitches. That adds to 1,199 times on base, an average of 17.1 per game. It was better than the 2002 team’s mark of 17.0. That squad featured the likes of Khalil Greene, Jeff Baker, and Michael Johnson. The 2010 mark was the best by a Tiger team since 1999 (18.2).
Scoring Streak Clemson has scored at least one run in 137 consecutive games dating to the 2008 season. It is the fourth-longest streak in Tiger history. The school record for consecutive games without being shut out is 232 (set between 1984-86). Clemson’s current streak is the eighth of 100 games or more in school history. Below is chart of Clemson’s longest streaks of scoring at least one run.
Loaded Stat Clemson did a lot of damage with the bases loaded in 2010. Despite starting the year just 1-for-7 in that situation, Clemson was 39-for-101 (.386) with nine grand slams, eight doubles, one triple, 131 RBIs, 17 walks, and five hit-by-pitches in 2010. The Tigers also had a .752 slugging percentage and a .449 on-base percentage with the bases full.
John Hinson was 7-for-15 (.467) with a grand slam, double, 18 RBIs, and four walks with the bases loaded, Mike Freeman, and Wilson Boyd also hit one grand slam apiece during the 2010 season, meaning eight different Tigers accounted for the team’s nine grand slams.
Tigers Set School Record For Grand Slams Clemson totaled nine grand slams in 2010, most in school history. Furthermore, eight different Tigers accounted for the nine grand slams. The nine grand slams broke the previous Clemson record of six, held by the 1991 and 2004 teams. The national record for grand slams in one season is 12, set by Oklahoma State in 1996.
The Tigers pulled off a rare feat of hitting two grand slams at #15 South Carolina on March 7, 2010. Chris Epps and Phil Pohl both hit grand slams in Clemson’s 19-6 win. It was the first time the Tigers hit two grand slams in one game since March 3, 1991. That day, the Tigers accomplished the feat in a 17-5 win over Louisiana-Lafayette at Las Vegas, NV.
When Brad Miller hit a grand slam against #16 Alabama in the Clemson Super Regional on June 13, he became the first Tiger to hit two grand slams in one season since 2006, when Andy D’Alessio hit two. D’Alessio also hit two grand slams in 2005.
Thievery Clemson stole 106 bases (1.5 per game) in 2010, a big reason the Tigers averaged 8.6 runs per contest. Clemson reached the 100 stolen-base mark for the first time since 2006, when that team swiped 107 bases. Furthermore, it was only the second time in the last 10 seasons that a Tiger team stole 100 bases in a season. John Hinson had a team-high 25 stolen bases, while Mike Freeman (11) also totaled double-digit steals.
Back-to-Back Seven Spots Clemson scored seven runs in the second inning and seven runs in the third inning in its 22-4 win over USC Upstate on April 21. It was the first time the Tigers scored at least seven runs in consecutive innings since May 14, 1991, when Clemson scored seven runs in the fourth and eight runs in the fifth in a 24-8 victory over Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament at Greenville, SC.
Tigers Among Nation’s Best in Turning Double Plays Clemson turned 81 double plays in 2010, tying the school record also held by the 1995 team. Senior second-baseman Mike Freeman played a big role in Clemson turning 81 double plays in 2010. He was involved in 63 of the 81 double plays. Freeman was also a big reason Clemson was second in the nation and first in the ACC in double plays in 2010.
Clemson #7 in the Nation in Average Attendance A total of 164,285 fans were in attendance for Clemson’s 35 home dates in 2010, an average of 4,694 per date. That figure was #7 in the nation and highest in the ACC in 2010. It was also the fourth-best figure in Tiger history. Clemson’s top-10 figure in 2010 marked the 17th straight top-20 national standing and ninth in a row in the top 10.
Four Tigers Received Degrees on May 7 Righthanders Mike Freeman all received their undergraduate degrees in commencement ceremonies in Littlejohn Coliseum on May 7. Sarratt, a senior from Gaffney, SC, Thrailkill, a fourth-year junior from Arden, NC, and Boyd, a fifth-year senior from Hickory, NC, all received their degrees in management. Freeman, a senior from Orlando, FL, received his degree in financial management.
That same day, all three active Tigers played a big role in Clemson’s 18-6 win at Maryland. After graduating around noon, they all boarded a plane and headed to College Park, MD just in time for warmups. Freeman went 4-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs, Boyd went 1-for-2 with two RBIs, and Thrailkill struck out three batters in 2.0 innings pitched out of the bullpen. Sarratt missed most of the season due to injury.
Three Tigers Named to All-ACC Team Three Tigers were named First or Second-Team All-ACC in 2010. Junior outfielder Mike Freeman and junior outfielder Jeff Schaus were named Second-Team All-ACC. The team was compiled by a vote of the 12 ACC head coaches.
It was the second time Parker was named First-Team All-ACC, as he received that same honor as a freshman in 2008. Parker became the first two-time, First-Team All-ACC player at Clemson since Kris Harvey accomplished the same feat in 2004 and 2005. Schaus was also a First-Team All-ACC selection as a sophomore in 2009.
In 2010, Parker hit .344 with a team-high 20 homers, 15 doubles, 64 RBIs, 85 runs, a .656 slugging percentage, 56 walks, a .478 on-base percentage, and four steals in 67 games. Schaus batted .320 with 15 homers, 14 doubles, two triples, an ACC-high 87 RBIs, 69 runs, and nine steals in 70 games. Freeman hit .331 with eight homers, 24 doubles, one triple, 57 RBIs, 68 runs, and 11 steals along with an outstanding .975 fielding percentage.
Six Tigers on Auburn Regional All-Tournament Team Six Tigers were named to the Auburn Regional All-Tournament team, as Clemson captured the title by going 3-1 at Plainsman Park from June 4-7. Infielders John Hinson (3B) along with outfielders Scott Weismann took both of the slots alloted to pitchers. Hinson was named Auburn Regional MVP after going 9-for-16 (.563) with three homers, one double, five RBIs, and five runs in four games.
Six Tigers Picked in Major League Draft Six Tigers were taken in the 2010 Major League draft from June 7-9. Junior outfielder and first-baseman Kyle Parker was a first-round draft selection (#26 overall pick) of the Colorado Rockies, becoming Clemson’s first first-round draft pick since 2007 when lefthander Daniel Moskos was picked #4 overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Parker was also the 14th first-round draft pick in Tiger history.
On day-two of the draft, senior second-baseman John Hinson was taken in the 13th round (#411 overall pick) by the Philadelphia Phillies, junior outfielder Casey Harman was chosen in the 29th round (#880 overall pick) by the Chicago Cubs.
On day-three of the draft, junior catcher and first-baseman John Nester was drafted in the 39th round (#1175 overall pick) by the Oakland Athletics.
With the six selections, Jack Leggett has had a total of 84 players drafted in his 17 seasons as head coach at Clemson. Fifteen of those 84 players were drafted twice, meaning a Tiger has been drafted 99 times in his tenure. Thirteen more Tigers have signed free-agent contracts as well.
Five Tigers on All-ACC Academic Team Clemson placed five players on the 2010 All-ACC Academic team. Freshman righthander Brad Miller (marketing), and freshman infielder Richie Shaffer (pre-business) were named to the list. It was the third time that Freeman was named to the All-ACC Academic team. To be eligible for consideration, a student-athlete must have earned a 3.0 GPA for the previous semester and maintained a 3.0 cumulative GPA during his academic career.
Leggett Leading a Consistent Winner Head Coach Jack Leggett has a 769-356-1 (.683) record at Clemson in 17 seasons. The legendary Bill Wilhelm has the most wins of any Tiger coach with 1,161 in 36 seasons (1958-93) at Clemson. Leggett’s 769 wins are second-most in school history. No other Clemson coach has more than 70 wins while in Tigertown. Leggett earned win #700 as the leader of the Tiger program in Clemson’s 10-1 win over Duke on April 5, 2009.
