Tigers Blast Georgia Southern 11-1 Sunday at Charleston, SC

March 16, 2003

Charleston, SC –

Clemson scored five runs in the fifth inning and Tyler Lumsden earned his fourth win in as many starts in the Tigers’ 11-1 win over Georgia Southern Sunday night at Riley Park in Charleston, SC. The two teams were scheduled to play a three-game set at Statesboro, GA over the weekend, but unplayable field conditions forced the move to the Lowcountry. It was the first night game of the year for the Tigers.

Lumsden pitched 6.0 innings, allowing just three hits, one run, and one walk while striking out eight. Lumsden’s ERA rose to 0.64 and still has allowed just one extra-base hit on the season. He now has struck out 29 and walked just four in 28.1 innings pitched over four starts. Brian Rogers suffered the loss in a starting role.

The Eagles got on the board first in the opening inning. James Payne lined a single to right center and was safe at second when third baseman Brad McCann’s throw to second base was not in time on Brendan Gilligan’s grounder (Payne was running on the play). After a double play, A.J. Zickgraf struck out, but advanced safely to first on the wild pitch. Payne also scored on the play, ending Lumsden’s scoreless inning streak at 17.0 innings.

Clemson responded in the second inning to tie the score 1-1. Kyle Frank reached on a muffed throw by first baseman Greg Dowling, stole second, and scored on Brady Everett’s single through the left side.

The Tigers took the lead in the fifth inning. Garrick Evans led off with a walk. After Russell Triplett struck out with the bases loaded for out #2, Ryan Hub lined the first pitch he saw to center, scoring Johnson and McCann. Then Frank scored when A.J. Zickgraf’s throw to second base on a designed “pickle” play was errant. Everett then blooped a single to right, scoring Hub and giving the Tigers a 6-1 lead.

Clemson added another run in the sixth on Johnson’s leadoff, line-drive homer to left-center, his fourth of the season and 50th of his career.

Clemson added four more runs in the eighth inning, highlighted by pinch-hitter Kris Harvey’s two-run homer to left field. Johnson also laced an RBI double down the right-field line in the inning.

The two teams will matchup again in a doubleheader against the Eagles Monday at 11:00 AM at Riley Park. Both games will be nine innings. The Tigers will then play at College of Charleston at Patriots Point Field Tuesday at 6:00 PM before returning home late Tuesday night.