Mottl, Tigers Trounce George Mason 14-4

March 12, 1999

CLEMSON, S.C. – Ryan Mottl allowed just one earned run and two hits over 8.0 innings as Clemson defeated George Mason 14-4 Friday afternoon at Tiger Field. Please note that the two teams will play two, nine-inning games on Saturday starting at 12:00 PM. The two were scheduled to play one game each on Saturday and Sunday but will not play a game on Sunday.

Ryan Mottl (2-1) earned the win in his best outing of 1999. The righthander from Florissant, MO also struck out seven and walked just two as he lowered his ERA by nearly three runs to 4.71. It was his longest outing since Apr. 24, 1998 when he pitched 8.1 innings in earning the win in Clemson’s 2-1 win over Florida State. George Mason starter Derek Ashcraft (1-2) suffered the loss. Patriot pitchers walked 12 batters and hit two more as the Tigers reached double figures in runs for the 10th time in 14 games.

After Jason Harris put the Tigers ahead 1-0 in the first inning on an RBI single to left field, George Mason (5-4-1) took the lead in the second on Brian Forthofer’s two-run double in the right field gap. Forthofer had three of the Patriots’ four hits, including two doubles and three RBIs.

Clemson (8-6) took a 6-3 lead after scoring four runs in the fifth inning. Henri Stanley drove home the first two runs with a single under the glove of second baseman Trevor Haas. Pinch-hitter Doug Roper brought home Patrick Boyd with a sacrifice fly to left field and Brian Holstad singled to left center, driving in Stanley. Holstad, who started his first game since the second game of the season, was 2-for-3 with an RBI.

The Tigers added five runs in the sixth inning, two coming on wild pitches and one on a passed ball. Kurt Bultmann led off the inning with his fourth homer of the year, a solo shot to left field.

Boyd gave Clemson a double-digit lead in the seventh inning with a line-drive home run down the right field line. It was Boyd’s fourth homer in only his eighth game of the season.

Clemson will play host to George Mason Saturday in a doubleheader starting at 12:00 PM.

George Mason    0   2   0    1   0   0    0   0   1  -  4     4   1 Clemson         1   0   0    1   4   5    2   1   0  -  14   11   2

Ashcraft, Davis (5), Lipcius (6) and Yeager. Mottl, Roper (8) and Ellis, Borgert (9). Win – Mottl (2-1). Loss – Ashcraft (1-2). 2B – Forthofer 2 (4). HR – Bultmann (4), Boyd (4). Time: 2:35. Attendance: 1,505. Temp.: 62 degrees. Winds: 10 mph blowing in from centerfield.