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2005 Final Baseball Notes
June 29, 2005
Final Notes in PDF Format
Tigers
Earned
19th
Straight
NCAA
Appearance Clemson's
NCAA
Tournament
History Clemson won the 1947 District III Tournament in Charlotte by coming through the losers bracket. The Tigers, coached by Randy Hinson, lost in the first round to Alabama 8-2, then came back with a win over Auburn and two wins over Alabama to advance. Clemson's season ended when a Yale team, led by future President George Bush, defeated the Tigers in New Haven, CT by a score of 7-3. Bush was 1-for-3 as the starting first baseman. Clemson made its first trip to the College World Series in 1958 when the Tigers again came through the losers' bracket. After losing to Florida in the first round, Clemson defeated George Washington, Florida State, and Florida twice to advance under first-year Head Coach Bill Wilhelm. Clemson beat Florida 15-14 and 3-1 on June 9 to advance. Harold Stowe struck out 17 in that second game on June 9. The Tigers advanced to the CWS in 1959, this time with three easy wins; one over Georgia Tech and two over Florida State. One of the wins over the Seminoles was a 24-2 victory in Gastonia, NC. That tally is still tied for the most runs scored by Clemson in an NCAA Tourney game. The Tigers did not advance to Omaha again until 1976. In fact, Clemson made just one NCAA Tournament appearance between 1960 and 1974. That was in 1967 when Clemson reached the Regional Championship, but lost to Auburn 6-5. Clemson made it to Omaha three out of five years between 1976-80. Clemson won a regional in Columbia, SC in 1976 with three straight wins, then came through the losers bracket in Miami (FL) in 1977 to advance to Omaha. The 1980 season was the first year Clemson played host to a regional, as Clemson swept three games by scoring 45 runs, including 17 in a 17-12 win over South Carolina. Clemson has been to the NCAA Tournament every year since 1987, making College World Series trips in 1991, 1995, 1996, 2000, and 2002. Clemson's streak of 19 consecutive regionals is the third-longest active streak in the nation behind Miami (FL) (33) and Florida State (28). Clemson's streak is also tied for the third-longest in college baseball history. Overall, Clemson has been to a regional in 31 seasons (including 2005), sixth-best all-time. Clemson's all-time record in NCAA play is 88-66, a 57.1 winning percentage. Clemson is 43-26 (.623) under Head Coach Jack Leggett in NCAA Tournament play, including a 27-5 (.844) record in home NCAA Tourney games. Leggett's 43 wins are the second-most wins by an ACC coach in NCAA Tournament play. Leggett has taken Clemson to a regional all 12 years he has been Clemson's head coach, and the Tigers have advanced to the College World Series four times. Leggett has taken Clemson to the Super Regional five of the seven years that format has been in existence. Tigers
Played
in
Fifth
Super
Regional The
Tigers The Tigers, who were 25-7 at home and 18-15 away from home, were led by 12th-year Head Coach Jack Leggett. After starting the season 15-13, Clemson had a 28-10 record. The team also had a top-10 RPI thanks to playing one of the toughest schedules in the nation. The Tigers were also 19-9 against top-25 ranked teams in 2005. The team hit .305 and was led by a freshman. Brad Chalk (.350) had a team-best .458 on-base percentage along with a school-record 15 sacrifice bunts, while fellow freshman Taylor Harbin had 28 doubles, 10 homers, and 63 RBIs along with a .343 batting average. Kris Harvey had an ACC-best 25 homers along with 70 RBIs. Clemson hit 76 homers as a team, while allowing just 31 long balls. The team also had a school-record 62 sacrifice bunts. The pitching staff had a 3.94 ERA and .270 opponents' batting average. Josh Cribb was 8-5 with a 3.54 ERA and 97 strikeouts against only 24 walks. Stephen Faris had a team-best 2.60 ERA as well. Jeff Hahn, one of just two seniors on the team, had a team-high three saves. Clemson fielded at a .968 clip, just behind the school record of .971 (2002). Pitchers,
D'Alessio
Among
NCAA
Regional
Bests Andy D'Alessio had the best batting average (.778) in the NCAA Regionals. He also led the regionals in on-base percentage (.857) and was second in slugging percentage (1.556). His four doubles tied for the best in the nation as well. In three games, he was 7-for-9 with four doubles, a homer, four RBIs, four walks, and a stolen base on his way to earning Clemson Regional MVP honors. Worth
Noting Tigers
22-6
in
Second
Half
of
Regular
Season The seven-win improvement from the first half to the second half of the season tied for the best turnaround in Clemson history. The 1976 Tiger team, that went on to the play in the College World Series, was 11-10 in its first 21 games, then was 18-3 in its last 21 games. Clemson
Finished
in
Top
20
of
All
Three
Polls Tigers
#6
in
Unofficial
RPI Clemson, who was 38-17 in its last 55 games, lost those 17 games by a combined 52 runs. Meanwhile, it has won the 38 games by a combined 214 runs. On the season, Clemson was 7-9 in one-run games, and lost two other two-run decisions. Clemson played 44 of its 66 games against teams in the top 55 of the RPI. And the Tigers played 34 of their 66 games away from home, including 28 games on opponents' home fields. The Tigers were 10-5 against top-10 RPI teams. The Tigers were also 19-9 against top-25 ranked teams. 42 Clemson
19-9
Against
Top-25
Teams
in
2005 In 12 seasons at Clemson, Head Coach Jack Leggett has 147 wins over teams ranked in the top 25. Only three times in his first 12 seasons has he had a losing record against teams in the top 25. Clemson
Had
68%
Win
Mark
vs.
