Clemson vs. Arizona State Postgame Notes

June 21, 2010

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• Clemson defeated #1 ranked Arizona State 6-3 at the College World Series today, the Monday after Father’s Day. It is the second straight year a momentous accomplishment took place for the Clemson athletic program the day after Father’s Day. Last year, former Clemson All-American Lucas Glover won the US Open golf tournament on the Monday after Father’s Day, the first former Clemson golfer to win the US Open. That round had been moved to Monday because of rain, just as the Clemson vs. Arizona State CWS game did today. Also, among the golfers Glover beat last year on that Monday was former Arizona State golfer, Phil Mickelson.

• Clemson’s victory over Arizona State today was also momentous because it was Clemson’s first win over a Pac-10 school in the NCAA Tournament since 1958 when the Tigers defeated Arizona in their first College World Series game. Bill Wilhelm coached the Tigers to victory that June 14 day in Omaha by a 4-1 score. Clemson had been 1-10 in NCAA Tournament games, including 1-6 in College World Series games against Pac-10 schools entering today.

• This was Clemson’s 11th all-time win over the number-one ranked team in the nation in baseball, the first since a 3-2 win at South Carolina on April 5, 2006.

• Jack Leggett became the all-time Clemson leader in wins over number-one ranked teams by any Clemson coach in any sport. It was his sixth and he moved ahead of former baseball coach Bill Wilhelm, who had five.

• Today marked the fourth straight time Clemson has won its opening game in the College World Series. Clemson defeated San Jose State in its first game in Omaha in 2000 (10-6), defeated Nebraska in its first game in 2002 (11-10), and downed Georgia Tech (8-4) in its first game in 2006. Clemson’s last first-game loss in the CWS took place in 1996 when Miami (FL) defeated Clemson 7-3.

• Today was Clemson’s sixth NCAA tournament win of the 2010 Tournament. That is one short of the Clemson record of seven set in 2002.

• Today was Clemson’s first win over Arizona State in baseball. Arizona State had won three in a row prior today, including a pair of Super Regional games last year in Arizona. Arizona State also had a CWS win over Clemson in 1977.

• Clemson is now 6-1 this year against the other teams in the College World Series, 2-1 vs. South Carolina, 1-0 vs. Arizona State and 3-0 vs. Florida State.

• Arizona State had been 32-1 in non-Pac-10 games entering today’s contest.

• Clemson’s win over #1 ranked Arizona State today was the 12th win over a top 25 team for the program this year. That is the most in one season for the Tigers since 2006 when Clemson had a school record 26 top 25 wins.

• Chris Epps was 2 for five at the plate as Clemson’s leadoff hitter today and is now 6 for 14 in the 2010 NCAA Tournament. For his career, he is now 19-42 at the plate in NCAA Tournament play, a .452 batting average. In non-NCAA Tournament games for his career he is 79-352, a .224 average.

• Clemson has three straight games with at least 14 hits and has averaged 13.75 hits per game in the eight NCAA Tournament. Clemson is now hitting .351 for its eight NCAA Tournament games.

• Casey Harman is now 2-1 in the 2010 NCAA Tournament and has 22 strikeouts against just four walks in 23 1/3 innings.

• Reliever Alex Frederick has pitched nine innings and allowed just two runs in his four NCAA tournament appearances. Since April 24 he has seven wins (all his wins this season) and a save (today).

• John Hinson had two more hits today and is now 16-33 at the plate in the NCAA Tournament this year, a .485 average. He has five home runs, second most in Clemson history in one NCAA Tournament. Six is the record by Zane Green (2002).

• Jeff Schaus got his 86th RBI of the season today and now needs just six more to break Khalil Greene’s record of 91 set in 2002.

• Clemson is now 7-2 since Spencer Kieboom took over behind the plate. All nine of the games have been in the postseason, one ACC Tournament game and eight NCAA Tournament game. Kieboom had just one start and played in just 17 total games in the regular season.

Clemson Wins Over Number-One

• Clemson’s 6-3 win over #1 ranked and #1 seeded Arizona State was Clemson’s 11th all-time win over the number-one ranked team in baseball. All 11 have been away from home. It was Clemson’s first win over number-one since April 5, 2006 when Clemson defeated a number-one ranked South Carolina team, 3-2 in Columbia, SC. Clemson has now beaten number-one on the opponent’s home baseball field six times, and on a neutral site five times.

• Clemson’s 6-3 margin over Arizona State today was the team’s largest margin of victory over a number-one ranked team in baseball since April 10, 1999 when Clemson beat a number-one ranked Florida State 8-4 in Tallahassee. Five of Clemson’s 11 wins over #1 in baseball have been by exactly one run.

• This was the second time Clemson has beaten the number-one team in the nation in the College World Series. The other time took place at the 1996 CWS when Clemson defeated Alabama, 14-13. Jack Leggett was Clemson’s head coach in that game as well. It was the fourth time Clemson has defeated the number-one team in the NCAA Tournament in baseball. Clemson best a #1 ranked Miami team in Miami at a regional in 1977.

• This was Jack Leggett’s sixth win over the number-one ranked team, more than any other coach in any sport at Clemson. Bill Wilhelm is now second with five as Clemson baseball coach from 1958-93.

• This was Clemson’s 24th all-time win over number-one in all sports. Baseball has the most with 11, followed by men’s soccer with five.