CLEMSON BASEBALL

Clemson Sweeps BC Doubleheader


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Chestnut Hill, MA –

Graham Stoneburner pitched 8.1 strong innings and Ben Paulsen went 4-for-4 with three RBIs to lead #20 Clemson to a 5-3 victory over Boston College in the second game of a doubleheader at Eddie Pellagrini Diamond on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers, who swept the doubleheader and won the series 2-1, improved to 18-7 overall and 7-5 in the ACC. The Eagles dropped to 15-9 overall and 5-5 in ACC play.

Stoneburner (3-2) pitched 8.1 innings, allowing nine hits, three runs, and four walks with six strikeouts to earn the win. Matt Vaughn retired the last two batters with the potential tying run on first base to record his second save of the season. Eagle reliever Kevin Moran (2-1) suffered the loss, as he yielded one run on four hits in 2.0 innings pitched.

Paulsen capped an outstanding series at the play by going 4-for-4 with a triple, walk, run, and three RBIs to pace the Tigers’ 13-hit attack in the series-finale. His two-run single in the ninth inning built Clemson’s lead to 5-2. In the three-game series, Paulsen was 6-for-10 with four runs, two triples, one homer, five RBIs, and three walks.

Will Lamb added two hits and two runs, while Brad Miller had two hits and two RBIs. Robbie Anston led Boston College’s nine-hit attack by going

2-for-2 with three walks. The Eagles put six leadoff batters on base as well.

The Eagles grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Mike Belfiore led off with a walk and went to third two batters later on Garret Smith’s single through the right side on a hit-and-run. Mike Sudol then hit a hard grounder right at third-baseman Jason Stolz, who elected to throw to first for the out, as Belfiore scored from third on the play.

In the third inning, Anston led off with a walk on four pitches and moved to second on Andrew Lawrence’s sacrifice bunt, one of four he had in the game. Two batters later, Mickey Wiswall laced a two-out single through the left side to score Anston.

The Tigers responded with a run in the fourth inning. Paulsen hit a one-out triple to right-center and scored on Miller’s single up the middle.

In the fifth inning, John Nester led off with a double over the third-base bag and Chris Epps followed with an infield single. Both runners moved up a base on Jason Stolz’s sacrifice bunt, then Lamb struck out. Mike Freeman followed with a hard-hit ball, but it was right at Belfiore at first for the inning-ending out.

Schaus led off the top of the sixth inning with a single through the left side. Paulsen followed with another single through the left side on a hit-and-run to advance Schaus to third base. Miller then hit a line-drive single to left to plate Schaus. However, with runners on first and second with no outs, the Tigers were unable to push across the go-ahead run, as the next three Tigers were retired.

Belfiore led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a single to left-center and advanced to second on Barry Butera’s sacrifice bunt. Smith followed with an infield single, as Belfiore advanced to third. Sudol was retired on a groundout back to the mound for out #2, as Smith moved to second. Brad Zapenas then hit a liner, but Stolz made a diving stop to his left on a short hop and threw to first for the inning-ending out.

The Tigers took their first lead of the game in the seventh inning. Lamb lined a one-out single to center and moved to second on Freeman’s infield single. Two batters later, Paulsen hit a two-out single through the left side to score Lamb, giving Clemson a 3-2 lead.

In the top of the ninth inning, Lamb led off with a single through the right side. After being down 0-2 in the count, Freeman squared around to bunt on each of the next four pitches, but he took all four for balls and drew a walk. Schaus grounded out, as both runners moved up a base. Paulsen then lofted a two-run single to left-center to plate Lamb and Freeman.

In the bottom of the ninth, Zapenas hit a one-out single to right and Anston walked for the third time in the game. John Spatola followed with a single to left-center to score Zapenas. Vaughn entered the game for the Tigers and struck out Tony Sanchez on three pitches for out #2. Wiswall then grounded out to Miller at short to end the game.

Clemson will travel to Athens, GA to take on Georgia at Foley Field on Tuesday at 7:00 PM.

Game 1

Chestnut Hill, MA -

Four Tigers hit home runs in #20 Clemson's 7-6 win over Boston College in the first game of a doubleheader at Eddie Pellagrini Diamond on Saturday. The Tigers, who evened the series 1-1, improved to 17-7 overall and 6-5 in the ACC. Boston College fell to 15-8 overall and 5-4 in ACC play.

All seven Tiger runs came on its four home runs, as Ben Paulsen, Brad Miller, Jeff Schaus, and Phil Pohl all hit homers to lead Clemson's 11-hit attack. Mike Belfiore, who hit two homers in the series-opener on Friday, hit two more home runs in the first game of the doubleheader on Saturday to lead the Eagles' nine-hit output.

Tiger starter Casey Haman (3-1), a native of South Burlington, VT, pitched a career-long 7.0 innings, allowing seven hits, five runs, and one walk with a career-high nine strikeouts to earn the win. Tomas Cruz pitched the final 2.0 innings to record his second save of the year. Eagle starter John Leonard (1-1) suffered the loss, as he allowed seven runs on eight hits.

The Tigers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Mike Freeman hit a one-out single to left-center. Two batters later with two outs, Paulsen lined a two-run homer to right field, his fifth long ball of the season.

In the bottom of the first inning, Robbie Anston led off with a double down the left-field line. After Anston moved to third on Matt Hamlet's sacrifice bunt, Tony Sanchez belted a two-run homer to center, his seventh home run of the year. Two batters later with two outs, Mike Belfiore followed with a solo home run to left field.

The Eagles added to their lead in the third inning. Matt Hamlet led off with a double to right field. Mickey Wiswall then blooped a single to right-center to score Hamlet.

The Tigers answered with two runs in the fourth inning to tie the score. Paulsen drew a one-out walk. Two batters later with two outs, Miller lined a two-run homer to right-center. It was his second home run of the season.

In the fifth inning, Clemson regained the lead with another two-out, two-run homer, its third of the game. Will Lamb hit a one-out double down the left-field line. Two batters later with two outs, Schaus blasted a two-run homer to right-center, his fourth long ball of the season.

Pohl led off the top of the seventh inning with a towering home run down the left-field line. It was the Cooperstown, NY native's first career homer.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Garret Smith led off with a single to center. After Smith stole second, Anston hit a two-out flyball to right-center that fell for a single to score Smith and narrow Clemson's lead to 7-5.

Sanchez led off the eighth inning with a walk on four pitches. Wiswall then grounded into a double play. Belfiore followed with an opposite-field, solo homer to right-center to cut the Tigers' lead to one run. It was his second long ball of the game, fourth of the series, and fifth of the season.

Clemson and Boston College will play the second game of the doubleheader and series-finale at Eddie Pellagrini Diamond on Saturday at approximately 2:00 PM.

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