Through Leggett’s first 17 seasons at Clemson, he has 769 wins. Only six other programs (Florida State, Wichita State, Rice, Miami (FL), Cal State Fullerton, Louisiana State) have more wins over that span from 1994-10. He also does not have a losing record against any SEC team as Clemson’s head coach.
What makes Leggett’s win total even more impressive is the fact that he has not shied away from playing stiff competition. Since 2004, when the strength of schedule ratings were first kept at WarrenNolan.com, Clemson’s strength of schedule has been one of the 17 toughest in the nation each of the last seven seasons, including six of the seven years with at least a strength of schedule #10 or better (2004 (#5), 2005 (#4), 2006 (#1), 2007 (#17), 2008 (#2), 2009 (#9), and 2010 (#5)).
Tigers Have 208 Top-25 Wins Under Leggett In 17 seasons at Clemson, Head Coach Doug Kingsmore Stadium from May 20-22 followed by a 9-3 victory over #6 Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament. After Clemson beat #14 Auburn twice in three meetings in the Auburn Regional from June 5-7, the Tigers downed #16 Alabama twice in three games in the Clemson Super Regional. Then, Clemson defeated #1 Arizona State and #6 Oklahoma in Omaha. Therefore, the Tigers were 13-12 against top-25 ranked teams in 2010. Below is a year-by-year chart of Leggett against top-25 ranked foes.
Boyd’s Double-Digit Hitting Streaks Fifth-year senior outfielder Wilson Boyd (Hickory, NC) has shown consistency that was a staple in Clemson’s lineup for years. Boyd showed his steadiness with a 14-game hitting streak in March. He was 22-for-57 (.386) with two homers, four doubles, 14 RBIs, 17 runs, and a .485 on-base percentage during the streak. It was his fifth career double-digit hitting streak, as he had one as a junior (2009), two as a sophomore (2008), and one as a freshman (2007).
Boyd was a big reason the Tigers swept #7 Florida State at Doug Kingsmore Stadium from May 20-22. He was 5-for-9 (.556) with a homer, four RBIs, three runs, four walks, and a .692 on-base percentage in the series. He also earned ACC Player-of-the-Week honors that week for his performances in four games from May 18-22. He was 8-for-14 (.571) with a homer, double, five RBIs, three runs, four walks, and a .667 on-base percentage. Boyd did not start any games in the ACC Tournament due to a shoulder injury.
In the Auburn Regional, he earned all-tournament honors by going 6-for-14 (.429) with four doubles, four RBIs, and three runs in four games. In the 2010 NCAA Tournament, he was 12-for-36 (.333) with five doubles, eight walks, and a .455 on-base percentage.
In 238 career games (215 starts), Boyd has a .306 batting average along with 21 homers, 48 doubles, seven triples, 166 RBIs, 163 runs, and 14 steals. His 238 career games were sixth-most in Clemson history as well.
Brady Struck Out Batters in Bunches Red-shirt freshman righthander Kevin Brady (Gaithersburg, MD) had 45 strikeouts against only eight walks in 37.1 innings pitched over 22 appearances (two starts) in 2010. He led the team in both strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.6-to-1) and strikeouts per nine innings pitched (10.8). Those numbers were enhanced in the ACC Tournament when he totaled 10 strikeouts against no walks in just 4.1 innings pitched over two relief appearances.
Brady emerged as one of the team’s top pitchers out of the bullpen and made spots starts during the 2010 season. He was 1-0 with one save and a 4.58 ERA and allowed only two home runs. In fact, in 48.0 innings pitched over 26 career appearances (five starts) in 2009,10, he has yielded just two long balls.
In his last 13 appearances, all out of the bullpen, he allowed just one walk with 21 strikeouts in 17.1 innings pitched. Included in that total was his first career save at #14 Auburn in the championship game of the Auburn Regional on June 7. He pitched 3.0 scoreless innings with three strikeouts against no walks in Clemson’s 13-7 win that sent the Tigers to a super regional.
Epps Walked Away With Another Award Junior outfielder Chris Epps (Stone Mountain, GA) seems to play his best when there is an MVP award at stake. In the 2009 Clemson Regional, he was 10-for-19 (.526) with two homers, one double, six RBIs, and seven runs in five games to earn Clemson Regional MVP honors.
Epps put up near identical numbers to earn the 2010 Bob Bradley Award as Clemson’s MVP of the South Carolina series. In three games against the Gamecocks from March 5-7, he was 7-for-14 (.500) with two homers, one double, six RBIs, six runs, two walks, and one steal in leading the Tigers to two wins. On March 7, his grand slam in the second inning started Clemson’s onslaught in its 19-6 win. He went 3-for-6 with a homer, five RBIs, and two runs in that series-clinching win. Then in game-three of the Clemson Super Regional, he earned a start and went 2-for-4 with two runs and a walk to help Clemson to an 8-6 win that sent the Tigers to Omaha. In the super regional, he was 4-for-8.
In 2010, Epps totaled three homers, eight doubles, one triple, 16 RBIs, 45 runs, a .389 on-base percentage, and 16 stolen bases in 56 games (41 starts). He had an on-base percentage 168 points higher than his batting average thanks to 46 walks in 172 at-bats, a trend he has sustained in his three seasons in Tigertown. He is third all-time in Clemson history in walks per at-bat (one every 3.97 at-bats).
Firth’s Freshman Facts Freshman righthander Scott Firth (Buffalo Grove, IL) cemented his place as Clemson’s top midweek starter late in the 2010 regular season. He had strong starting outings in earning wins over Furman (May 11) and Presbyterian (May 18), his first two victories as a Tiger.
Against the Paladins, he tossed 6.0 innings, allowing just six hits, one run, and one walk with four strikeouts. He allowed the leadoff batter of the game to score and a two-out double in the first inning, but no Paladin advanced past first base during the rest of his outing. Then against the Blue Hose, he tossed 5.1 innings, allowing just two runs and no walks with six strikeouts.
Overall in 2010, Firth was 2-1 with a 3.58 ERA in 32.2 innings pitched over 16 appearances (four starts). He also tallied 25 strikeouts against 12 walks.
Frederick Filled Long Relief & Closing Roles Junior righthander Alex Frederick’s (Lagrangeville, NY) worked his way into one of Clemson’s top relief pitchers in 2010. In 2009, he appeared in only six games out of the bullpen for a total of 9.2 innings pitched. But under the tutelage of first-year Pitching Coach Dan Pepicelli, he earned his spot as a go-to guy out of the bullpen in 2010.
Frederick made a team-high 33 appearances (one start), tied for most in school history, and pitched 62.1 innings. He had a 3.75 ERA and a team-high four saves along with 54 strikeouts against 28 walks. The fourth-year junior was in his second year in the Tiger program in 2010 after transferring from Dutchess Community College. He was also a member of the Iona baseball team in 2007.
Frederick was stellar during his last 17 appearances, which included one start. He was 7-1 with two saves, a 3.37 ERA, and 33 strikeouts against 15 walks in 34.2 innings pitched over his last 17 outings. That included a 7-1 record in his last 15 outings, two victories against #7 Florida State in the three-game sweep at Doug Kingsmore Stadium from May 20-22, and two saves in the College World Series.
Against the Seminoles in the regular-season finale on May 22, he allowed just one hit, no runs, and two walks with five strikeouts in 4.2 innings pitched to earn the victory in Clemson’s 8-3 win that gave the Tigers the ACC Atlantic Division title. He became the first Tiger to earn two wins in a series since 1994, when Mike Holtz recorded two wins against N.C. State. He also picked up the win in the Auburn Regional Championship game when he struck out five against no walks in 3.0 innings pitched out of the bullpen.
