Four Tigers Homer as #13 Tigers Tame Panthers 12-3 Wednesday

Feb. 27, 2008

Clemson, SC –

Ben Paulsen, Kyle Parker, John Nester, and Wilson Boyd each hit home runs to highlight #13 Clemson’s 12-3 victory over High Point on Wednesday in front of 3,491 fans at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The Tigers improved to 4-0 and the Panthers fell to 3-2.

Paulsen went 2-for-2 with a three-run homer and four RBIs to lead Clemson’s 14-hit attack. Boyd added a three-run homer, his fourth of the season, and went 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Parker, a freshman, hit his first career homer and Nester hit his second homer of the year. Stan Widmann also went 3-for-4 with three runs scored. Four Panthers had multiple hits.

Seven Tiger pitchers contributed to the win without walking a batter. Craig Gullickson (1-0) earned his first career win, allowing four hits and one unearned in 3.0 innings pitched in a starting role. Zach Scott (0-1) pitched 3.0 innings as well, as he allowed six runs on eight hits to take the loss.

Clemson took an early 3-0 lead in the first inning. Widmann and Boyd led off with back-to-back singles. With one out, Paulsen hit his first homer of the year, a three-run shot to left-center.

The Panthers scratched one run in the second thanks to a Tiger miscue. Randy Schwartz singled to third base and Max Fulginiti followed with a double down the left-field line. With two outs, Pablo Rosario was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Schwartz then scored when Robby Kuzdale’s grounder to third was mishandled.

The Tigers scored three more runs in the bottom of the second inning. With one out, J.D. Burgess doubled to left-center and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Widmann then doubled down the left-field line to plate Burgess. Boyd drew a walk and Doug Hogan followed with a double down the left-field line to score Widmann and extend his hitting streak to 19 games. Paulsen then hit a sacrifice fly down the left-field line to score Boyd and put the Tigers on top 6-1.

High Point scored another run in the sixth inning, as Jeff Cowan scored on Alfie Wheeler’s single to right field.

Parker led off the seventh inning for Clemson with his first career home run, a solo shot to left-center. Burgess and Widmann followed with back-to-back singles to left field. Boyd then crushed a three-run, opposite-field homer to left field to put the Tigers up 10-2. It was his fourth home run of the season. Paulsen then singled up the middle and Nester slammed his second home run of the year, a two-run shot to left field.

The Panthers scored one run in the ninth inning, but it was not enough to catch the Tigers.

Clemson will return to action on Friday when it travels to Mount Pleasant, SC to face College of Charleston at 5:00 PM.