Post Game Notes

Clemson vs. Mississippi State Notes Mississippi State 8, Clemson 6 June 8, 2007 at Starkville, MS

Mississippi State defeated Clemson 8-6 today, the exact samescore in Clemson’s win in the NCAA Tournament at Clemson last year.Clemson has lost the first game of the Super Regional. The Tigershave come back to gain a berth in the CWS once previously afterlosing the first game of a Super Regional. Clemson lost to Arkansasin the opening game of the 2002 Super Regional at Clemson, then wonthe next two games to earn a spot in Omaha. Clemson is now 3-4 inopening round Super Regional games. This was Mississippi State’sfirst NCAA Tournament win over Clemson. The Tigers had a 4-0 leadin NCAA Tournament games prior to today. Clemson now faces anelimination game on Saturday. Clemson is 12-13 in NCAA Tournamentelimination games under JackLeggett. Clemson last won an NCAA Tournament game in which itfaced elimination in 2004 when the Tigers won a pair of eliminationgames at Georgia. Clemson’s best performance in elimination gamestook place in 1999 when the Tigers lost the first game of aregional in Arkansas, then won four straight to move on to theSuper Regional. Clemson then lost the first game of the SuperRegional at Texas A&M, and won the second game of the series togive the Tigers five straight wins in elimination games. Clemsonthen lost the Super Regional championship game 5-4 on a walk-offhome run in the ninth. Clemson had three hitters hit home runs onthe same day they were drafted. Taylor Harbin (8th round, Arizona),Doug Hogan (16th round, Cleveland) and Andy D’Alessio (19th round,San Francisco), were all drafted and all hit round trippers thisafternoon. D’Alessio tied Jeff Baker’s career home run record withhis 17th home run of the year and 59th of his Clemson career. Itwas D’Alessio’s eighth career home run in NCAA Tournament play,just one short of MichaelJohnson’s Clemson career record of nine in NCAA Tournamentplay. D’Alessio replaced Johnson at first base in the Clemsonlineup in 2004. D’Alessio now has 17 home runs for the season, but14 in the last 28 games. He had just three in the first 35 gamesthis year. Clemson had won six of its last seven games whenD’Alessio hits a home run prior to today’s game. D’Alessio was 2for 4 today with three RBIs. He is now 8-16 at the plate in theNCAA Tournament He is now 28-75 in his Clemson career in the NCAATournament. Clemson Head Coach Jack Leggett is probably not afan of having the Major League draft during the NCAA Tournament.For the second time in his career he had a pitcher who was a topfour draft choice, struggle in the NCAA Tournament one day afterbeing drafted. On June 4, 1996, Kris Benson was the number-one pickof the MLB draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. The next day, in aCollege World Series game in Omaha, Nebraska, Benson allowed acareer high 13 hits and a career high nine earned runs in a 14-5loss to Miami (FL). Benson had given up only six home runs all yearentering the game, then gave up three to the Hurricanes.

On June 7, 2007, Daniel Moskos was the fourth pick of the Major League draft, again by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Moskos allowed a career high nine hits and a career high six runs (five earned, also a career high) in an 8-6 loss at Mississippi State. Moskos had given up just three home runs all year, then allowed two against Mississippi State.

Taylor Harbin hit his sixth career NCAA Tournament home runtoday, his second this year. He hit four in the 2006 NCAATournament. Harbin is now 8-17 at the plate in the NCAA Tournament.Doug Hogan extended his hitting streak to 14 games, a career high,with a 2 for 3 performance, including a home run, his 12th of theseason. Clemson hit three home runs today, yet lost the game.Clemson had won four straight games when it hit at least three homeruns. The last time Clemson lost a game in which it hit three homeruns was the first game of a doubleheader against Boston College onMay 6. Clemson lost that game by the same score as today’s outcome,8-6.