Frederick was also outstanding in the friendly confines of Doug Kingsmore Stadium. He had a team-best 2.16 ERA along with a 5-0 record, two saves, a .209 opponents’ batting average, and 39 strikeouts against only 16 walks in 41.2 innings pitched over 19 appearances (one start) at home in 2010.
Frederick Accomplished Clemson First Righthander Alex Frederick’s won two games in the Tigers’ three-game series sweep against #7 Florida State from May 20-22. He was the winning pitcher in Clemson’s 9-8 victory in the first game on May 20 and in the third game on May 22, an 8-3 Tiger victory. Frederick became the first pitcher in school history to win two games against a top-10 team in the same series.
Frederick became the first Tiger to win two games in an ACC series since 1994, when Mike Holtz won two against #16 N.C. State. Both of Holtz’s wins came in 10 innings in relief roles. It was actually the second time this year (in 20 days for that matter) that Frederick won two games in a series. He won two games in a four-game series with Florida Gulf Coast between May 1-4.
He actually won consecutive games in wins of 7-6 and 14-2 on May 3,4. It marked the ninth time since 1974 that the same Tiger won consecutive games, but just the second time the same pitcher had won consecutive games against the same team. Brian Barnes did it in 1988, but those two were six days apart.
Frederick Saved Both Wins in Omaha Alex Frederick’s recorded two saves in the 2010 NCAA Tournament, both of which came in the College World Series in wins over #1 Arizona State and #6 Oklahoma. Only three other Tigers have recorded two career saves in NCAA Tournament play. And only one (Dave Woessner) had two saves in a single NCAA Tournament (1977). David Tripp (1988-90) and Jeff Sauve (1992-95) also had two career saves in the NCAA Tournament. Frederick also led all players in the 2010 College World Series with two saves.
Freeman Slugged as a Senior Senior second-baseman Mike Freeman (Orlando, FL) entered the 2010 season with just five home runs in his first three seasons at the collegiate level. But in 2010, he provided power from the #2 spot in the batting order. He had eight home runs along with a team-high 24 doubles and one triple. His batting average rose to .331 on the season. The Second-Team All-ACC selection was also second on the team with 33 extra-base hits and had 57 RBIs along with 11 stolen bases.
One thing that did not show up in the stat column was the number of highlight-reel plays he made on defense at second base in 2010. Freeman, who was one of Clemson’s best defensive second-baseman in history, had a solid .975 fielding percentage and was a big reason the Tigers turned an ACC-high 81 double plays in 70 games in 2010. Freeman was involved in 63 of the 81 double plays.
Freeman had an 18-game hitting streak from April to May. During his 18-game hitting streak, he was 32-for-81 (.395) with four homers, nine doubles, 21 RBIs, 26 runs, and three steals. The 18-game hitting streak was also his longest in his three seasons at Clemson. Freeman, who also had a 15-game hitting streak late in the season, hit safely in 34 of his last 38 games as well.
Freeman was a member of the Auburn Regional All-Tournament team after going 6-for-17 (.353) with a homer, two doubles, four RBIs, seven runs, two walks, and a hit-by-pitch along with no errors in 17 chances in the field in four games. Then in three games of the Clemson Super Regional, he was 8-for-17 (.471) with two doubles, two RBIs, and four runs.
In three years at Clemson, Freeman had a .330 batting average, 253 hits, 48 doubles, six triples, 13 homers, 120 RBIs, 174 runs, a .404 on-base percentage, and 25 stolen bases along with a .972 fielding percentage.
Harman Earned National Player-of-the-Week Honor Junior lefthander Casey Harman (South Burlington, VT) was named one of four national players-of-the-week by Collegiate Baseball on March 22. He earned the honor thanks to his stellar outing in Clemson’s 3-0 win over Virginia Tech on March 19. In 7.1 innings pitched, he allowed just one hit and took a no-hitter into the sixth inning against a team that entered the game hitting .354 and averaging over nine runs per game. Harman also allowed no runs and three walks with four strikeouts to earn the victory, while he did not allow a baserunner past second base.
On the season, Harman was 8-4 with a 3.79 ERA and .249 opponents’ batting average in a team-high 121.0 innings pitched over 19 starts as Clemson’s Friday starter. He allowed just 51 earned runs and 34 walks with 105 strikeouts. Harman pitched at least 5.0 innings in each of his first 12 starts in 2010 and 20 straight starts from 2009 to 2010. That streak ended at Wake Forest on May 14. He also pitched at least 5.0 innings in 18 of his 19 starts in 2010.
Against North Carolina on April 23, his streak of 17 straight starts (dating to 2009) without a defeat was snapped. He had a 9-0 record over those 17 starts. It was a remarkable feat considering most of those starts were in series-openers against the opponents’ top pitcher.
In his three-year career, he is 16-12 with a 3.86 ERA in 251.2 innings pitched over 68 appearances (34 starts). His 3.97 career strikeout-to-walk ratio is second-best in Clemson history, while his 2.15 career walks-per-nine-innings-pitched mark is fifth-best in Tiger history.
Harman Tossed Complete Game in Auburn Regional Casey Harman pitched his first career complete game in Clemson’s 5-2 win over #14 Auburn in the Auburn Regional on June 5. In fact, in his previous 64 appearances (30 starts), he had never pitched more than 7.2 innings. But against the SEC Tigers in front of a hostile crowd, the junior lefthander pitched a gem to earn one of two spots on the Auburn Regional All-Tournament team.
In 9.0 innings pitched, Harman allowed just five hits, two runs, and one walk with eight strikeouts while keeping the potent Auburn offense off-balance during the entire game. Auburn entered the regional first in the nation in homers, second in slugging percentage, seventh in batting average, and ninth in runs per game. He also limited Auburn to 0-for-11 with runners on base and 0-for-9 with two outs.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of his outing was the fact that Harman allowed just three Auburn baserunners to advance past first base, including one on a controversial hit-by-pitch that enabled the runner on first base to advance to second base. It was also the only complete game by a Tiger pitcher in 2010.
Haselden’s New Year Sophomore righthander David Haselden (Spartanburg, SC) made just seven appearances as a freshman in 2009. But in 2010, he became one of Head Coach Jack Leggett’s go-to pitchers out of the bullpen. In 41.0 innings pitched over 22 appearances (one start), the 6’3″, 225-pounder was 4-4 with two saves, a 4.61 ERA, and 13 walks with 29 strikeouts.
In his best outing of the season, Haselden entered a tie game against #15 South Carolina on March 5 and pitched the final 4.0 innings. He allowed no hits, no runs, and no walks with three strikeouts to earn the win in the Tigers’ thrilling 4-3 victory.
In 58.2 innings pitched over 29 career appearances (three starts), he is 5-4 with two saves, a 4.60 ERA, and has allowed just 14 walks against 45 strikeouts, good for a 3.21-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Hinson Emerged After Injury Sophomore infielder John Hinson (Asheville, NC) missed all of 2009 with a back injury after he was slated to compete for the starting job at third base. But Hinson emerged in 2010 and put up strong numbers.
In 67 games (57 starts), he hit .351 with 17 homers, nine doubles, one triple, 75 RBIs, and a team-high 25 steals. He also had a 14-game hitting streak in 2010.
Hinson was a big reason the Tigers swept the three-game series against N.C. State on March 13,14. In the final two games of the series, he came off the bench in both games and tallied two hits in each contest. In game-two with the Tigers trailing 6-5, he started Clemson’s seven-run eighth inning with a leadoff double, then capped the scoring with a three-run double later in the frame, as the Tigers were victorious 12-6. In the series-finale a day later, he went 2-for-2. With Clemson behind 6-5, he hit a one-out single in the eighth inning and eventually scored the tying run, as the Tigers scored two runs in the frame and won 7-6.
