Stephen Faris Pitches #10 Clemson To Sweep of #12 N.C. State With 6-2 Win Sunday

March 26, 2006

Clemson, SC-

Stephen Faris pitched 8.0 scoreless innings to lead #10 Clemson to a 6-2 win and a three-game sweep of #12 N.C. State in front of 4,782 fans at Doug Kingsmore Stadium Sunday. The Tigers improved to 16-6 overall, and 3-3 in the ACC, and the Wolfpack dropped to 21-8, and 5-4 in conference play.

Tyler Colvin was 3-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored to lead Clemson. Stan Widmann added two hits for the Tigers as well. Aaron Bates was 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs for N.C. State.

Faris (2-0) struck out five and allowed four hits to earn the victory in his first decision since Opening Day against James Madison. Andrew Brackman allowed four runs (two earned) on eight hits in 4.2 innings pitched to take the loss for N.C. State.

Herman Demmink singled to left to lead off the first, and moved to second when Brad Chalk walked. A groundball double play erased Chalk, but Colvin doubled through the right side with two outs to score Demmink.

The Tigers added two runs in the fourth. Widmann singled up the middle with one out, and D.J. Mitchell followed with a single in the hole at shortstop. An Adrian Casanova sacrifice bunt moved runners to second and third. Demmink then hit a grounder to short, but first baseman Bates dropped the throw from Jonathan Diaz, allowing Widmann and Mitchell to score, both unearned. It was the first error of the series for the Wolfpack.

Taylor Harbin hit a soft single to left-center to begin the fifth, but made a wide turn at first and fell down, and was tagged out attempting to return to first by Bates. Colvin followed with a single up the middle, and went to second on a passed ball. Andy D’Alessio struck out, but Covlin stole third on the play. Marquez Smith then hit a chopper over the head of Brackman for an infield single, scoring Colvin.

Casanova walked to lead off the sixth, and moved to second on a wild pitch. Demmink then hit a hard grounder through the legs of Bates at first, and Casanova scored Clemson’s third unearned run of the game.

Casanova doubled down the left-field line to begin the eighth. Chalk walked with one out, but Casanova was erased at third on a fielder’s choice grounder by Harbin. Colvin doubled to right-center with two outs to score Chalk.

Ramon Corona singled with one out in the ninth, and Bates followed with a two-run home run down the right field line, his fifth of the season.

The Tigers stole five bases on Sunday, including two by Widmann, and one each by Covlin, Smith, and Casanova.

Clemson returns to action Tuesday when it travels to Athens, GA to take on the Georgia Bulldogs at 7:00 PM.