Tigers Sweep Maine With 11-7 Victory Saturday

March 22, 2003

Clemson, SC –

A seven-run fifth inning propelled #14 Clemson to an 11-7 win over Maine in front of 3,160 fans at Doug Kingsmore Stadium Saturday afternoon. It was the Tigers’ 13th straight win, as they improved to 16-3 by sweeping the series. The win Saturday, which came against his alma mater, was Leggett’s 450th as Clemson’s head coach (10th season). The Black Bears fell to 9-6.

Tyler Lumsden (5-0) earned the win despite allowing three runs, six hits, and three walks in 5.2 innings pitched. Freshman Robert Rohrbaugh pitched the final 1.1 innings to record his first save. Black Bear starter Mike Collar (1-2) suffered the loss. He allowed seven runs in 4.1 innings pitched after shutting out the Tigers through four frames.

Maine started off the scoring in the third inning with two runs. Mark Reichley led off with a ground-ball double down the left field line. Then after two uncharacteristic walks by Lumsden, Steve Gambale’s sacrifice fly to right brought home Reichley. Lumsden only had walked four batters all season in his first four starts. Joe Drapeau followed with a ground ball that plated Aaron Young.

The Black Bears added another run in the fourth inning on Brett Ouellette’s opposite-field homer to right field, his first of the season. Ouellette led the Black Bears with a 4-for-4 performance. It was also the first homer allowed by Lumsden in 2003.

The Tigers appeared to cut into the Maine lead in the bottom of the fourth. After Kyle Frank reached on a fielding error by Ouellette, Jeff Hourigan hit a ball down the left-field line that just cleared the second fence. Home plate umpire Billy Pittman signaled that the ball was fair. But after a lengthy and heated argument from Black Bear Head Coach Paul Kostacapolous, and consulting with field umpire Joe Conley, Pittman reversed the call. Hourigan struck out and Frank was thrown out attempting to steal on the ensuing play.

Clemson did, however, get on the board in the fifth inning. Russell Triplett led off with a “swinging bunt” down the third-base line for a single. Steve Pyzik was then hit by a pitch for the second time in as many at bats. David Slevin, who was sacrificing, bunted the ball towards first-baseman Jesse Carlton. Carlton threw to third base to get the lead runner, but Triplett was safe at the bag. Zane Green followed with an infield single with the bases loaded to cut the Maine lead to 3-1. Green had a team-high three hits in four at bats on the afternoon.

After Ryan Hub struck out for out #1, Brad McCann, Frank, and Hourigan then followed with run-scoring doubles in the seven-run fifth inning. Frank was 7-for-9 with five RBIs in the three-game series and 11-for-19 (.579) in his career against the Black Bears.

In the sixth inning, Green led off with a bunt single, stole second, and scored on Hub’s single through the left side, giving the Tigers an 8-3 lead. Johnson then slapped a single to right center and McCann loaded the bases when he was hit by a pitch. Hub scored when Frank walked, then Johnson scored on Drapeau’s passed ball. The Tigers took an 11-3 lead when Hourigan’s groundout plated McCann.

Maine mustered a late comeback in the eighth inning. Ouellette walked and came around to score on Ryan Quintal’s single up the middle. Herman Demmink’s fielding error with two outs allowed Quintal to score, then Aaron Izaryk laced a two-run single to left center to cut the Tiger lead to 11-7. Greg Creek then hit a deep fly ball to left field, but Hub made a diving catch in front of the terrace to save two runs.

Clemson will next play host to Wofford Monday at 7:15 PM at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The game was added to the schedule due to previous rainouts.