The following game, he came off the bench again and gave Clemson the lead in the eighth inning at Charlotte on March 16. With the Tigers trailing 8-7, he hit a dramatic two-out, three-run homer to give Clemson a 10-8 lead.
Hinson also had a standout two-game series against Georgia in April, as he was 5-for-8 with two homers, eight RBIs, five runs, a walk, and two steals to lead Clemson to two wins. Then later that weekend, he went 8-for-16 with three doubles and four RBIs in the three-game series at Duke.
Hinson Belted Three Homers in One Game John Hinson had a career day in Clemson’s 22-4 victory over USC Upstate at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on April 21. He entered the game mired in an 0-for-14 slump, but he broke out of it in a big way. The sophomore third-baseman went 5-for-6 with three home runs and seven RBIs. He hit a solo homer in the second inning, a three-run homer in the third inning, and another three-run home run in the sixth inning.
Hinson became the 13th player in school history to hit three home runs in one game. The last Tiger to do it was his teammate Kyle Parker, who hit three long balls in the second game of a doubleheader at Wake Forest on March 9, 2008.
Hinson Earned Auburn Regional MVP Honors John Hinson was named Auburn Regional MVP after leading the Tigers to the regional championship at Plainsman Park from June 4-7. In four games, he was 9-for-16 (.563) with three homers, one double, five RBIs, five runs, a 1.188 slugging percentage, one walk, one hit-by-pitch, and a .611 on-base percentage. But perhaps his biggest contribution was his defense, as he made several dazzling stops at third base and did not commit an error in nine chances. In the regional-finale at #14 Auburn on June 7, Hinson went 2-for-3 with a homer, double, three runs, a walk, and hit-by-pitch to lead Clemson to a 13-7 win.
Hinson Had an NCAA Tourney to Remember John Hinson was 21-for-44 (.477) with five homers, one double, one triple, 13 RBIs, 13 runs, an .886 slugging percentage, four walks, a hit-by-pitch, a .531 on-base percentage, and three steals in 11 NCAA Tournament games. His 21 hits set a school record for a single NCAA Tournament.
After earning MVP honors of the Auburn Regional, Hinson was 5-for-12 (.417) with two homers, five RBIs, five runs, two walks, and a steal in the three games of the Clemson Super Regional. Then in the College World Series, he was 7-for-16 (.438) with a triple, three RBIs, three runs, one walk, and two steals in four games and was named to the All-College World Series team.
Kieboom Caught On Late in the Season Freshman catcher Spencer Kieboom (Marietta, GA) was Clemson’s third-string catcher for the first 48 games of the season. But against Presbyterian on May 18, he was given the opportunity to prove himself as a starter behind the plate. Although he went 0-for-4, Kieboom showed the Tiger coaches that he could handle the receiving aspects of the position. Then after playing in just two of the next nine games, both off the bench, he was penciled into the starting lineup against #6 Georgia Tech on May 29. Against the Yellow Jackets, he went 3-for-4 with two runs to lead Clemson to a 9-3 victory. Kieboom was Clemson’s starting catcher the rest of the season.
In 30 games (13 starts) in 2010, he was 15-for-57 (.263) with five doubles, 10 RBIs, and 10 runs. Twelve of his 13 starts came in the last 12 games and he started all 11 of Clemson’s NCAA Tournament games.
Lamb Showed His Versatility Sophomore utility player and lefthander Will Lamb (Seaford, VA) entered the 2010 season rated as the #92 player in the nation by TheCollegeBaseballBlog.com. The 6’5″ Tiger showed why he was worthy of that high praise in Clemson’s season-opener against Miami (OH) on February 19.
In his first career game at first base, he went 4-for-4 with his first career homer, a double, three runs, and three RBIs. He played 21 games in the outfield as a freshman in 2009, but that was his first career appearance and start at first base.
On the season, Lamb hit .289 with four homers, two triples, six doubles, 36 RBIs, 42 runs, and was 14-14 on stolen bases in 52 games (42 starts) in the field. Lamb also had an 11-game hitting streak in May.
Lamb, who was one of the team’s fastest baserunners, was also one of the team’s top lefthanded pitchers and was a weekend starter on the mound during the first half of the year. In 10 starts and eight relief appearances in 2010, he pitched 52.0 innings. He had a 4-4 record, two saves, and a 5.02 ERA.
Pitching against the nation’s top-ranked team (Virginia) and in his home state in the first game of a doubleheader on March 27, he earned the victory in Clemson’s 8-5 win. In 7.0 innings pitched, he allowed just five hits (all singles), one earned run, and two walks with two strikeouts. In the three-game series, he also was 3-for-5 with two RBIs.
Then in the ACC Tournament, he made his first start in over a month against #6 Georgia Tech on May 29 and shined. He allowed just six hits, two runs, and two walks with four strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched to earn the win against one of the nation’s best offensive squads. Lamb also retired the only batter he faced to record the save in Clemson’s 8-6 win over #16 Alabama in the Clemson Super Regional on June 14 that sent the Tigers to the College World Series.
Leone Provided Innings as Freshman Freshman righthander Dominic Leone (Norwich, CT) settled in as one of Clemson’s most reliable pitchers in 2010. He made 12 relief appearances and 10 starts for a total of 58.1 innings pitched. Leone was 3-2 with a 4.78 ERA in the 2010 season. He also allowed just 22 walks with 40 strikeouts.
In his first career ACC start (against North Carolina on April 25), Leone was stellar. He allowed the Tar Heels’ first three batters of the game to score, but he did not allow another run for the remainder of his outing. In 8.0 innings pitched, he yielded just seven hits, three runs, and one walk with three strikeouts. After giving up a leadoff single in the third inning, he allowed just one hit and no runs in his final 6.0 innings pitched.
Leone was called upon to make a start in the decisive game-three of the Clemson Super Regional against #16 Alabama on June 14. In 5.2 innings pitched, he allowed just three hits, one unearned run, and one walk with three strikeouts to earn the win in Clemson’s 8-6 victory that sent the Tigers to the College World Series.
Miller Felt It at the Plate Sophomore shortstop Brad Miller (Windermere, FL) was outstanding at getting on base in 2010. His batting average rose to a team-high .357 with eight homers, four triples, 19 doubles, 49 RBIs, 71 runs, and nine steals in 69 games. He also had an outstanding .458 on-base percentage thanks to 50 walks and two hit-by-pitches.
In his last 26 games, Miller was 44-for-105 (.419) with five homers, six doubles, two triples, 27 RBIs, 29 runs, a .657 slugging percentage, 13 walks, and a .479 on-base percentage. He also hit safely in 30 of his last 32 games and had a 20-game hitting streak that was snapped in the last game of the season.
Miller shined against Boston College from April 2-4 in his best series of the season. In three games, he went 7-for-13 (.538) with a homer, triple, double, three RBIs, six runs, and two walks against no strikeouts. Then at Wake Forest from May 14-16, he was 5-for-10 with two homers, four runs, and three walks. He also had a 10-game hitting streak from late April to early May.
But perhaps his best series came against his home state team. In the three-game sweep of #7 Florida State at Doug Kingsmore Stadium from May 20-22, he moved from shortstop to the DH spot and put up big numbers. He was 7-for-13 (.538) with a homer, double, five RBIs, six runs, two walks, and one stolen base. He was also 6-for-12 with a homer, triple, double, four RBIs, six runs, and two walks in three ACC Tournament games.
Miller reached base via a hit or walk in each of the first 33 games of the 2010 season. He also reached base via a hit or walk in 66 of his 69 games.
