April 8, 2009
Clemson, S.C. – No. 20 Clemson scored three runs in both the third and fifth innings on its way to a 7-5 victory over South Carolina on Wednesday evening at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The win improves Clemson to 21-11 on the year while the loss drops Carolina to 21-11 for the season. Wednesday ended a six-game winning streak by the Gamecocks over the Tigers. South Carolina has won nine of the last 11 games between the two schools. South Carolina returns to action this weekend with an SEC road series at Ole Miss beginning on Friday night at 7:30 pm ET.
Clemson reliever Matt Vaughn earned the win after two innings of relief. He allowed one run on two hits with a walk and a strikeout. Carolina reliever Will Casey suffered the loss and is 0-1 on the year. He allowed four runs on three hits in 2.2 innings of work with two walks and one strikeout.
The Tigers out-hit South Carolina 9-7 on the evening. Kyle Parker went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a RBI to lead the Tigers. Seven different players recorded hits for Carolina.
South Carolina broke ahead 1-0 in the top of the second inning. Nick Ebert drew a leadoff walk and after a groundout advanced him to second base would score on Adam Matthews’ RBI double down the left field line. Matthews ripped a 2-1 pitch from Clemson starter Ryan Hinson into the left field corner to put the Gamecocks out in front.
Carolina increased the advantage to 2-0 in the third inning. Whit Merrifield reached base with one out on a bunt single, DeAngelo Mack then was hit by a pitch and both advanced to second and third on a double steal. Merrifield would score on Nick Ebert’s RBI groundout to shortstop.
The Tigers responded in the bottom of the third though with three runs to take a one-run lead. Mike Freeman walked for the second time in the game and scored on Addison Johnson’s two-run homer to right center. That ended the evening for Gamecock starter Adam Westmoreland with left-hander Will Casey entering the game for Carolina. Clemson would get consecutive one-out doubles from Ben Paulsen and Kyle Parker to go ahead 3-2.
South Carolina answered in the top of the fourth with a single run to tie the game at the three apiece. Matthews reached base for a second time in the game with a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a failed pickoff by Hinson. Clemson would then go to the bullpen for right-hander Matt Vaughn, who allowed a sacrifice fly to center field by Justin Dalles that scored Matthews and evened the game.
The Gamecocks regained the lead with a run in the top of the fifth inning. Mack walked with one out, stole second base and advanced to third on a single from Ebert. He would then score as Andrew Crisp reached base on a RBI fielder’s choice.
Clemson responded in the bottom half with its second three-run inning of the game to regain the lead 6-4. With Ben Paulsen on first base and one out, the Tigers loaded the bases with consecutive walks by Casey issued to Parker and Brad Miller. Paulsen would score the tying run on Wilson Boyd’s RBI sacrifice fly to left field. Clemson added two more runs then with consecutive RBI base hits by pinch hitter Chris Epps and Jason Stolz. Epps drove a 3-2 pitch from reliever Parker Bangs for a single to right field and Stolz hit a grounder up the middle for an infield hit as Clemson built a two-run advantage.
Clemson increased the lead to 7-4 in the sixth inning with another run despite not recording a hit in the frame. Jeff Schaus reached base with one out on a hit by pitch and Paulsen walked to give the Tigers a pair of runners. With two outs, left-handed reliever Brandon Miller would walk both Brad Miller and Wilson Boyd to score Schaus. Carolina scored a single run in the ninth inning as DeAngelo Mack tallied a two-out RBI single to score Jackie Bradley, Jr.
