Ninth-Ranked Clemson Sweeps #11 Miami With 14-1 Win on Sunday

April 2, 2006

Coral Gables, FL –

Clemson scored eight runs in the first inning and five more in the fifth on its way to a season-high 14 runs on 15 hits to top #11 Miami (FL) 14-1 in front of 1,927 fans at Mark Light Field on Sunday afternoon. The #9 Tigers finished off the three-game sweep of the Hurricanes (by a combined score of 28-9) with the win, and improved to 20-7 overall (6-3 ACC). Clemson also won its sixth-straight ACC game. Miami fell to 23-10 overall (8-4 ACC).

The Tigers, who batted around twice on Sunday, improved to 7-0 against the Hurricanes since they joined the ACC in 2005, including four wins last year and three this season. In those seven games, Clemson outscored Miami 67-19. It was the largest margin of victory by either team in the 42-game series that dates back to 1977. The 14 runs were also the most by the Tigers since May 19, 2005, when Clemson defeated Miami 15-5 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

Six different Tigers had two hits. The Tigers also hit five doubles, a triple, and a homer. Adrian Casanova went 2-for-4 with a career-tying-high four RBIs. Andy D’Alessio added a double and three RBIs, while Tyler Colvin scored a game-high three runs. Six different Hurricanes accounted for Miami’s six hits. In the series, Clemson held Miami, who entered the series hitting .312, to a .211 batting average, while the Tiger pitching staff allowed just four earned runs in three games.

Stephen Faris (3-0) earned the win, as he allowed one unearned run on three hits in 6.0 innings pitched. He also yielded no walks and struck out four. Hurricane starter Scott Maine (5-1) suffered the loss, as he only recorded one out after giving up seven runs on five hits. Miami’s three starting pitchers entered the weekend with a combined record of 17-2, but all three took losses during the series.

Clemson jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the first inning, as the team sent 12 batters to the plate and hit for the cycle. Herman Demmink hit the first pitch of the game to deep centerfield for a triple. After Brad Chalk was hit by a pitch, Taylor Harbin hit a sharp one-hopper to second-baseman Jemile Weeks, who was handcuffed and could not come up with the ball. Demmink scored on the single and Chalk advanced to third. Colvin then punched a two-strike double down the left-field line, plating Chalk. D’Alessio brought home Harbin on a groundout to second, then Marquez Smith singled through the right side past a drawn-in infield to score Colvin. Travis Storrer followed with a double to left to score Smith. After Stan Widmann was hit by a pitch, Casanova greeted Ricky Orta with a three-run homer to left field on the reliever’s first pitch. It was the Miami, FL native’s third long ball of the season and second of the series.

Miami got on the board in the third inning with some aggressive baserunning and a Tiger error. Blake Tekotte led off with a single up the middle. Two batters later, Jon Jay singled up the middle with one out to advance Tekotte to second. The two then each stole a base on the same pitch that Yonder Alonso struck out on. Casanova’s throw to third went into left field, allowing Tekotte to score.

The Tigers got the run right back in the fourth inning. Colvin lined a one-out single to center, stole second, and scored on D’Alessio’s double down the right-field line.

Clemson added to its lead with five runs in the fifth inning. Widmann led off with a line-drive single to center on an 0-2 pitch and scored on Casanova’s double just inside the third-base bag. After Demmink reached on an infield single, Casanova scored on Chalk’s RBI fielder’s choice. Chalk moved to third on a double off the left-field wall by Harbin and Colvin walked to load the bases. D’Alessio followed with a sacrifice fly to center to score Chalk. After Smith walked, Storrer laced a single up the middle to plate Harbin and Colvin.

Clemson will play host to Western Carolina on Tuesday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 PM.