Miller Among Best in ACC Regular-Season Games Brad Miller was one of the ACC’s best hitters in league games. In 30 ACC regular-season games in 2010, he hit a team-best .402 with five homers, two triples, six doubles, 21 RBIs, 31 runs, a .647 slugging percentage, a team-high 30 walks, a team-best .533 on-base percentage, and five steals. In ACC regular-season games, Miller was tied for first in the league in walks, second in batting average, and second in on-base percentage.
Parker Moved Up the Tiger Home Run Charts Junior outfielder and first-baseman Kyle Parker (Jacksonville, FL) hit 20 home runs in 67 games in 2010. He hit .344 with 85 hits, 20 homers, one triple, 15 doubles, 64 RBIs, 85 runs, and four stolen bases along with a .656 slugging percentage and .478 on-base percentage. Of his 64 RBIs, 37 were two-out RBIs.
In May, Parker was one of 60 players named to the Golden Spikes Award Watch List. The award goes to the national player-of-the-year. He was also named First-Team All-ACC in 2010, the second time he received that accolade. Parker was also named First-Team All-ACC as a freshman in 2008.
The 20 homers in 2010 gives him 46 career long balls, eighth-most in Clemson history. His 20 homers in 2010 were also 10th-most in a season in Tiger history. In 2009, Parker set the Clemson record for fewest games required to reach 25 career home runs, as he accomplished that feat in only 103 games. He has totaled his 46 career home runs in 187 career games.
Parker, who completed his red-shirt freshman campaign on the gridiron in 2009, led the Tigers to a 9-5 record, an appearance in the ACC Championship game, and a win over Kentucky in the Music City Bowl. The signal-caller threw for 2,526 yards on 205-369 passing and added 20 touchdowns in starting all 14 games. He was also a second-team freshman All-American by CollegeFootballNews.com.
Parker First to Join the “20-20” Club In the winter of 2010, Kyle Parker privately told Head Football Coach Dabo Swinney that his goal for the 2009-10 academic year was a “20-20.”
He had already thrown 20 touchdown passes on the football team, helping the Tigers to a top-25 final ranking and the ACC Atlantic Division title. He wanted to match that with 20 homers on the diamond, and thereby help Clemson to an ACC baseball title. After helping Clemson win the ACC Atlantic Division title on the diamond in late May thanks to a three-game sweep of #7 Florida State, he reached the 20-homer mark against #14 Auburn in the Auburn Regional Championship game on June 7 when he hit a three-run homer in the first inning.
Research that included contacting every Division I school that plays college football revealed that no student-athlete had ever achieved even a “20-15” in the same academic year, or any other year for that matter. On April 21, Parker hit a grand slam in the second inning of Clemson’s 22-4 victory over USC Upstate. It was his 15th long ball of the year.
Only two other Division I football-baseball athletes in history have recorded a “20-10” (passing touchdowns and home runs). Rodney Peete of Southern California had 21 passing touchdowns in the fall of 1987, then hit 12 home runs for the Trojan baseball team in the spring of 1988. Josh Fields of Oklahoma State had 21 passing touchdowns in the fall of 2003, then hit 10 home runs in the spring of 2004.
John Elway never achieved a “20-10” at Stanford, but he came close. He hit nine home runs in the spring of 1982, then threw 24 passing touchdowns in the fall of 1982.
Parker Reached 10 Home Runs in Only 20 Games Kyle Parker hit his 10th home run of the season on March 23, 2010 when he went deep against Elon at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. That was just his 20th game of the season. It was the third-fewest games required to hit 10 home runs in a season by a Tiger in history. Parker already had the record for the fewest games required to hit 25 career home runs when he did so in the first 103 games of his career.
The record for fewest games to reach 10 home runs in a season is held by George Sutton and Michael Johnson. Sutton hit 10 homers in the first 18 games of 1966. His 10th homer came against Wake Forest on April 23, 1966. Johnson hit his 10th long ball in his 18th game against Maine on March 22, 2002.
The fourth-fewest games required to hit 10 homers is held by Doug Kingsmore, whose name adorns Clemson’s baseball stadium. Kingsmore was the first Tiger to hit 10 home runs in a season, a feat he accomplished in 1954. The Tigers played just 24 games that season and Kingsmore hit his 10 home runs in the first 21 games that year.
It is interesting to note that Kingsmore hit just one home run in his first 10 games, then hit nine in the next 11 games, including two-homer games against South Carolina (April 13), North Carolina (May 1), and Furman (May 12). Kingsmore helped the Tigers win the ACC title that year, Clemson’s first ACC Championship in any sport.
Parker Named ACC Player-of-the-Week Twice in 2010 Kyle Parker led Clemson to a 4-1 record in five games from March 16-20 to earn ACC Player-of-the-Week honors. He was 8-for-17 (.471) with three homers, one double, five RBIs, 10 runs, a 1.059 slugging percentage, five walks, and a .591 on-base percentage. He was also a big reason the Tigers swept Virginia Tech in a three-game series on March 19,20.
Parker then led the Tigers to a 4-0 record in four games from May 4-9 to earn ACC Player-of-the-Week honors again. He was 10-for-16 (.625) with five doubles, one homer, seven RBIs, seven runs, five walks, one hit-by-pitch, a 1.125 slugging percentage, and a .727 on-base percentage. He was crucial in the Tigers’ three-game sweep at Maryland from May 7-9.
His two league accolades in 2010 were the third and fourth time he earned ACC Player-of-the-Week honors in his career, as he was lauded once in 2008, once in 2009, and twice in 2010. He joined Khalil Greene (1999-02) as the only two Tigers in history to earn an ACC Player or Pitcher-of-the-Week honor in three different seasons. Greene, the 2002 National Player-of-the-Year, was named ACC Player-of-the-Week once in 2000, once in 2001, and three times in 2002.
Parker is third in Clemson history in career ACC Player-of-the-Week honors with four. Righthander Kris Benson (1994-96) has the most with six, while Greene had five.
Parker Picked in the First Round of the MLB Draft
Kyle Parker was selected in the first round of the Major League draft on June 7, the same day Clemson defeated #14 Auburn 13-7 to capture the Auburn Regional title. In fact, he was taken at the end of the seventh inning of that game.
Parker was drafted by the Colorado Rockies with the #26 overall pick. He became Clemson’s first first-round draft pick since Daniel Moskos was taken with the #4 overall pick in 2007. He was also the 14th first-round draft pick in Tiger history.
Parker a First-Team All-American
Kyle Parker was named a first-team All-American by Ping!Baseball, becoming Clemson’s first All-American on the diamond since 2006. He also earned second-team All-America honors from Baseball America and NCBWA and third-team All-America accolades from ABCA. Parker, who was a freshman All-American on the gridiron earlier in the 2009-10 academic year when he led the Tigers to a 9-5 record and an ACC Atlantic Division title, hit .344 with 20 homers, 15 doubles, one triple, 64 RBIs, 85 runs, a .656 slugging percentage, 56 walks, nine hit-by-pitches, a .478 on-base percentage, and four steals in 67 games in 2010. He has also totaled 46 career home runs, eighth-most in school history.
At #14 Auburn in the Auburn Regional Championship game on June 7, he clobbered his 20th home run of the season to become the first Division I athlete in history to accumulate 20 passing touchdowns and 20 home runs in the same academic year. That same day, he was drafted in the first round (#26 overall pick) of the Major League draft by the Colorado Rockies.
Schaus Led the ACC in RBIs
Junior outfielder Jeff Schaus (Naples, FL) was Clemson’s lone All-ACC player in 2009. In 2010, he was named a Second-Team All-ACC outfielder thanks to hitting .328 with 15 homers, 14 doubles, two triples, 85 RBIs, 67 runs, and eight stolen bases in 66 games. Schaus, who led the ACC in RBIs, was the only Tiger to play and start all 70 games in 2010. In fact, Schaus has never missed a game, as he has played in all 195 games from 2008-10 and has missed just two starts (one in 2008 and one in 2009). His 87 RBIs also tied for second-most in a season in Tiger history and were fourth-most in the nation in 2010.
