Six-Run Seventh Inning Propels Tigers to 7-5 Win at Boston College Friday

Chestnut Hill, MA –

In his second start of the season, junior Joe Costigan totaled a career-high three RBIs when he capped the Tigers’ six-run seventh inning with a three-run double in Clemson’s 7-5 win over Boston College in front of 1,281 fans at Commander Shea Field on Friday afternoon.  The Tigers, who took a 1-0 lead in the series, improved to 19-11 overall and 7-6 in the ACC.  The Eagles dropped to 5-23 overall and 0-12 in ACC play.

The Tigers trailed 2-0 before tallying a two-out run in the sixth inning.  Then in the top of the seventh inning, Clemson broke out with six runs on three hits and a costly Eagle error.  Matt Pare hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning to narrow Clemson’s lead to 7-5, but the Eagles were unable to score any more runs thanks to the Tiger bullpen.

Starter Daniel Gossett (4-2) pitched 6.2 innings to earn the win.  He gave up three hits, five runs (three earned), and seven walks with seven strikeouts.  Zack Erwin pitched a perfect 1.2 innings with two strikeouts to record his second save of the season.  The four Tiger pitchers combined to strand 11 Eagles on base.

Nate Bayuk (0-1), the second of five Boston College pitchers, suffered the loss.  In 0.1 innings pitched, he yielded two hits, five runs (two earned), and two walks.  Starter Hunter Gordon pitched 6.0 innings, allowing seven hits, one run, and no walks with five strikeouts.

The Eagles took the game’s first lead in the first inning.  Blake Butera blooped a one-out double to left field and John Hennessy walked.  Tom Bourdon followed with a single through the left side to score Butera.

Logan Hoggarth reached as the leadoff batter in the fourth inning on a fielding error by shortstop Tyler Krieger, then Chris Shaw walked on four pitches.  Two batters later, Gabriel Hernandez walked on six pitches to load the bases, then Joe Cronin walked on six pitches to score Hoggarth.

In the sixth inning, Garrett Boulware belted a one-out double to left-center, moved to third on Jon McGibbon‘s groundout to second, and scored on Shane Kennedy‘s infield single, cutting Boston College’s lead to 2-1.

Krieger led off the top of the seventh inning with a double to left field and Thomas Brittle walked on four pitches.  Jay Baum‘s bunt back to the mound was booted by Bayuk, who would have had time to throw to third for the out, to load the bases with no outs.  Tyler Slaton hit a slow grounder down the first-base line that stayed fair for a single to plate Krieger and tie the score.  Steven Duggar grounded out to second to plate Brittle and give Clemson its first lead of the game.  On the first pitch to intentionally walk Boulware, Bayuk’s pitch went to the backstop and Baum scored on the wild pitch.  After Boulware’s intentional walk and McGibbon flied out for out #2, Kennedy walked to reload the bases.  Joe Costigan then hit a double down the left-field line to score Slaton, Boulware, and Kennedy.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Butera led off with a walk and Hennessy hit a potential double-play grounder, but McGibbon’s throw to second base was muffed by Krieger.  Two batters later with one out, Pare hit a three-run homer to right field, his second long ball of the season, to narrow the Tigers’ lead to 7-5.  It was the Eagles’ first hit since the first inning.  Two batters later with two outs, Shaw struck out, but reached first on a wild pitch.  McGovern singled through the left side, then pinch-hitter Stephen Sauter walked to load the bases.  After being down in the count 3-0, Kyle Schnell battled back to strike out Cronin to end the inning.

Slaton had a game-high three hits to lead the Tigers’ 10-hit attack.  Costigan went 2-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs, while Kennedy went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

Butera scored a team-high two runs for Boston College, who amassed just four hits in the contest.

Clemson and Boston College will play game-two of the three-game series on Saturday at 1:30 PM.