Tigers win 2 over Florida Gulf Coast in doubleheader |
#25 Clemson Rallies For 7-6 Win Over Eagles in Second Game of Doubleheader Sunday
Jeff Schaus' two-out single in the eighth inning gave the Tigers the lead and Alex Frederick retired all five batters he faced in #25 Clemson's 7-6 win over Florida Gulf Coast in the second game of a doubleheader in front of 4,745 fans at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Sunday. The Tigers, who took a 2-1 series lead and won both games of the doubleheader on Sunday, improved to 27-17. The Eagles fell to 28-15. The Eagles held a 4-2 lead before Clemson scored three runs in the seventh inning to take a 5-4 lead. Florida Gulf Coast capitalized on a Tiger error in the top of the eighth to score two runs and regain the lead. But the Tigers rallied for the second inning in a row in the bottom of the eighth and scored two runs, capped by Schaus' go-ahead single. Frederick (2-1) earned the win by retiring each of the last five Eagles with two strikeouts to close out the game. Jacob Barnes (2-2), the second of three Florida Gulf Coast pitchers, suffered the loss. He allowed two runs on three hits in 1.2 innings pitched. Clemson took the game's first lead in the second inning. Richie Shaffer hit a two-out double that was misplayed by Alex Lozada in left field. Phil Pohl then hit a double to right-center to score Shaffer. In the third inning, Stephen Wickens led off with a walk and Mikel Alvarez singled through the left side. With no outs, Josh Chester loaded the bases with a single to left field on an 0-2 pitch. Zach Maxfield then grounded a single up the middle to score Wickens and Alvarez, but the next three Eagles were retired to keep Clemson within one run. The Eagles doubled their lead in the fourth inning. Lozada led off with a bunt single and advanced to second on Joe Guarnaccia's sacrifice bunt. Two batters later, Alvarez walked, then Chester hit a two-out single through the right side to score Lozada. It was Florida Gulf Coast's first two-out RBI in the series. In the fifth inning, Mike Freeman, who earlier extended his hitting streak to 12 games, hit a one-out single to right-center and stole second with two outs. After Kyle Parker walked, Schaus fisted a single to right field to score Freeman, cutting Florida Gulf Coast's lead to 3-2. Wickens led off the sixth inning with a single to right field on a 1-2 pitch and stole second. Two batters later, Chester grounded a one-out single through the right side to score Wickens. Freeman led off the seventh inning with a walk, stole second, and scored on John Hinson's double to right field. Parker walked on four pitches and Hinson advanced to third on a wild pitch, then Schaus hit a sacrifice fly to left-center to plate Hinson and tie the score 4-4. After Brad Miller singled to left-center, Parker and Miller moved up a base on a passed ball. Shaffer gave the Tigers the lead when he grounded out on an 0-2 pitch to score Parker. Guarnaccia led off the top of the eighth inning with a bloop single to right-center. Wickens popped up a bunt. Will Lamb came off the mound to his left and dove for the ball but was unable to catch it. Pohl, the catcher, retrieved the deflected ball near the first-base line and had enough time to retire the batter at first. Guarnaccia would have also been caught between first and second for a likely double play. But Pohl's throw to first hit Wickens in the helmet and ricocheted down the right-field line. Wickens moved to third on the error and came around to score on the play when Freeman's throw to third was errant. Alvarez then grounded a double down the right-field line to score Wickens and give the Eagles a 6-5 lead with no outs. Chester's groundout advanced Alvarez to third, but Maxfield struck out and Luke Smierciak grounded out to keep Clemson behind by only one run. Addison Johnson led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a single through the left side on a 1-2 pitch and stole second. Lamb's groundout advanced Johnson to third, then Freeman lofted a single to right-center to score Johnson. Freeman was erased at second on Hinson's fielder's choice and Parker walked. Schaus came through with a two-out single through the right side to score Hinson, giving the Tigers a 7-6 lead. Frederick retired all three Eagles in order in the ninth inning to seal Clemson's first victory by two runs or less since March 14, when the Tigers defeated N.C. State 7-6. It snapped Clemson's 12-game losing streak in games decided by two runs or less. Every Tiger starter had at least one hit. Freeman went 3-for-3 with an RBI, two runs, a walk, and two stolen bases to lead Clemson's 15-hit attack. Schaus went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, while Miller and Johnson added two hits apiece. The Tigers also tied their season high with six stolen bases. Chester went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and Alvarez went 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI to lead Florida Gulf Coast, who had 13 hits. Both teams stranded 11 runners on base, including eight in scoring position by the Tigers and six in scoring position by the Eagles. Clemson and Florida Gulf Coast will play the series-finale on Monday at 6:30 PM.
2010 Clemson Baseball
#25 Tigers Top Eagles 9-3 in First Game of Doubleheader Sunday
Richie Shaffer and Mike Freeman both hit home runs for Clemson.
The #25 Clemson Tigers scored in six of their eight innings at the plate in a 9-3 win over Florida Gulf Coast in the first game of a doubleheader at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The Tigers, who evened the series 1-1, improved to 26-17, while the Eagles fell to 28-14. It was also Jack Leggett's 750th career win as Clemson's head coach.
Tiger starter Scott Weismann (4-2) earned the win in 5.0 innings pitched. He allowed five hits, three runs, and three walks with five strikeouts. Tomas Cruz pitched 4.0 scoreless innings to record his second save of the year. Weismann and Cruz combined to strand 11 runners on base.
Eagle starter Richie Erath (5-2) suffered the loss, as he yielded nine hits and seven runs (six earned) with seven strikeouts.