Against Wright State on February 28, he had one of his best career games, as he was 3-for-3 with a homer, five RBIs, and two runs in Clemson’s 12-6 victory. Then against Georgia Southern on March 17, he went 3-for-5 with a grand slam, six RBIs, and three runs in the Tigers’ 22-6 win.
In his three-year career, Schaus is hitting .319 with 41 doubles, four triples, 31 homers, 168 RBIs, 170 runs, a .411 on-base percentage thanks to more walks (107) than strikeouts (83), and 22 stolen bases. He is also a career .334 hitter in ACC regular-season games.
Schaus earned a spot on the Auburn Regional All-Tournament team after going 6-for-18 (.333) with a double, five RBIs, three runs, and a steal in four games. Then in the Clemson Super Regional, he was 9-for-15 (.600) with two doubles and five RBIs. In 11 NCAA Tournament games in 2010, Schaus was 17-for-46 (.370) with three doubles and 12 RBIs.
Shaffer Contributed to Veteran Lineup
Entering the 2010 season, Clemson returned eight starters in the field. The lone loss from 2009 was first-baseman Ben Paulsen, who was a third-round draft pick after the 2009 season. Freshman corner infielder Richie Shaffer (Charlotte, NC) filled that role nicely in 2010.
In 48 games (44 starts), Shaffer hit .323 with seven homers, 11 doubles, 36 RBIs, 45 runs, a .409 on-base percentage, and two steals. He was also errorless in the field in 327 chances. Shaffer missed 17 games from March to April due to a hamstring injury.
In three ACC Tournament games from May 26-29, Shaffer was 5-for-12 (.417) with two doubles, one homer, five RBIs, and five runs. Then in the Clemson Super Regional, he was 4-for-13 with three homers, seven RBIs, and four runs in three games. He hit two homers in Clemson’s 8-6 win in game-three against #16 Alabama on June 14.
Stolz Made Instant Impact in Return to Lineup Sophomore infielder John Hinson to be the everyday starter at third base. Hinson responded with a .351 batting average, 17 homers, 75 RBIs, and 25 steals in 2010.
But Stolz always kept his head in the game and earned his chance to be re-inserted into the starting lineup, this time at a different position. With the defensive struggles of Brad Miller at shortstop, Stolz was given the chance to make his first career start at shortstop against Presbyterian on May 18. He responded with a 2-for-4 performance along with his first home run of the season and two RBIs. He also went 2-for-4 and made several dazzling defensive plays in each of the three games at the starting shortstop in Clemson’s sweep over #7 Florida State from May 20-22.
In his five games as the starting shortstop in 2010, Stolz was 8-for-20 (.400) with a homer, five RBIs, three runs, and a steal. His recent surge raised his batting average to .222 on the season.
Weismann Solidified Weekend Rotation Sophomore righthander Scott Weismann (Boxborough, MA) was one of Clemson’s weekend starters all season. In 97.1 innings pitched over 19 appearances (18 starts), Weismann was 9-2 with a 4.90 ERA and .268 opponents’ batting average. He allowed 102 hits (.268 opponents’ batting average) and 34 walks against 73 strikeouts. Clemson was also 15-3 in his 18 starts in 2010.
Against Southern Mississippi in the Auburn Regional on June 4, he pitched his best game of the season. In 7.0 innings pitched, he allowed just four hits, one run, and one walk with six strikeouts to earn the win in Clemson’s 10-1 victory. He also earned one of two spots on the Auburn Regional All-Tournament team thanks to his performance against the Golden Eagles. Then against #16 Alabama in the Clemson Super Regional on June 13, he pitched 6.0 solid innings without allowing a walk to earn the victory. Weismann also earned a win in his only start in the College World Series.
In his two-year career, Weismann is 12-3 with a 3.90 ERA and .253 opponents’ batting average in 134.0 innings pitched over 36 appearances (21 starts). He has also been superb during NCAA Tournament play. In five career appearances (four starts) in the NCAA Tournament, he is 4-0 and has allowed just 20 hits (.206 opponents’ batting average), five earned runs (1.71 ERA), and eight walks with 12 strikeouts in 26.1 innings pitched. His 1.71 career ERA in the NCAA Tournament is also best in Clemson history (minimum of 15.0 innings pitched).
Epps, Freeman, Sarratt Named Captains Three Tigers were voted team captains, as voted on by the players, prior to the 2010 season. Junior outfielder Mike Freeman, and senior righthander Justin Sarratt were all named captains. Freeman was a captain in 2009 as well.
Preseason Individual Honors Several Tigers received accolades in the preseason. Lefthander Casey Harman was a first-team All-ACC pick by SEBaseball.com, while second-baseman Mike Freeman and outfielder Jeff Schaus were second-team All-ACC selections.
Outfielder Brad Miller (#28), Lamb (#48), and righthander Kevin Brady (#95) were all listed among the top prospects for the 2011 draft by Perfect Game, while corner infielder Richie Shaffer was listed as the #35 prospect for the 2012 draft. Miller was also invited to the USA National Team trials for the summer of 2010.
Shaffer was listed as the #30 freshman in the nation by Baseball America, while Miller was listed as the #29 sophomore in the nation.
Future ACC Tournament Sites The 2011 ACC Tournament will be played at Durham (NC) Bulls Athletic Park, where it was played in 2009, while the 2012 tourney will return to NewBridge Bank Park in Greensboro, NC, where it was played for the first time in 2010. The 2013 ACC Tournament will also be played in Durham. Locations for the tournament after the 2013 season have yet to be determined.
Six Former Tigers on Major League Rosters Six former Clemson baseball players were on Major League rosters in 2010. The list included National Player-of-the-Year Jeff Baker, pitchers Jason Berken, Steven Jackson, and Tony Sipp, and outfielder Tyler Colvin.
Benson was in his first year with the Arizona Diamondbacks after playing previously with the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, and Texas Rangers. He is a veteran of nine Major League seasons. Benson won the National Player-of-the-Year award in 1996 when he led Clemson to the College World Series. He finished his Tiger career with 29 wins and 356 strikeouts, as both are in the top five in Clemson history.
Baker was in his sixth season in the Majors and second year with the Chicago Cubs. Baker, who is tied for the all-time Tiger record with 59 career homers, played for the Rockies in the 2007 World Series.
Berken, who played at Clemson in 2003, 2004, and 2006, had an 18-6 record and 3.04 ERA in 47 appearances (36 starts). He made his Major League debut with the Baltimore Orioles in 2009 and was in his second Major League season.
Jackson made his 2010 season debut with the Pirates in May after playing his first Major League season in 2009.
Sipp was called up to the Cleveland Indians in 2009 and was in his second year in the Majors. Sipp batted .280 and had a 2-2 pitching record for the Tigers in 2004. Colvin saw limited action with the Chicago Cubs in the latter stages of the 2009 season and was in his second season in the Majors.
Tigers Went 3-0 on Opening Weekend Clemson, ranked as high as #15 in the nation, went 3-0 against three different opponents from February 19-21. The Tigers outscored Miami (OH), Michigan State, and Furman by a combined score of 29-7 and hit .324. Clemson also totaled nine doubles, five homers, and six stolen bases. Mike Freeman and Kyle Parker both totaled five hits, one homer, and five RBIs. Freshman Jonathan Meyer retired all nine batters he faced over two relief appearances, a big reason Clemson had a 2.00 ERA, .179 opponents’ batting average, and 20 strikeouts against only four walks in the three games.