Top
25
Teams The 2005 team tied the school record for top-25 wins in a season. The 1994 team, Jack Leggett's first at Clemson, had a 19-12 record against ranked teams, while his 2002 team was 19-13 against top-25 foes. The 2005 team also tied the school record for top-10 wins. Clemson was 11-9 against top-10 teams, tying the school record of 11, set by the 2000 club that had an 11-10 record against top-10 teams. Clemson
Reached
2,300
All-Time
Wins Clemson
in
25-25
Club Fielding
Near
Record
Rate Three
Tigers
Named
to
All-ACC
Teams Clemson
Set
Season
Attendance
Record Tigers
Tough
to
Beat
at
Home
Under
Leggett Even when an opposing ACC team is victorious at Clemson, it usually means that team only won one of three games. In 49 ACC home series under Leggett, Clemson has lost only four series...losing two of three to N.C. State in 1996, getting swept by Florida State in 2002, losing two of three to the Seminoles in 2004, and losing two of three to Georgia Tech in 2005. The Yellow Jackets also split a pair of games in a rain-shortened series in 1997. Leggett
Reached
900-Career-Win
Mark Leggett, who was named 2005 ACC Coach-of-the-Year by SEBaseball.com, became just the 35th coach in NCAA history to reach the 900-career-win mark as a Division I head coach and holds a 932-533 (.636) record in 26 seasons. Leggett
Leading
a
Consistent
Winner Through Leggett's first 12 seasons at Clemson, he has 555 wins. Only five other programs (Florida State, Wichita State, Louisiana State, Miami (FL), Rice) have more wins over that span from 1994-05. Furthermore, he has led the Tigers to at least 39 wins every year he has been at the helm of the program. Clemson along with Florida State, Louisiana State, and Wichita State are the only programs in the nation to win at least 39 games every year since 1994. Unloaded Tigers
Set
School
Record
for
Sacrifice
Bunts Casanova,
Chalk
Moved
Runners
Along Five
Tigers
Picked
in
Major
League
Draft On
day
two
of
the
draft,
senior
righthander
was
drafted
in
the
35th
round
by
the
Detroit
Tigers,
junior
catcher
Adrian
Casanova
was
drafted
in
the
44th
round
by
the
Detroit
Tigers,
and
junior
righthander
Drew
Fiorenza
was
drafted
in
the
45th
round
by
the
Cleveland
Indians. Freshmen
Up
the
Middle The trio also was impressive at the plate. Chalk was the team's top hitter. He hit .350 with a .458 on-base percentage. Harbin hit .343 with 64 runs scored, 28 doubles, four triples, 10 homers, 63 RBIs, and 29 multi-hit games. Widmann hit .289 after struggling early in the season. Therefore the three combined to hit .327 in 2005. Harbin
Impressive
as
a
Freshman Harbin
Named
Second-Team
All-American Harbin
Surpassed
Freshman
Doubles
Mark Harbin also had 42 extra-base hits, including 28 doubles, four triples, and 10 home runs. The 42 extra-base hits were the eighth-most in a season in Clemson history, and the most by a freshman in school history. Against #4 Miami (FL) on May 21, Harbin hit three doubles, tying the school record for doubles in a game held by many. He almost hit four two-baggers in the game, but centerfielder Danny Figueroa made a diving catch at the fence in one of his at-bats. Harbin
Went
Off
at
N.C.
State
on
April
23 The Travelers Rest, SC native scored five runs in five plate appearances. He hit a single in the first, a triple in the second, a three-run homer in the fourth, another three-run homer in the sixth, and a solo homer in the eighth. The three long balls came on back-to-back-to-back pitches, as the last two homers came on the first pitch of each at-bat. Harbin, who was named ACC Player-of-the-Week thanks in part to his performance in that game, became just the fifth Tiger in history to hit three homers in an ACC game and the first since Shane Monahan did it in 1993 at N.C. State. In fact, three of the five three-homer games in ACC contests have taken place at N.C. State's Doak Field. Harbin's five hits were a career high as well, as he had not even totaled as many as four prior to the game. Harbin
Set
Three
Clemson
Freshman
Records Harbin's
Fielding
%
Among
Clemson
Best In 66 games, Harbin had a .974 fielding percentage, a figure that was among the best in Clemson history among Tiger third basemen, shortstops, or second basemen. Harbin had just nine errors all year. Harbin had 121 putouts and 210 assists to go with the nine errors for 340 total chances. The Clemson record for single-season fielding percentage by a Tiger non-first-baseman infielder is .988 by Billy Wingo in 1977. Demmink
Delivered
From
Leadoff
Spot Colvin
Had
a
19-Game
Hitting
Streak Colvin
Doubled
His
Game He joined former Tiger great Khalil Greene (1999-02) in elite company when he hit three doubles at N.C. State on April 24. It was the 13th time in school history that a Tiger hit three doubles in a game. Ironically the last Tiger to do that was Colvin, who hit three in a game against Florida State in 2004. Greene, the San Diego Padres' starting shortstop, hit three doubles in a game on three different occasions. Therefore Colvin became only the second Tiger in history to have multiple three-double games. D'Alessio
Made
Most
of
It One of his best all-around games took place at Wake Forest on May 14. In that game, he went 3-for-6 with a homer, double, and six RBIs. But he was the Tigers' MVP in the game for a play he made in the field. With the score tied, the bases loaded, and two outs in the ninth inning, he backhanded a groundball in the hole that appeared to be headed into right field and threw to second base to record the inning-ending out, keeping the Tigers alive. Clemson went on to win 17-14 after his go-ahead, two-run double in the 11th inning. D'Alessio