Clemson grabbed the game's first lead in the second inning. Jeff Schaus hit a one-out single through the left side. Brad Miller lined an opposite-field double down the left-field line as Schaus moved to third, then Schaus scored on the play on a fielding error by Alex Lozada. Wilson Boyd followed with a double to right-center to plate Miller.
The Eagles came right back and tied the score in the top of the third inning. Mikel Alvarez led off with a single up the middle. Two batters later, Zach Maxfield crushed a two-run homer to center, his sixth long ball of the season.
In the bottom of the third inning, the Tigers put their leadoff batter on base for the first time in the series when Will Lamb led off with a single up the middle. Lamb moved to second on Mike Freeman's groundout and advanced to third on a passed ball. After John Hinson walked, he took off for second base on the pitch that Kyle Parker struck out on. Hinson just beat the throw to second and Lamb scored on the double steal. Schaus then ripped a two-out single to left field to score Hinson.
The Eagles cut Clemson's lead in half in the top of the fifth inning. Alvarez hit a one-out single through the right side and Tim Roberson followed with a single up the middle on a 1-2 pitch. After Maxfield's walk loaded the bases, Josh Chester lofted a sacrifice fly to center to score Alvarez. Luke Smierciak then belted a deep drive to left-center, but a strong wind blowing in kept the ball in the park and Schaus made the catch to keep the Tigers ahead 4-3.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Lamb led off with a walk and scored on Freeman's misplayed double to left field, which extended his hitting streak to 11 games. After Freeman moved to third on a wild pitch, he scored on Hinson's single up the middle.
Clemson added a run to its lead in the sixth inning. John Nester lined a one-out single to center. Two batters later, Lamb laced a two-out single off the pitcher and Freeman loaded the bases with a walk. Hinson drew another walk to bring home Nester, upping Clemson's lead to 7-3.
In the seventh inning, pinch-hitter Richie Shaffer lined a two-out, solo homer inside the left-field foul pole, his third long ball of the season. Chris Epps followed with a deep drive to right field, but the wind again kept the ball in the park for the inning-ending out.
Freeman lined a solo home run to right field in the eighth inning, his sixth long ball of the year. Two batters later, Parker lofted a long flyball to right-center, but the wind kept it in the park for the inning-ending out.
Freeman went 2-for-4 with a homer, double, two RBIs, two runs, and a walk to lead Clemson's 12-hit attack. Lamb also tallied two hits and two runs.
Alvarez had a game-high three hits and two runs for Florida Gulf Coast, who had nine hits in the game.
Clemson and Florida Gulf Coast will play the second game of the doubleheader on Sunday at approximately 4:40 PM.
2010 Clemson Baseball Florida Gulf Coast at #25 Clemson (Game 1) May 02, 2010 at Clemson, SC (Doug Kingsmore Stad.) Florida Gulf Coast 3 (28-14) Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB Stephen Wickens ss 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 4 Mikel Alvarez 2b 5 2 3 0 0 1 0 3 0 Tim Roberson c 4 0 2 0 1 0 8 0 0 Zach Maxfield 1b 3 1 1 2 2 1 10 1 1 Josh Chester dh 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 Luke Smierciak rf 4 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 5 Alex Lozada lf 3 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 Austin Gaines 3b 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 Joe Guarnaccia cf 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Richie Erath p 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Rob Matthews p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 R.J. Brown p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals...... 33 3 9 3 5 6 24 10 11 Clemson 9 (26-17) Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB Will Lamb 1b 4 2 2 0 1 0 4 0 0 Mike Freeman 2b 4 2 2 2 1 0 3 1 0 John Hinson 3b 2 1 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 Jason Stolz 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kyle Parker rf 5 0 0 0 0 3 3 0 3 Jeff Schaus lf 4 1 2 1 0 0 2 0 0 Brad Miller ss 4 1 1 0 0 0 5 2 2 Wilson Boyd dh 3 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 Richie Shaffer ph/dh 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 John Nester c 4 1 2 0 0 1 6 0 0 Spencer Kieboom c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Chris Epps cf 4 0 0 0 0 2 4 0 2 Addison Johnson cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Scott Weismann p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Tomas Cruz p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals...... 36 9 12 7 4 8 27 4 7 Score by Innings R H E ------------------------------------------- Florida Gulf Coast.. 002 010 000 - 3 9 1 Clemson............. 022 021 11X - 9 12 0 ------------------------------------------- E - LOZADA(1). DP - Clemson 1. LOB - FGC 11; Clemson 7. 2B - WICKENS(12); FREEMAN(15); MILLER(13); BOYD(7). HR - MAXFIELD(6); FREEMAN(6); SHAFFER(3). HBP - CHESTER. SH - GAINES(3). SF - CHESTER(2). SB - LAMB(9); HINSON 2(16). Florida Gulf Coast IP H R ER BB SO AB BF Richie Erath 5.2 9 7 6 4 7 26 30 Rob Matthews 1.0 2 1 1 0 1 5 5 R.J. Brown 1.1 1 1 1 0 0 5 5 Clemson IP H R ER BB SO AB BF Scott Weismann 5.0 5 3 3 3 5 18 24 Tomas Cruz 4.0 4 0 0 2 1 15 17 Win - WEISMANN (4-2). Loss - ERATH (5-2). Save - CRUZ (2). WP - ERATH 2(6); BROWN(1). HBP - by WEISMANN (CHESTER). PB - ROBERSON(7). Umpires - HP: Craig Mirr 1B: Ed Haggray 3B: Jay Furlong Start: 1:04 PM Time: 2:51 Attendance: Game: CU5021
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