In the first game against Miami (OH) at Casey Harman, the first of four Tiger pitchers, earned the win by pitching 5.0 innings of one-hit ball. The four Tiger hurlers combined to limit the RedHawks to only two hits and faced just three batters over the minimum.
In the second game against Michigan State at Fluor Field in Greenville, SC on February 20, John Hinson, Scott Weismann earned the win in 4.2 innings pitched, while Lamb, Meyer, and Scott Firth combined to pitch 4.1 scoreless innings in relief to close out the game.
In the third game against Furman at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on February 21, Clemson took a 7-2 lead after four innings and held on for an 8-5 win. Freeman went 2-for-3 with two doubles, three runs, one RBI, two walks, and two stolen bases to lead Clemson’s 10-hit attack. Jason Stolz went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, while Schaus added two hits and two RBIs. Kevin Brady earned his first career win in a starting role, while Meyer pitched 2.0 perfect innings to record his first career save. The Tigers were aided by six Paladin errors.
Clemson Swept Wright State Clemson, ranked as high as #15 in the nation, swept Wright State by a combined score of 24-15 in a three-game series at Brad Miller both went 5-for-11 in the series. The Tiger pitching staff had a 3.00 ERA and struck out 20 against eight walks.
In game-one on February 26, Parker went 3-for-3 with two runs in Clemson’s 4-3 win over Wright State. The Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the second inning and never trailed again despite Wright State scoring single runs in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings. The Raiders put 16 batters on base, but four Tiger pitchers combined to limit Wright State to just three runs, as it stranded 11 runners on base. Casey Harman pitched 5.2 innings, allowing four hits and one run with six strikeouts to earn the win, while Alex Frederick’s retired the only batter he faced to pick up his first career save. Miller added two hits for the Tigers, who were outhit 9-6.
In game-two on February 27, Miller’s run-scoring double in the eighth inning gave Clemson the lead for good in its 8-6 win over Wright State. The Tigers held a 4-1 lead before the Raiders scored four unearned runs in the fifth inning to take a 6-4 lead. But Phil Pohl’s two-run single in the sixth inning tied the score. Miller’s RBI double and Jason Stolz’s suicide squeeze bunt in the eighth gave the Tigers an 8-6 lead. The bottom three Tigers in the lineup combined to go 4-for-8 with seven RBIs. Pohl went 2-for-4 with four RBIs, while Miller added two doubles and three runs. David Haselden retired all seven batters to close out the game and earn the win.
In game-three on February 28, Schaus went 3-for-3 with a homer and five RBIs and Parker hit two solo homers to power Clemson past Wright State 12-6 and sweep the series. The Tigers scored 11 runs in the first five innings and never looked back. Mike Freeman went 3-for-5 with three runs and an RBI, while Miller went 2-for-5 with a double and two runs. Starter Will Lamb, the first of seven Tiger pitchers, picked up his first career win by tossing 4.0 effective innings. The Raiders outhit Clemson 13-12, but they stranded 11 runners on base. The Tigers also turned three double plays.
Tigers Edged Dayton 6-5 in 10 Innings Kyle Parker went 3-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs to lead Clemson, who outhit the Flyers 13-6. Tomas Cruz, the last of nine Tiger pitchers, earned the win by pitching a scoreless 10th inning.
Tigers Took Two of Three From Gamecocks Clemson, ranked as high as #9 in the nation, won two of three games against #15 South Carolina by a combined score of 28-16 at three different sites from March 5-7. It was the first regular-season series win for the Tigers since 2006. Clemson outhit the Gamecocks .286 to .267 and totaled seven home runs. Mike Freeman added six hits. The Tigers also had a 4.33 ERA.
In game-one at Wilson Boyd two-out, run-scoring single in the eighth inning lifted the Tigers to a 4-3 win over South Carolina. The Gamecocks took a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning on Adrian Morales’ sacrifice fly, but Jeff Schaus added solo home runs in the first inning. David Haselden pitched the final 4.0 innings without allowing a hit or run to earn the victory.
In game-two at Fluor Field in Greenville, SC on March 6, Whit Merrifield’s two-out, run-scoring single in the top of the ninth inning gave South Carolina the lead for good in its 7-5 win over Clemson. Merrifield broke a 4-4 tie with his clutch hit, then the Gamecocks added two more run-scoring hits. Freeman’s RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning brought the potential tying run to the plate, but the Tigers came up short. Jackie Bradley, Jr. went 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs to lead the Gamecocks, who outhit Clemson 9-8. Four Gamecock hurlers combined for 13 strikeouts in the game.
In game-three at Carolina Stadium in Columbia, SC on March 7, Clemson hit five home runs to trounce South Carolina 19-6. It was the most runs scored by Clemson against the Gamecocks since 1962 and the Tigers’ largest margin of victory in the series since 1997. Epps’ grand slam in the second inning started the onslaught, as he was 3-for-6 with five RBIs and two runs. Freeman totaled three hits, including a home run, and three runs. Scott Weismann pitched 6.0 strong innings to earn the win, while eight Gamecock pitchers combined to allow 14 hits and 11 walks.
Clemson Blasted Gardner-Webb 13-2 Behind three home runs and 12 hits, #7 Clemson blasted Gardner-Webb 13-2 at Kyle Parker crushed a three-run home run in the second inning. Justin Sarratt allowed one earned run and four hits in 5.0 innings to earn the victory.
Tigers Swept Wolfpack to Open ACC Slate Clemson, ranked as high as #7 in the nation, swept N.C. State by a combined score of 31-19 in a three-game series at John Hinson went 5-for-10 with two doubles and three RBIs in the series, while Brad Miller both added a homer and six RBIs. The Tigers had a 4.33 ERA as well.
In game-one on March 13, which was the first game of a doubleheader, Clemson scored 10 runs in the first four innings and held on for a 12-7 win over N.C. State. Casey Harman pitched 6.0 effective innings to earn the win.
In game-two on March 13, which was the second game of a doubleheader, Clemson scored seven runs in the eighth inning to rally for a 12-6 win over N.C. State. Drew Poulk’s two-run homer in the seventh inning gave the Wolfpack a 6-4 lead. But trailing 6-5 in the eighth inning, Clemson tied the score when Schaus walked with the bases loaded, then Wilson Boyd hit a two-run single to give Clemson the lead for good. Hinson, who started the inning with a double, added a three-run double to add three insurance runs in the eighth inning. Boyd had a game-high four RBIs, while Schaus and Hinson both added three RBIs apiece. Reliever Dominic Leone earned his first career win by tossing 3.0 scoreless innings of two-hit ball with six strikeouts.
In game-three on March 14, Clemson scored two runs on bases-loaded walks with two outs in the eighth inning to defeat N.C. State 7-6. The Tigers jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the second inning thanks to two-run singles by Jason Stolz and Schaus. But the Wolfpack chipped away and took a 6-5 lead with two runs in the seventh inning. The Tigers, however, loaded the bases with two outs, then Schaus and Parker both drew walks to tie the score and give Clemson the lead, respectively. Schaus had a game-high three RBIs, while Hinson came off the bench to record two hits. Freshman Jonathan Meyer earned his first career win by retiring all six batters he faced to close out the game.
Charlotte Nipped Tigers 11-10 in Back & Forth Game Zane Williams’ three-run double with two outs in the eighth inning lifted Charlotte to an 11-10 win over #7 Clemson at Charlotte, NC on March 16. The Tigers scored five runs with two outs in the fourth inning, highlighted by John Hinson three-run homer with two outs. But Williams came through with a clutch double down the left-field line to snap Clemson’s five-game winning streak. The two teams combined for 15 two-out RBIs and each team walked eight times.