Named
Clemson
Regional
MVP Harvey
Up
for
Player-of-the-Year
Awards The versatile two-way player had an ACC-high 25 homers (including 14 in ACC regular-season games), 11 doubles, and 70 RBIs to go along with a .341 batting average in 65 games. He also was 5-4 with a 5.52 ERA as a starting pitcher, and struck out 52 against 28 walks in 62.0 innings pitched over 13 starts. One of his highlights in 2005 came at Virginia Tech on May 10. With the Tigers trailing 2-1 in the eighth inning, the Hokies elected to intentionally walk Tyler Colvin to load the bases and face Harvey. Harvey promptly hit the first pitch over the fence in left-center for his first grand slam of the season. Clemson went on to win 6-2. Then in a three-game series against #4 Miami (FL) in May, he was 8-for-12 with three homers and six RBIs. Harvey
Had
Week
to
Remember
in
March His best game during the week was against the Tar Heels on March 19. He started on the mound and earned the victory by pitching 7.0 scoreless innings of one-hit ball. He did not allow a Tar Heel runner past second base. That same game, he hit two towering home runs to lead Clemson to a 9-1 win. He pulled multi-faceted feat off again against Virginia on April 15. He hit two towering home runs and earned the win on the mound in 6.0 innings of work. Then in perhaps his greatest single moment as a Tiger, he hit a go-ahead, three-run homer at #8 South Carolina in the ninth inning to lift the Tigers to a 7-5 win. Harvey
Established
Clemson
Dual
Record Hitting a home run and gaining the pitching victory in the same game is unusual since college baseball adopted the designated hitter rule in 1974. Between 1974 and this season, a Clemson player hit a home run and was the winning pitcher in the same game just five times. Harvey did it four times in one year. Harvey first accomplished the feat on February 27 when he struck out seven and allowed just two earned runs in 5.2 innings pitched in addition to hitting a home run in a victory over UC Irvine. That accomplishment took place 23 years to the day after Jimmy Key beat Valdosta State in a game in which he also homered. It was the only time Key accomplished the feat at Clemson, and the only other time this feat has been accomplished in the month of February in Tiger history. Twice in 2005 Harvey hit two home runs in a game he has also won as Clemson's pitcher. He accomplished that on March 19 against North Carolina and April 15 against Virginia. Harvey is the only player in school history to hit two home runs and earn the win in the same game in Clemson history. Harvey also had a home run and a win against Duke on April 8. That was one of his finest pitching performances as a Tiger, as he gave up just two earned runs, struck out nine, and walked just one in 7.0 innings pitched. Vincent is one of just two Tigers to pitch a complete game shutout and hit a home run in the same game. He did that against Wake Forest on May 14, 1962 when he hit struck out 17 batters (sixth-highest total in Clemson history) in a 6-0 victory in Belmont, NC. Dave Van Volkenburg is the only other Tiger to hit a home run and pitch a shutout in the same game. He accomplished the feat against Jacksonville on April 23, 1969, a game in which he struck out 10. It is also interesting the note that Billy O'Dell struck out 18, the third-highest single-game total in Clemson history, and hit a home run in a 4-2 victory over Furman on April 23, 1952. Harvey led the ACC in home runs (25), seven more than then next closest player, and was only three victories behind the team leader in wins (5). No Tiger has ever led the team in both categories in the same season. Jarrod Schmidt had 16 home runs and seven wins in 2001, but did not lead the team in either category. But, Schmidt is the only Tiger to hit at least 15 home runs and win seven games on the mound in the same season. Harvey
Tied
for
Second
in
Homers
Nationally Harvey
Named
All-American Storrer
Had
a
19-Game
Hitting
Streak Chalk's
Bat
a
Plus In the ACC Tournament at Jacksonville, FL, he had two hits in each of Clemson's four games. He was 8-for-17 (.471) with two walks and a stolen base in the tourney. He also had 13-game hitting streak in May and was named a freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball. Chalk
Led
Team
in
Average
as
Freshman Ben
Hall Perhaps the highlight of his young Tiger career came in the field in the first game of a doubleheader at Maryland on March 26. With the bases loaded and two outs in the 10th inning, Dan Melvin lined what appeared to be the game-winning, walkoff single to right field. But Hall, all of 5'10", leaped and speared the liner at second base to keep the Tigers alive. Clemson went on to win 6-4 in 13 innings. The win was a landmark one, as it was Head Coach Jack Leggett's 900th of his career. Then in the second game of the doubleheader, he came off the bench and hit two doubles late in Clemson's 12-0 victory. Cribb
Control In three seasons with the Tiger program, he has made 17 starts and 35 relief appearances for a total of 195.0 innings pitched. He has a 3.65 career ERA and has allowed just 45 walks while striking out 174. His 2.08 walks per nine innings pitched mark is second-best in school history. His 3.87 strikeout-to-walk ratio is also second-best in school history. Strictly
Starting But
if
one
just
looks
at
his
15
starts,
his
stats
were
even
better.
In
99.2
innings
pitched
over
15
starts,
he
had
87
strikeouts
against
only
16
walks
to
go
along
with
a
6-4
record
and
3.16
ERA.
