March 1, 2003
Clemson, S.C. – Behind 11 strikeouts from starting pitcher Tyler Lumsden, the Clemson Tigers defeated South Carolina 8-0 on Saturday afternoon at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Lumsden worked into the eighth inning allowing no runs on four hits. Clemson improved to 3-2 on the season with the loss dropping South Carolina to 8-2 on the year. Both teams will play again Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. in Columbia at Sarge Frye Field. Carolina sophomore left-hander Matt Campbell took the loss for USC moving his record to 1-1 on the season.
Clemson got on top early in the game with four runs in the bottom of the first inning. After loading the bases, Brad McCann hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Garrick Evans and give Clemson a 1-0 lead. Roberto Valiente knocked an RBI single to right field that was misplayed by right fielder Nick Gardiner and scored Ryan Hub and Michael Johnson to increase the Tiger lead to 3-0. Russell Triplett added an RBI sacrifice fly to give the Tigers a four run lead.
Clemson added two more runs in the fourth inning chasing Campbell from the game. Kyle Frank and Hub each knocked in a run as the Tigers built a 6-0 lead. Senior LHP Steven Bondurant came in relief for Campbell and worked the four innings allowing two runs on three hits while striking out five batters. Frank had his second RBI of the day in the eighth inning off Bondurant to bring the Clemson lead to 7-0. The Tigers added one more unearned run off a Gamecock error. Rico Bravo worked the final 1/3 inning for USC.
South Carolina finished the game with four hits, the lowest total of the season for USC. Third baseman Brian Buscher extended his hitting streak to 10 games on the season with a first inning single off Lumsden. Buscher is the lone Carolina player this season to have hit safely in each game this year.