Clemson Powered Past Georgia Southern 22-6 Behind 21 hits, including nine doubles, one triple, and six home runs, #7 Clemson blasted Georgia Southern 22-6 at John Nester, Chris Epps also added one homer apiece. Mike Kent earned the win in his first career appearance, as he pitched 3.1 scoreless innings of two-hit ball in relief.
Clemson Swept Virginia Tech Clemson, ranked as high as #7 in the nation, swept Virginia Tech by a combined score of 21-10 in a three-game series at Wilson Boyd went 6-for-12 with a double, three RBIs, and three runs, while Kyle Parker added four hits, including a homer, and five runs. The Tiger pitching staff had a 2.67 ERA, while the three starting pitchers combined to allow just 14 hits and one earned run in 19.1 innings pitched (0.47 ERA).
In game-one on March 19, Casey Harman and Mike Freeman sacrifice fly. The Tigers added one run in the sixth and one run in the eighth, both on bases-loaded walks.
In game-two on March 20, which was the first game of a doubleheader, Lamb pitched 6.0 strong innings to lead Clemson to a 5-2 win over Virginia Tech. Lamb allowed seven hits and one unearned run to earn the win against his home-state team. Alex Frederick’s pitched the final 3.0 innings to record the save. Clemson outhit the Hokies 12-10, led by Parker’s 2-for-4 performance with a homer and two RBIs. The Hokies stranded 13 runners on base, including nine in scoring position.
In game-three on March 20, which was the second game of a doubleheader, Clemson scored three runs apiece in the second, third, seventh, and eighth innings in its 13-8 victory over Virginia Tech. The Tigers answered with three runs in each of the four innings in which the Hokies scored. Boyd went 3-for-4 with a double, two RBIs, and three runs to lead Clemson’s 13-hit attack. Scott Weismann pitched 6.0 innings with seven strikeouts to earn the win. Jonathan Meyer pitched the final 1.1 innings to record the save.
Elon Beat Tigers Twice in Midweek Series Elon won both games of a two-game midweek series against #5 Clemson by a combined score of 19-13 at Mike Freeman, and Kyle Parker all had three hits apiece to lead Clemson in the series. The Tigers also had a 5.68 ERA.
In game-one on March 23, Elon scored 11 runs in the last four innings to rally for a 15-10 win over Clemson. The loss snapped Clemson’s 18-game home winning streak dating back to 2009. The Phoenix held a 4-1 lead before the Tigers scored seven combined runs in the third through fifth innings. But thanks in part to four costly Tiger errors, Elon scored 11 runs, including five in the sixth inning to take the lead for good, in the final four innings. Clemson committed five errors in the game, leading to six unearned runs. Wilson Boyd, Parker, and Lamb all hit solo homers, while Lamb was 3-for-4 with a double, three RBIs, and three runs. Four different Elon players had three hits apiece.
In game-two on March 24, Seth Canipe’s two-out single plated Ryan Adams for the game-winning run in the 10th inning to lift Elon to a 4-3 win over Clemson. Adams, who pitched a perfect 10th inning to record the save, hit a two-out double in the 10th and scored on Canipe’s single through the left side. Elon outhit Clemson 10-6, while both teams stranded 11 runners on base. Clemson, who walked eight times, left seven of its 11 runners in scoring position and failed to put its leadoff batter on base in all 10 innings.
Top-Ranked Virginia Won Series in Close Games Top-ranked Virginia won two of three games over #5 Clemson at UVa Baseball Stadium on March 26,27. Both teams scored 12 runs in the series, while Virginia outhit Clemson .258 to .238. The Tigers walked 16 times with one hit-by-pitch and the Cavaliers walked just five times, one of which was intentionally. Clemson also put 45 runners on base to Virginia’s 33 in the series, but Clemson stranded 30 runners on base to Virginia’s 17. Jeff Schaus had a team-high five hits in the series. Clemson had a 3.91 ERA as well.
In game-one on March 26, Stephen Bruno hit a walkoff single in the ninth inning to lift Virginia over Clemson 4-3. Bruno, who also hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning to tie the score, delivered the game-winning hit with one out when he hit a soft liner just over the glove of third-baseman John Hinson and inside the left-field line. Both teams had nine hits in the game, while Will Lamb had two hits and two RBIs to lead the Tigers. However, Clemson stranded 10 runners on base, including seven in scoring position.
In game-two on March 27, which was the first game of a doubleheader, Lamb tossed 7.0 strong innings to lead Clemson to an 8-5 win over Virginia. Lamb allowed just five hits, one earned run, and two walks to earn the win in his home state. David Haselden pitched the final 1.1 innings to record the save. The Tigers scored six combined runs in the final three innings, including three key runs in the ninth inning thanks to two costly Virginia errors. Clemson totaled nine hits, seven walks, one hit-by-pitch, and four steals as well.
In game-three on March 27, which was the second game of a doubleheader, Franco Valdes and Kenny Swab both his solo homers to lead Virginia to a 3-1 win over Clemson. The Tigers put 12 runners on base compared to Virginia’s eight, but Clemson stranded nine runners on base while the Cavaliers left just three on base. Scott Weismann pitched 7.0 solid innings, allowing six hits, three runs, and no walks with two strikeouts but suffered the loss. Kyle Parker went 2-for-4 with a first-inning RBI for Clemson, who outhit Virginia 7-6.
Chanticleers Outlasted Tigers 4-3 in 11 Innings Rico Noel’s solo home run with two outs in the 11th inning lifted #14 Coastal Carolina to a 4-3 win over #10 Clemson at Kyle Parker two-run homer. But the Tigers did not tally a hit or run in the final seven innings despite putting 10 runners on base (nine walks, one hit-by-pitch) during that span. Dominic Leone pitched 5.1 strong innings in his first career start, allowing just four hits and one unearned run. Clemson committed four errors in the game, while the Chanticleers were errorless.
Tigers Gritted Out Series Win Over Boston College Clemson, ranked as high as #10 in the nation, won two of three games over Boston College by a combined score of 34-22 at John Hinson was 6-for-12 (.500) with six RBIs, three runs, and three steals. Mike Freeman added five hits, three doubles, one homer, six RBIs, four runs, and four walks.
In game-one on April 2, Clemson totaled 15 hits, including nine extra-base hits, on its way to a 15-2 win over Boston College. The Tigers broke the game open with six runs in the second inning and scored in seven of the eight innings in which they batted. Freeman went 3-for-4 with a homer, two doubles, four RBIs, three runs, and a walk, while Miller went 2-for-3 with a homer, triple, three runs, and two walks. Casey Harman pitched 6.0 solid innings to earn the win, as he allowed just four hits and one run with 10 strikeouts. Tomas Cruz pitched the final 3.0 innings and allowed two hits and one run with three strikeouts to record the save.
In game-two on April 3, Boston College scored seven runs in the second inning and used a handful of stellar defensive plays to defeat Clemson 11-5. Clemson took a 4-0 lead in the first inning, but the Eagles responded with seven runs in the second inning and never looked back. All 10 Eagle batters had at least one hit, as Boston College had 14 hits in the game. The Tigers had 10 hits and put their leadoff batter on base four times in the last six innings, but they were held scoreless after the second inning thanks in part to several highlight-reel defensive plays by the Eagles. Both teams were errorless as well.
In game-three on April 4, Clemson scored eight runs in the eighth inning to defeat Boston College 14-9. The Tigers came back from a 4-1 deficit to take a 5-4 lead in the sixth inning, but the Eagles scored four runs in the seventh inning to take an 8-5 lead. The Tigers scored one run in the seventh and eight runs in the eighth to pull out the comeback win. Miller and Hinson had three hits apiece for Clemson, who had 14 hits (all singles). Hinson added three RBIs, two runs, and three of Clemson’s six steals. The Tigers also walked 13 times and overcame 14 runners left on base, including 10 left in scoring position.
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