The
5.44
strikeout-to-walk
ratio
would
be
third-best
in
a
season
in
Clemson
history. Cribb
Had
First
Tiger
Shutout
in
Two
Years Cribb became the first Tiger to pitch a shutout since 2003 (Tyler Lumsden), and the first Tiger to do so in an ACC game since 2001 (Steve Reba). Later that week at Wake Forest on May 14, he pitched 3.0 innings in relief, allowing one run on three hits to earn the win in Clemson's 17-14 win in 11 innings. Thanks to those two outings, he was named ACC Pitcher-of-the-Week. A week later, he allowed just two runs and one walk with nine strikeouts in 7.0 innings pitched to earn the win against #4 Miami (FL). He earned ACC Pitcher-of-the-Week honors for the second-straight week for that performance. Then in the ACC Tournament against the same top-10 Hurricane club, he went the distance in Clemson's 9-1 win. He allowed one run, six hits, and no walks with eight strikeouts in pitching the first complete game by a Tiger in the ACC Tournament since 2000. He was named to the ACC All-Tournament team as one of just two pitchers as well. He earned his fourth-straight honor in as many weeks when he was named to the Clemson Regional All-Tournament team thanks to pitching a two-hit shutout against #22 College of Charleston on June 4. Cribb threw just 98 pitches, allowing one walk with six strikeouts. College of Charleston, who easily led the nation in batting average entering the tournament, did not advance a runner past second base, while the two hits included a bunt single and a bloop single to left field. It was the seventh time in school history a Tiger pitched a shutout in an NCAA Tournament game, and his two hits were the least allowed in any of those seven shutouts. It also ended the Cougars' streak of 135 consecutive games without being shut out dating back to 2003. On the season, Cribb was 8-5 with a 3.54 ERA and 4.0 strikeout-to-walk ratio in a team-high 109.1 innings pitched. He also won six of his last seven decisions after starting the year 2-4. Faris
Friday
Starter Faris, who was 6-4 with a save, allowed just 89 hits and 25 walks while striking out 79, and allowed only 16 extra-base hits, including only one homer. Opponents only hit .251 off him as well. Faris
Wheeled & Dealed
Complete
Games Against Georgia on April 6, he allowed five hits, one earned run, and three walks while striking out eight. Then a week later on April 13, he shut down #4 South Carolina, who was coming off a three-game sweep at #6 Louisiana State, in another complete-game five-hitter. This time the Tigers were victorious, as Faris allowed two runs and one walk while striking out seven. He became the first Tiger to pitch a complete game against the Gamecocks since 1997 (Matt White). His performance was a big reason the Tigers snapped the Gamecocks' nine-game winning streak. He also earned ACC Pitcher-of-the-Week honors for that performance. Then on May 13, he pitched another complete game in Clemson's 4-1 win at Wake Forest. He allowed just six hits and one walk while striking out five. He became the first Tiger to toss three complete games in a single season since 1996, when Kris Benson (7) and Ken Vining (3) both had at least three. That 1996 team had 12 complete games in all. Josh Cribb also pitched three complete games in 2005. Rohrbaugh
Second
in
the
ACC
in
League
Wins Hahn
Appeared
Often One
of
his
highlights
of
this
season
came
in
his
home
state,
at
Virginia
Tech
on
May
10.
With
the
Tigers
trailing
2-1,
he
entered
the
game
and
pitched
the
final
5.0
innings,
allowing
no
runs
on
two
hits
to
earn
the
win
thanks
to
the
Tigers
rallying
for
a
6-2
victory. Hahn entered the season with 63 career appearances, nine of which were in a starting role. Add his 23 relief appearances and two starts in 2005, he made 88 career appearances (tied for second-most in Clemson history) and 77 career relief appearances (fourth-most in Clemson history). Graduate
Tigers Tigers
Set
School
Record
in
the
Classroom Gene Pierce, who graduated on May 13, 2005 with a degree in civil engineering, had a perfect 4.0 GPA for the spring semester and finished with a 3.30 GPA for his career. Jeff Hahn and Daniel Pritchard also received their marketing degrees on May 13. A total of 22 of the 34 team members have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better and have combined for a school-record 2.99 GPA. Berken
Out
for
Season To prove his value to the team, he was voted one of two captains by his teammates for 2005 (joining Daniel Pritchard). His leadership qualities and competitive spirit have been noted time and time again by Head Coach Jack Leggett. Four
Tigers
Among
Nation's
Top-35
Freshmen Among the freshmen listed were righthander David Kopp (#9), shortstop Stan Widmann (#14), second-baseman Taylor Harbin (#17), and outfielder Brad Chalk (#34). Sophomore first baseman Andy D'Alessio (#17) and junior pitcher/DH Kris Harvey (#48) were also listed among the top 50 of their classes. Clemson's
Field
Rated
Tops
in
the
Nation In January of 2005, the American Baseball Coaches Association and Turface Athletics awarded Echols and the grounds crew, which includes many volunteers, as having the best collegiate baseball field in the country based on their exemplary infield and turf maintenance programs. Clemson received a crystal trophy recognizing its excellence in maintenance, one ton of Turface MVP sports field conditioner, and $400 designated for field maintenance equipment. "Mike and his staff exemplify what Clemson is all about," said Head Coach Jack Leggett. "They exhibit tremendous pride and a never-ending work ethic. "We play on many fields and are familiar with a lot of grounds crews. But our players and coaches always comment that we have the best. The pride in their work is far above any I've ever seen. Our players, coaches, and fans appreciate their dedication to Clemson Baseball and our facility." PawVision
Moved
to
Doug
Kingsmore
Stadium Tigers
in
the
Majors
in
2005 Greene and Baker both started on opening day for their respective teams against each other. Baker actually hit a home run in his second Major League at-bat, and finished the game with a pair of hits and two RBIs. Greene had two hits and two RBIs in the second game of the series between San Diego and Colorado on April 6. That same day, LeCroy hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning to help the Twins to victory. The native of Belton, SC is in his sixth year in the Major Leagues. He entered this season with 41 career home runs, including a career-high 17 in 2003. Tim Teufel has the record for most home runs in the Major Leagues by a former Clemson player. He belted 86 home runs between 1983-93. Benson started the season on the disabled list with the New York Mets. Benson was 12-12 last year with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Mets. He has a career record of 47-53 in his five Major League seasons. Two Tigers who were on Major League rosters last year, Billy Koch and Billy McMillon, were not on opening-day rosters in 2005. McMillon is in the minor leagues with the Boston Red Sox organization. He is a veteran of six Major League seasons, including 2004 when he played in 52 games for the Oakland Athletics. When Baker started the season in Colorado, he became the 38th former Tiger baseball player to appear in a Major League game. Clemson had five former players in the Major Leagues during the 2004 season, and 31 others played at some level of minor league baseball. Tigers
