Nine-Run Sixth Inning Carries Virginia to 10-2 Win Over #2 Clemson Saturday

March 18, 2006

Charlottesville, VA –

Virginia scored nine runs with two outs in the sixth inning to defeat #2 Clemson 10-2 on Saturday afternoon in front of 1,869 fans at UVa Baseball Stadium. The nine runs in the inning eclipsed the most runs allowed by the Tigers in an entire game in 2006, as Clemson allowed a previous high of six on two different occasions. With the win, Virginia took a 2-0 series lead and improved to 18-4 overall (3-2 ACC). The Tigers fell to 11-5 (0-2 ACC) and lost back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Jacob Thompson (5-0) pitched 7.0 solid innings to earn the victory. The freshman righthander allowed two runs on six hits with five strikeouts. Shooter Hunt pitched 2.0 scoreless innings to close out the game. Jason Berken (2-2) suffered the loss, as he allowed three runs (two earned) on eight hits in 5.2 innings pitched.

The Cavaliers took the game’s first lead in the third inning thanks to a Tiger miscue. Sean Doolittle hit a one-out single to left-center and went to second on a hit-and-run groundout. After shortstop Stan Widmann’s fielding error allowed Brandon Guyer to reach, Tom Hagan singled to left to plate Doolittle, giving Virginia a 1-0 lead.

The Tigers responded with a run in the fourth inning to tie the score. Tyler Colvin led off with a single up the middle and went to second on Travis Storrer’s walk. After Marquez Smith moved both runners up a base on a sacrifice bunt, Andy D’Alessio grounded out to first to bring home Colvin.

In the sixth inning, Jeremy Farrell led off with a single up the middle on an 0-2 pitch and advanced to second on Beau Seabury’s sacrifice bunt. After Greg Miclat grounded out for out #2 and Tim Henry walked, the Tigers brought in righthander Stephen Clyne, who walked Brandon Marsh on a 3-2 pitch that just missed the strikezone and would have gotten the Tigers out of the inning without any damage.

However, the Cavaliers made the Tigers pay with nine runs with two outs. Doolittle gave the Cavaliers the lead with a sharp single up the middle, scoring Farrell and Henry. After David Adams walked to load the bases again, Guyer singled up the middle to bring home Marsh and Doolittle. Hagan followed with another run-scoring single, this time through the left side, to plate Adams. Farrell slapped his second hit of the inning to score another run, then Seabury followed with a bloop single to right to give the Cavaliers an 8-1 lead. Miclat gave Virginia a 10-1 lead with a single through the right side, as Seabury scored the latter of two runs when catcher Adrian Casanova dropped a would-be tag at the plate.

Clemson tacked on a run in the eighth inning on Storrer’s single up the middle, bringing home Brad Chalk, who singled to lead off the frame.

Virginia tallied 15 hits, all singles, including three each by Guyer and Hagan. Doolittle, Farrell, and Miclat added two hits apiece as well. Clemson totaled seven hits, including two each by Chalk and Colvin. Herman Demmink’s streak of reaching base at least once via a hit or walk ended at 32 games, as he was 0-for-4.

Clemson and Virginia, who upped its winning streak against the Tigers to five games on Saturday, will play the series finale on Sunday at 1:00 PM.