Five-Run Fifth Propels Clemson to 10-4 Win Over Wake Forest Sunday

April 24, 2011

Clemson, SC –

Clemson broke a 3-3 tie with five runs in the fifth inning on its way to a 10-4 win over Wake Forest in front of 4,112 fans at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The Tigers, who won the series 2-1, improved to 25-14 overall and 11-10 in the ACC. The Demon Deacons dropped to 16-25 overall and 7-14 in ACC play.

Mac Williamson gave the Demon Deacons a 2-0 lead in the first inning with a two-run homer, but the Tigers scored a run in the bottom of the first and two more in the second to take the lead. After Wake Forest tied the score with a run in the top of the fifth inning, the Tigers took advantage of three walks and two errors along with two hits to score five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Jeff Schaus’ two-run single highlighted the uprising.

Starter Scott Weismann pitched 2.0 scoreless innings of one-hit ball with two strikeouts to close out the game. Meyer, Alex Frederick, and Weismann combined to allow just six hits and three walks with nine strikeouts.

Austin Stadler (1-7), the first of five Demon Deacon pitchers, suffered the loss. He allowed eight hits, six runs (five earned), and two walks with one strikeout in 4.1 innings pitched.

The Demon Deacons belted two extra-base hits in the top of the first inning to take an early lead. Pat Blair hit a one-out double to left-center and Williamson followed with a line-drive, two-run homer to left field, his eighth long ball of the season.

In the bottom of the first inning, Brad Miller grounded a two-out single up the middle and scored on Richie Shaffer’s double down the right-field line.

John Hinson then lined a two-out single to left-center to score Attanasio.

After Meyer retired nine batters in a row, James Harris led off the top of the fifth inning with a single to right-center. Brett Armour lofted a flyball to shallow right-center that fell for a single, then Mark Rhine moved the runners up a base on a sacrifice bunt on an 0-2 pitch. Steven Brooks’ sacrifice fly to right-center scored Harris.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Stolz led off with a single to left field and Hinson reached when his sacrifice bunt was booted by first-baseman Matt Conway. Will Lamb reloaded the bases with a walk. Kieboom followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to score Shaffer. With Attanasio at the plate, Lamb was picked off first but never stopped and stole second as Schaus broke for home on a steal and scored. A throwing error by Conway on the play assisted the Tigers on the double steal.

In the top of seventh inning, Harris drew a one-out walk and went to third on Armour’s single to right-center. Harris scored on Rhine’s sacrifice fly to right field.

Clemson responded with a run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Shaffer reached on a one-out fielding error, stole second, and moved to third base when the catcher’s throw went into centerfield. Schaus followed with a double to right field to plate Shaffer.

In the eighth inning, pinch-hitter Steve Wilkerson drew a one-out walk, stole second, and advanced to third on Hinson’s groundout. Pinch-hitter Jon McGibbon then lined a two-out single to center on a 1-2 pitch to score Wilkerson.

Miller, Shaffer, and Schaus all totaled two hits apiece to pace Clemson’s 12-hit attack. Schaus had a double, three RBIs, and a steal, while Shaffer added a double, two RBIs, two runs, a walk, and steal. Lamb extended his hitting streak to 14 games with his fourth-inning single as well.

Armour had a team-high two hits and Harris scored a team-high two runs for Wake Forest, who registered six hits in the contest.

Clemson will host Furman at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Tuesday at 6:30 PM.