Go
1-2
at
the
Baseball
at
The
Beach In the season-opener against West Virginia, junior righthander Josh Cribb pitched 6.0 effective innings to earn the win in the Tigers' 7-2 victory on February 18. It was Clemson's first season-opening victory since 2002, as the Tigers improved to 10-0 all-time against the Mountaineers. Cribb earned the victory pitching less than 50 miles from his hometown of Lake View, SC. He scattered nine hits and two runs without allowing a walk. Freshmen Brad Chalk and Taylor Harbin had two hits apiece to pace the Tigers' 10-hit attack. A five-run second inning put Clemson up for good. Clemson did not commit an error in 42 chances in the field. West Virginia had 10 hits, including six doubles, but could not piece together a big inning. In the second game, pinch-hitter DJ Burns hit a walkoff single in the ninth inning to give Coastal Carolina a 3-2 win over the Tigers on February 19. Clemson scored two runs in the first inning, highlighted by Kris Harvey's run-scoring single. The Tigers held the lead until the eighth inning, when Mike Costanzo's RBI groundout tied the score 2-2. The Chanticleers, the home team, then won the game in the ninth. Costanzo also earned the win in relief. Four Tiger pitchers combined to allow just four hits, including two hits and one run by starter Robert Rohrbaugh. Clemson stranded 10 runners on base. In game three, East Carolina scored 10 runs in the first five innings and cruised to a 10-0 victory on February 20. Mike Flye limited the Tigers to just three hits in 7.0 innings pitched to earn the win. Meanwhile, the Pirates, coached by former Tiger player and assistant coach Randy Mazey, had 13 hits, including at least one by nine different players. Tiger starter Kris Harvey suffered the loss, only the second of his career. Tigers
Sweep
#18
UC
Irvine In game one, Clemson scored a run on two errors on one play in the eighth inning to propel the team to a 3-2 win on February 25. Pitcher Nash Robertson's throw to second base on an attempted sacrifice bunt was errant, and another throwing error on the same play allowed Brad Chalk to score all the way from first base for the go-ahead run. The Anteaters committed four errors in the game after committing just four in their first eight games of the season. Josh Cribb, who did not factor in the decision, struck out eight batters in 6.1 innings pitched. Alta Loma, CA native Daniel Moskos, whose hometown is just 50 miles from Irvine, CA, earned the win by retiring the only batter he faced in the eighth inning. Stephen Clyne picked up his first career save by striking out the side in the ninth inning. Tyler Colvin and Adrian Casanova paced the Tigers with two hits apiece. In game two, Tyler Colvin's game-winning RBI on a fielder's choice in the ninth inning propelled Clemson to a 5-4 win on February 26. The Tigers led 4-2 after eight innings, but the Anteaters had a two-out rally in the ninth inning to tie the score. Harbin's one-out, bloop double in the ninth inning was key to the Tigers' win. He was later on third with the bases loaded, and scored on Colvin's groundout that the Anteaters could not turn into a double play. The throwing error on the play was their fourth of the game and eighth of the series. Freshman Stan Widmann had three hits, while Harvey added the first homer by a Tiger in 2005, a solo shot in the eighth inning. Drew Fiorenza picked up his first career win in relief. In game three, the Tigers scored 10 runs in the first three innings and cruised to a 10-2 win on February 27. Eleven different Tigers had at least one hit in Clemson's 13-hit attack. Harvey earned the win by pitching 5.2 innings, and allowing two runs, six hits, and one walk while striking out seven. He also had four RBIs, including a three-run homer. Harbin and Herman Demmink were both 2-for-2, while Harbin hit his sixth double. Clemson had six hits with runners in scoring position after totaling just seven in its first five games. UC Irvine stranded 12 runners on base, including five in the first two innings without scoring a run. Clemson
Wins
Series
Finale
at
Auburn In game one, Auburn scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to rally for a 6-5 win on March 4. Clemson took a 4-3 lead in the seventh inning on Herman Demmink's two-run homer and added another run in the ninth. But Auburn used two walks and four singles, including the game-winner by Philip Stringer, to defeat the Tigers. Clemson was called for three balks, while reliever David Kopp suffered the loss. Tyler Colvin was 5-for-5, while Demmink had two doubles and a two-run homer to pace the Tigers' 14-hit attack. In game two, Auburn jumped out to a 7-0 lead and cruised to an 8-4 win on March 5. Auburn pounded out 17 hits, including at least two hits by six different players. Josh Sullivan pitched 6.2 solid innings to earn the win, while Ben Sprague hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning to blow the game open. Clemson had 11 hits, including three each by Harbin and Widmann. Robert Rohrbaugh allowed 10 hits in 3.0 innings, as he suffered the loss. Clemson was errorless for the second straight game. In game three, Clemson exploded for 19 hits in a 14-3 victory on March 6. D'Alessio led the way with two homers and six RBIs, including his first career grand slam. Adrian Casanova added his first homer as a Tiger, and Storrer had three hits. Twelve Tigers had at least one hit in all. Kris Harvey earned the win, as he pitched 6.1 innings, allowing two earned runs on nine hits while striking out five. Clemson had 12 two-out RBIs after totaling just one in the first two games of the series. Clemson also had 13 of its 19 hits with two outs, while Auburn was 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position. The ACC Tigers broke a 2-2 tie after five innings and scored 12 runs over the last four frames. Winthrop
Shuts
Down
Tigers
8-2 Gamecocks
Outlast
Tigers
Twice The following day in Columbia, South Carolina scored three runs in the eighth inning after a costly Tiger error to defeat Clemson 6-5 at Sarge Frye Field on March 13. The Tigers took a 5-3 lead in the seventh inning thanks to a two-run double by Storrer and RBI single by Tyler Colvin, but the Gamecocks capitalized on two Tiger miscues in the eighth. With one out and a runner on first base, reliever David Kopp's throw to first base on a ground ball was errant, allowing a run to score and the tying run to advance to third base. It was the first error by a Tiger pitcher in 2005. Michael Campbell tied the score with an RBI triple, and a "miscommunication" double to right-center by Winn proved to be the difference. Clemson out-hit South Carolina 13-7 and was led by Colvin's three hits. Harbin added his first homer as a Tiger and was one of three other Tigers with two hits. Harvey pitched 7.0 innings, allowing just two earned runs on four hits, but did not factor in the decision. Tigers
Defeat
Furman
11-1 Tigers
Rebound
to
Win
Series
vs.
