Dwyer Tosses Complete Game Two-Hitter in #20 Clemson’s 9-1 Win Over #5 Miami (FL) in Game-Two of Doubleheader Saturday

April 11, 2009

Clemson, SC –

Freshman lefthander Chris Dwyer pitched a complete game two-hitter and struck out a career-high 10 batters to lead #20 Clemson to a 9-1 win over #5 Miami (FL) in the second game of a doubleheader at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Saturday night. The Tigers, who evened the series 1-1, improved to 22-12 overall and 10-7 in the ACC, while the Hurricanes fell to 25-9 overall and 11-6 in ACC play.

Dwyer (4-2) tossed the first complete game by a Tiger in 2009. He gave up just two hits, one run, and four walks with 10 strikeouts to earn the win. Only two Hurricane batters advanced past first base and just one advanced past second base during the entire game. Ryan Jackson singled in the third inning and stole second but was stranded there. Jason Hagerty provided the only run for Miami when he hit a solo home run in the sixth inning.

David Gutierrez (2-4), the first of four Miami pitchers, suffered the loss, as he yielded five hits, six runs, and five walks in 3.1 innings pitched.

The Tigers wasted little time grabbing the game’s first lead in the first inning. Mike Freeman and Addison Johnson led off with walks. Two batters later, Ben Paulsen belted a triple to left-center to score Freeman and Johnson. Kyle Parker followed with a towering two-run homer to left, his second homer of the day and seventh of the season.

In the fourth inning, back-to-back line-drive singles by Brad Miller and Wilson Boyd along with a walk by John Nester loaded the bases, then Matt Sanders hit an infield single to score Miller. Freeman followed with a fielder’s choice that allowed Boyd to score, giving the Tigers a 6-0 lead.

The Hurricanes dented the scoreboard with two outs in the sixth inning when Hagerty lined a 1-2 pitch over the left-field fence for a solo homer. It was his eighth long ball of the season.

Clemson added three insurance runs in the eighth inning. Paulsen led off with a double to right-center and Parker followed with a walk. Two batters later with two outs, Nester ripped a double to left-center to score two runs. Sanders then grounded a single up the middle to score Nester.

Paulsen paced Clemson’s 10-hit attack by going 3-for-4 with a double, triple, and two RBIs, while Sanders went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. The Tigers outhit Miami .365 to .234 in the doubleheader.

Clemson and Miami will play the series-finale at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Sunday at 12:00 PM. The game will be televised live by CSS.