Paladins Upset #16 Tigers 6-3 Wednesday

May 9, 2007

Clemson, SC –

Sophomore righthander Spencer Hale pitched 3.1 solid innings of relief to lead Furman to a 6-3 victory over #16 Clemson Wednesday in front of 4,579 fans at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The Paladins improved to 16-34, and the Tigers dropped to 32-17.

After junior righthander Will Feemster allowed two runs in 4.0 innings of work, Hale (1-2) allowed one run off three hits while walking one to earn the win. Blaine Hart and Nicholas Karow also gave the Paladins some clutch relief pitching. Karow notched his second save of the season as well.

P.J. Zocchi (3-2) allowed two runs on six hits in 4.0 innings pitched of relief and suffered the loss for the Tigers.

Charlie Bailes, Connor Lind, Paul Ortenzo, and Marcus Rose each had two hits for Furman. Taylor Harbin went 2-for-3 with a solo homer for Clemson.

The Paladins got on the scoreboard in the first inning when Jay Jackson’s grounder to third-baseman Marquez Smith was booted, allowing Lind to score.

Clemson broke through with two runs in the third. J.D. Burgess was hit by a pitch to lead off and Addison Johnson followed with a walk. Each then moved up a base thanks to a sacrifice bunt by Harbin. With two outs, Andy D’Alessio scored Burgess and Johnson with a single to right to take a 2-1 lead.

Furman took the lead for good with two runs in the sixth. With one out, Will Stembridge and Bailes hit back-to-back singles. Ortenzo then plated Stembridge and Bailes with a double to left-center.

The Paladins scored again in the seventh. Rose doubled down the right-field line and moved to third on a passed ball. Bobby Hubbard drew a walk and Jackson followed with a single through the left side to score Rose and put the Paladins ahead 4-2.

In the top of the eighth, Ortenzo led off with a walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Joey Rodgers, and advanced to third on a one-out single through the right side by Lind. With two outs, Bobby Hubbard tripled to right-center on a 1-2 pitch to score Ortenzo and Lind.

Harbin blasted a homer to left in the bottom of the eighth to trim the Paladin lead to 6-3. It was his seventh home run of the season. But the Tigers could get no closer, as they were just 1-for-15 with runners on base in the contest.

The Tigers return to ACC action on Friday night at #2 Florida State at 7:00 PM.