#9
Tar
Heels In game one, the two teams combined for 25 strikeouts, as North Carolina escaped with a 2-1 victory. Andrew Miller struck out 11 and allowed just one unearned run on two hits in 7.0 innings to improve to 5-0 on the season. Jonathan Hovis pitched 2.0 scoreless innings to earn the save. The loss spoiled an outstanding effort by Tiger starter Josh Cribb, who struck out a 10 ni 7.2 innings pitched. He also did not walk a batter and allowed only two runs, but suffered the loss. Harbin has two of the Tigers' three hits, while freshman Reid Fronk led the Tar Heels with three hits. Clemson stranded seven runners on base and could not score after getting the leadoff runner on base in four different innings. In game two, Harvey hit two homers and pitched 7.0 scoreless innings of one-hit ball to lead the Tigers to a 9-1 win. Harvey earned the win, as he improved to 3-1. He added two solo home runs, his fourth and fifth of the year. Harbin added a double, a homer, and two RBIs, while Herman Demmink had two singles and two RBIs as well. Clemson batters struck out just once and walked seven times. A five-run sixth inning put the game out of reach. North Carolina did not have a runner go past second base until two outs in the ninth inning when a run-scoring double by pinch-hitter Bryan Steed prevented the shutout. Daniel Bard suffered the loss, as three of his six career losses have come against the Tigers. In game three, Harvey had two hits and four RBIs to lead the Tigers to a 7-3 victory and series win. Andy D'Alessio gave the Tigers the lead with a long three-run homer in the fourth inning. Harvey then drove in the next four runs. Robert Rohrbaugh earned the win by pitching 6.1 innings, allowing two runs and one walk on six hits. North Carolina committed four errors to the Tigers' none. Tigers
Split
Two
Games
at
Old
Dominion In game one, David Kopp and Stephen Faris combined on a two-hit shutout of Old Dominion in a 1-0 win on March 22. Kopp, who was making just his second career start and first on the road, allowed just two hits and one walk to earn his first career win. Faris pitched the final 2.0 innings without allowing a hit with three strikeouts to earn his first career save. The Monarchs did not have a runner go past second base. Tyler Colvin's two-out, run-scoring double in the seventh inning proved to be the game-winner. Taylor Harbin scored the winning run after reaching on a throwing error and advancing to third on another throwing error by the pitcher on a failed pickoff attempt. In game two, two Tiger errors led to two unearned runs in Old Dominion's 3-2 win on March 23. The Monarchs scored the winning run in the fifth inning on a wild pitch by Jeff Hahn. Hahn, pitching in his home state of Virginia, struck out a career-high 10 batters in 5.2 innings pitched. For the second-straight night, Colvin had all the Tiger RBIs, as he lined a two-run homer in the third inning. Clemson outhit Old Dominion 7-6, but left nine runners on base. Clemson
Sweeps
Maryland
in
College
Park In game one, Clemson pounded out 14 hits en route to a 14-3 win at Maryland on March 25. Freshmen Chalk and Taylor Harbin each had three hits. Chalk scored four runs and reached base safely in all five of his plate appearances, while Harbin added two doubles. Clemson scored at least two runs in five different innings and capitalized on six Terrapin errors. Josh Cribb allowed just two earned runs, five hits, and one walk while striking out seven in 7.0 innings pitched to earn the win. Cribb along with relievers Daniel Moskos and Drew Fiorenza combined to strikeout 10 against only one walk. In game two, which was the first game of a doubleheader on March 26, Clemson won a 6-4 thriller in 13 innings to give Head Coach Jack Leggett his 900th career win. Demmink's two-run double with two outs in the 13th inning proved to be the game-winner. Demmink homered earlier in the game as well, as he was 4-for-6 with three RBIs. Ben Hall's spectacular leaping catch with the score tied, two outs, and the bases loaded in the 10th inning prevented the Terrapins from walking off with the win. Reliever Stephen Faris pitched 6.0 scoreless innings of two-hit ball out of the bullpen to earn the win. He also struck out six. Maryland left 16 runners on base. In game three, which was the second game of a doubleheader on March 26, Clemson exploded for eight runs in the third inning to blast Maryland 12-0 and sweep the series. Andy D'Alessio's two-run homer in the third was the highlight of the inning. Harbin added a homer and three RBIs, while Demmink hit two doubles in the third inning. Robert Rohrbaugh struck out nine batters in 7.0 innings pitched to earn the win. The Terrapins had only two runners reach second base and none reached third base in the entire game. Eleven different Tigers had at least one hit, while all nine starters had at least one hit and scored at least one run through three innings. Tigers
Sweep
#25
Coastal
