Tigers Down Elon 9-6 Tuesday

April 26, 2005

Clemson, SC –

Clemson made the most of nine walks and held off a ninth-inning rally to defeat Elon 9-6 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium Tuesday. Winners of 11 of their last 14 games, the Tigers improved to 26-16, while the Phoenix dropped to 26-18.

David Kopp (3-3) earned the win pitching 6.0 innings, giving up five runs (four earned) and four hits. The freshman righthander also struck out seven. George Blystone (1-4) suffered the loss despite allowing just three hits in 5.0 innings pitched in relief. Stephen Clyne pitched the final 3.0 innings, giving up one run, and notched his second save of the season. The nine walks issued to Clemson were a season high, and tied a season high allowed by Elon pitchers. Elon also committed four errors, tying a season high, which led to three unearned runs.

Kris Harvey was 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs to lead Clemson. Seven other Tigers had one hit apiece. Paul Bennett had a two-run home run and a double to lead the Phoenix.

Elon wasted little time scoring off of Kopp. Gary Morris singled to lead off the game and scored on Bennett’s home run three pitches later.

Clemson quickly answered in the bottom of the inning. Herman Demmink led off with a walk and moved to third on Brad Chalk’s single through the right side. Taylor Harbin followed with a triple off the wall in center, scoring Demmink and Chalk. Harvey singled through the left side to plate Harbin. Stan Widmann was robbed of a hit and an RBI to end the inning on a spectacular diving catch by second-baseman Morris in short right field.

In the fourth, the Tigers had runners on first and second with no one out. A ground-ball double play slowed the momentum of the inning, but allowed Widmann to move to third base. Catcher Matt Stocco went to the mound to talk to Blystone, but time was never called, and Widmann dashed home to make the score 4-2.

The Phoenix scored a run without getting a hit in the fifth. Runners were at first and second with one out when Bennett hit a hard ground ball right at Widmann that looked like the perfect double play Clemson needed to get out of the inning. However, Widmann could not field the ball cleanly, and as it rolled into left, Matt Hill scored from second.

Tyler Colvin led off the fifth with a single to right, extending his hitting steak to 16 games, the longest by a Tiger in 2005. Colvin stole second, but the Tigers could not advance him past third base.

Elon regained the lead in the sixth. With two outs and two strikes, Adam Weaver hit a double to right-center that scored Chris Vasami and Drew Davis.

The Tigers again answered the Phoenix in the bottom of the sixth inning. Widmann reached on an error and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Adrian Casanova, his second of the game. Demmink followed with a home run to right-center, his fourth of the year, to put Clemson back in front for good.

In the seventh, Harvey hit his 15th home run of the year, a two-run shot high off the scoreboard in left-center. Reliever Brian Ebert’s first balk of the year allowed Widmann to score later in the inning.

In the ninth, Elon put runners on first and second with two outs. Erickson doubled off the wall in right to cut the Tiger lead to 9-6 and bring the tying run to the plate. But Clyne got Davis to fly out to center to seal the win for the Tigers.

The Tigers return to action Wednesday at 7:15 PM when they play host Wofford at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.