Clemson Outlasts Boston College 6-4 Friday

March 16, 2012

Clemson, SC –

Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Friday night. The Tigers, who took a 1-0 lead in the series and snapped a four-game losing streak, improved to 7-8 overall and 1-3 in the ACC. The Eagles, who lost their seventh game in a row, fell to 6-9 overall and 0-4 in ACC play.

The Tigers built a 4-1 lead before Tom Bourdon’s second homer of the game, a two-run shot in the seventh inning, cut Clemson’s lead to 4-3. But the Tigers responded with single runs in the seventh and eighth innings and held on for the two-run victory over the Eagles.

Brady (1-1) earned the win in a starting role. In 6.2 innings pitched, he allowed five hits, three runs, and five walks with nine strikeouts. Matt Campbell yielded one hit, one run, and one walk with three strikeouts in 2.0 innings pitched to record his first save of the season. Brady, Joseph Moorefield, and Campbell combined for 13 strikeouts.

Eric Stevens (2-1), the first of three Eagle hurlers, suffered the loss. He gave up seven hits, five runs, and three walks with two strikeouts in 6.0 innings pitched.

The Tigers wasted little time taking the game’s first lead in the first inning. Steve Wilkerson grounded a leadoff double over the first-base bag and scored on Jason Stolz’s groundball double over the third-base bag. Stolz’s two-bagger extended his hitting streak to 10 games.

In the second inning, Spencer Kieboom led off with a four-pitch walk. Two batters later, Brad Felder belted a 1-2 pitch over the fence in right field for a two-run homer, his second long ball of the season.

Bourdon cut into Clemson’s lead in the fifth inning when he ripped a solo homer over the right-field foul pole.

In the sixth inning, Jon McGibbon led off with a single through the right side and moved to third on a perfectly-executed hit-and-run single by Spencer Kieboom through the right side. Attanasio reached on a fielder’s choice that brought home McGibbon, giving the Tigers a 4-1 lead.

For the second time in the game, Bourdon drew the Eagles closer when he blasted a two-out, two-run homer to right field, his second home run of the game and fifth of the year, in the top of the seventh inning.

The Tigers doubled their lead in the bottom of the seventh inning. Thomas Brittle led off with an infield single and advanced to third base on back-to-back groundouts. Brittle then scored on a wild pitch with two outs.

Anthony Melchionda cut Clemson’s lead in half in the top of the eighth inning when he lined a leadoff homer to left field, his second long ball of the season.

However, the Tigers responded again in the bottom of the eighth inning to increase their lead. Kieboom drew a one-out, then Attanasio walked on 12 pitches. Pinch-hitter Joe Costigan hit the first pitch in the gap in right-center for a double to score Kieboom.

In the ninth inning, Matt Pare led off with a walk, then John Hennessy struck out. Butera lined out to second for out #2, then Bourdon stepped to the plate with two long balls in the game under his belt and as the potential tying run. But he struck out swinging to give the Tigers their first Friday win in five tries this season.

Eight different Tigers had one hit apiece, while Kieboom scored a team-high two runs.

Bourdon had three of Boston College’s six hits, including two homers and three RBIs. Melchionda added two hits, including a solo homer. All four of its runs resulted from its three home runs.

Clemson and Boston College will play game-two of the three-game series on Saturday at 6:30 PM.