Carolina In game one, Clemson scored eight runs in the first two innings to cruise to a 14-5 win on March 29. In the second inning alone, the Tigers hit five doubles and scored five runs after two men were out an no one on base. The Tigers hit seven doubles, a triple, and a homer, as they totaled 17 hits. No Tiger had more than two hits, but Colvin hit two two-run doubles. Taylor Harbin added a two-run homer and three RBIs. David Kopp earned the win, as he allowed just two runs, six hits, and one walk while striking out five in 6.0 innings pitched. The Tigers' streak of not allowing a runner to reach third base ended at 15 innings in the game as well. In game two on March 30, Clemson totaled 14 more hits to down the Chanticleers 8-1. Storrer, Harvey, and D'Alessio each had three hits, as the Tigers cruised after jumping out to a 5-1 lead after three innings. Jeff Hahn allowed one unearned run in 6.0 innings pitched to earn the win, while he and three other Tiger hurlers combined to strand 13 Chanticleers on base. Clemson was aided by getting the leadoff runner on base in six of the eight innings in which it batted. Seminoles
Take
Two
From
Tigers In game one, Barret Browning allowed four hits and one unearned run in 7.2 innings pitched to lead the Seminoles to a 3-1 victory on April 2. Andy D'Alessio had two of Clemson's four hits, while Florida State totaled 10 hits, including four players with four hits apiece. Stephen Faris pitched 4.0 scoreless innings of one-hit all with six strikeouts in relief. Clemson left nine men on base, while the Seminoles left 11 stranded. Prior to the game, the field was dedicated and named Mike Martin Field. In game two, which was the first game of a doubleheader on April 3, Florida State scored a run in the ninth to defeat the Tigers 5-4. Aaron Cheesman's squeeze bunt plated Shane Robinson for the winning run, as first-baseman Andy D'Alessio tried the flip the ball with his glove towards home. If he had not, the ball would have rolled foul. The Tigers had tied the score in the top of the ninth on Jesse Ferguson's two-out single off the right-field wall. In the sixth inning, the Tigers looked like they had tied the score on a ground ball by Stan Widmann, but he was ruled out at first base on the tail-end of a 4-6-3 double play despite television replays clearly showing he had beaten the throw. In game three, which was the second game of a doubleheader on April 3, Clemson totaled 17 hits in a 7-3 win. Five Tigers had multiple-hit games, including three hits each by Demmink, Harbin, Widmann, and Adrian Casanova. Shane Robinson's 40-game hitting streak came to an end one game short of the ACC record of 41 held by former Tiger Rusty Adkins (1965-66). Robinson was 0-for-4 with a walk and ended the game with a lineout to right field. Robert Rohrbaugh pitched 6.0 effective innings, allowing three runs on six hits, to earn the win. Jeff Hahn earned his first save of the year by pitching 3.0 scoreless innings of one-hit ball. Demmink and Kris Harvey both hit solo homers as well. A four-run sixth inning distanced the Tigers enough to hold on for the win. Bulldogs
Sweep
Tigers
in
Midweek
Series In game one, Jason Jacobs' two-out, two-run single in the eighth inning propelled Georgia to an 11-10 win over Clemson at Foley Field on April 5. The Tigers, who out-hit the Bulldogs 17-10, ended the game with pinch-hitter Doug Hogan lining out to the right fielder with the bases loaded in the ninth inning. Tiger pitchers walked nine batters, three more than the previous season high. Taylor Harbin and Andy D'Alessio each had three hits apiece, while Harbin added two more doubles. Clemson hit six doubles in all, but Georgia answered the Tigers' scoring innings in the third, fifth, seventh, and eighth innings with at least as many runs as Clemson scored. The Tigers had a 5-0 lead, but the Bulldogs rallied to hand Clemson its first loss in 13 games when scoring at least six runs in 2005. In game two, Georgia scored four runs in the first four innings and held off Clemson for a 4-1 win on April 6. Jonathan Wyatt had two hits and two RBIs, and robbed Kris Harvey of a two-run home run with a leaping catch in left field. Lefthander Mickey Westphal pitched 7.0 scoreless innings of four-hit ball to earn the win, while Stephen Faris pitched the first complete game of his career and by a Tiger in 2005. He allowed just five hits and three walks while striking out eight, but three of his four runs allowed were unearned thanks to his costly throwing error in the fourth inning. The Tigers out-hit the Bulldogs 6-5, but left seven on base to Georgia's three. Stan Widmann led the Tigers with two hits and the lone RBI. Andy D'Alessio, the potential tying run, struck out on a full-count pitch up and out of the zone to end the game. It was the first Bulldog win at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in 11 tries against the Tigers under Head Coach Jack Leggett. Tigers
Sweep
Blue
Devils
Thanks
to
Big
Innings In game one, Clemson scored eight runs in the sixth inning to defeat Duke 9-3 on April 8. The Tigers had eight of their hits in the sixth inning as well. Ben Hall and David Williams both had key hits off the bench in the sixth inning. The Tigers had 11 baserunners in the game, and nine of them scored. Clemson left just one runner on base. Harvey hit a solo homer in the fifth inning. Herman Demmink and Harvey each had two hits as well. Harvey struck out nine batters in 7.0 innings pitched to earn the win. He allowed five hits, two earned runs, and one walk. Harvey and Daniel Moskos combined to strike out 13 in the game. In game two, Clemson overcame another early deficit to down the Blue Devils 11-6 on April 9. Adrian Casanova and Brad Chalk each had two doubles, while Casanova scored a game-high three runs. Taylor Harbin hit a two-run homer and a run-scoring single as well. Jorge Andrade added his first career homer, an opposite-field two-run shot in the eighth inning. Four of Clemson's first six runs were scored by players who had walked a day after Duke did not walk any batters. Robert Rohrbaugh earned the win in 6.2 innings pitched. In game three, the Tigers scored 12 runs in the eighth inning to sweep the Blue Devils 16-6 on April 10. The 12-run eighth inning was the most ever in an eighth inning in school history. The 12-run inning also tied for the sixth-most runs in a single inning in Clemson history. The Tigers had only scored 10 runs in the eighth inning through the first 30 games of the season. Duke took a 6-4 lead in the top of the eighth, but 12 runs on 11 hits blew the game open. The eighth was the first time during the game that Clemson had its leadoff batter reach base. Chalk, Harbin, and Tyler Colvin each had two hits and scored two runs in the eighth inning. Harvey and Stan Widmann each hit solo homers, as Widmann's first career long ball tied the score 4-4 in the seventh inning. The Tigers, who were 11-for-16 with runners in scoring position, totaled 17 hits in all, including a 3-for-4 performance by Harvey. Harvey also scored five runs and had three RBIs. Reliever Stephen Clyne earned his first career win, while Duke left 15 runners on base to Clemson's five. Tigers
Outlast
Catamounts
in
Suspended
Game Tigers
Blast
#4
South
Carolina
12-2 Tigers
Win
Two
of
Three
Over
Virginia In game one, Clemson scored the final 12 runs of the game after trailing 4-1 entering the bottom of the sixth inning to down Virginia 13-4 on April 15. Kris Harvey hit two solo homers, and earned the win on the mound by pitching 6.0 innings and allowing seven hits and three earned runs. It was the second time in 2005 that he hit two homers and earned a victory in a starting role in the same game. Clemson scored five runs in the sixth inning after the first two batters were retired, then scored seven runs in the seventh inning. The Tigers also turned four doubles plays, including three ground-ball double plays off the bat of Ryan Zimmerman. In game two, Clemson scored two runs in the ninth inning to defeat Virginia 3-2 in front of 5,595 fans on April 16. The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the eighth inning on a bases loaded walk by Stan Widmann. But Virginia came right back and scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning. But the Tigers responded, totaling four singles in the bottom of the ninth. Tyler Colvin's RBI single tied the score, then Andy D'Alessio hit a walkoff single through the right side to win the game. Josh Cribb pitched 8.0 innings, allowing two runs on six hits, but did not factor in the decision. Virginia starter Mike Ballard faced the minimum through seven innings. Brad Chalk, Colvin, and Harvey each had two hits, combining for six of the Clemson's seven hits. In game three, Virginia cruised to a 9-2 win on April 17. The Cavaliers totaled 13 hits to Clemson's seven. Virginia jumped out to a 5-0 lead and never looked back. Jeff Kamrath shut down the Tiger bats, as he allowed two runs on five hits in 6.0 innings pitched to earn the win. Sean Doolittle hit a long home run and had three RBIs. Colvin and Adrian Casanova each had two hits. Robert Rohrbaugh suffered the loss, his first in an ACC game in 2005 after winning each of his first four ACC starts. Tigers
Total
17
Hits
to
Beat
Catamounts
10-1 Tigers
Rally
Late
to
Down
#8
South
Carolina Wolfpack
Take
Series
Over
Tigers In game one, N.C. State pounded out 16 hits, including seven doubles, to down Clemson 8-3 on April 22. Demmink had three of the Tigers' seven hits, while Kris Harvey, who suffered only his third career loss, added two hits, including a two-run homer. Aaron Bates was 4-for-4 with two doubles to lead the Wolfpack, while Ramon Corona and Jonathan Diaz each had two doubles, a single, and two RBIs. N.C. State's win snapped the Tigers' five-game winning streak in the series. In game two, Taylor Harbin totaled three homers, eight RBIs, and a school-record 16 total bases in Clemson's 16-9 win over N.C. State on April 23. Harbin also went 5-for-5 with a triple and a single, and became the 11th Tiger to hit three homers in a game. His three homers came on back-to-back-to-back pitches, as his last two long balls came on the first pitch of each at-bat. Two of the homers were three-run shots, as he only lacked a double for the cycle. Clemson had 17 hits in all, including three by Demmink, and two each by Colvin, Stan Widmann, and Adrian Casanova. Widmann and Casanova also hit homers. Robert Rohrbaugh did not allow a hit in his final 5.0 innings pitched to get the win. In game three, Aaron Cone hit a walkoff single off the left-field wall to give N.C. State a 9-8 win on April 24. N.C. State took a one-run lead in the eighth inning thanks to a throwing error on a potential double-play ball. But Colvin tied the score in the ninth with his third double of the game. Colvin became just the second Tiger to ever have multiple three-double games, as he did it last year against Florida State. He also was 4-for-5 with three RBIs. Harvey added a three-run homer, as the Tigers out-hit the Wolfpack 14-12. Tigers
Outlast
Elon
9-6
|

