Clemson Sweeps Doubleheader from Elon |
Clemson, SC –
Clemson, ranked #20 in the country, improved its home-winning streak to nine games with an 8-7 victory over Elon at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Tuesday night. With the win, the Tigers swept the doubleheader and improved to 16-6 on the season, while Elon fell to 12-7. Earlier on Tuesday, Clemson defeated the Phoenix 5-3. Clemson reliever Craig Gullickson (1-0) earned the win for Clemson, as he pitched 3.0 innings and allowed one run on three hits with three strikeouts. Tomas Cruz pitched the ninth inning to earn his first save of the season. Elon reliever Tom Porter (0-1) took the loss, as he pitched 0.2 innings and allowed one unearned run on one hit. Elon jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Cory Harrilchak led off the game with a double to center. After Harrilchak advanced to third on a groundout, Bennett Davis reached on a fielder's choice as Harrilchak was thrown out at the plate. Mike Melillo followed with a two-run home run to deep right field to give the Phoenix a 2-0 lead. Elon added to its lead in the second inning. With two outs, Zeth Stone singled through the left side. Harrilchak followed with a single up the middle and Stone scored on an error by centerfielder Chris Epps to give the Phoenix a 3-0 lead. Clemson answered with three runs in the bottom of the second inning. With two outs, Jason Stolz drew a walk and Phil Pohl followed with a single to right. Epps, who started in place of an injured Addison Johnson, followed with a three-run homer to right-center. The long ball was Epps' first of the season and tied the score 3-3. Davis led off the third inning when he reached on an error. Melillo then hit another two-run homer to right-center to give Elon a 5-3 lead. It was Melillo's second home run of the game and fifth of the season. Clemson responded with two runs in the bottom of the third inning. Mike Freeman led off with an infield single and Ben Paulsen followed with a double to the left-field gap to score Freeman. Paulsen then scored on an error by the second-baseman Stone when the Phoenix would have had Paulsen in a rundown had he not muffed the pickoff attempt. Clemson later loaded the bases with no outs but was unalbe to plate the go-ahead run. Pat Irvine led off the top of the fifth inning with a home run to left-center to put Elon back in front 6-5. However, Clemson regained the lead with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Jeff Schaus led off with a double to left-center and advanced to third on a groundout by Stolz. Pinch-hitter Will Lamb reached on an error by Stone and Schaus scored on the play. After Lamb stole second, Brad Miller reached on another error by Stone, as Lamb scored all the way from second base. Clemson added to its lead in the bottom of the seventh inning. Stolz led off with a single to left field and John Nester followed with a single to advance Stolz to third. Epps' sacrifice fly to center scored Stolz and gave Clemson an 8-6 lead. The Phoenix threatened in the top of the ninth inning. With two outs, Irvine belted a solo home run down the right-field line to bring Elon within one run. The homer was Irvine's second of the game and seventh of the season. Neal Pritchard followed with a walk and pinch-runner Harry Austin stole second base to put the potential tying run in scoring position. But Melillo flied out to right field to end the game. Miller, Freeman, Paulsen, and Schaus had two hits apiece to pace the Tigers' 13-hit attack. Epps, making his first start of the season in the outfield, had a career-high four RBIs in the game. Elon totaled 11 hits in the contest and was led by Chase Austin and Melillo with three hits apiece. Melillo and Irvine both smacked two home runs. Harrilchak extended his hitting streak to 19 games and his streak of reaching base safely to 52 games as well. The game, which started at 9:02 PM, lasted 3:07, as the last out was recorded at 12:09 AM. Clemson will travel to Chestnut Hill, MA to take on Boston College in a three-game series starting Friday at 2:30 PM.
Elon 7 (12-7)
Game 1:
CLEMSON -- Clemson, ranked #20 in the country, improved to 15-6 with a 5-3 victory over Elon in game one of a doubleheader at Doug Kingsmore Stadium Tuesday. Clemson and Elon, who fell to 12-6 with the loss, will play the second game of the doubleheader at approximately 9:00 PM.
Clinton McKinney (1-0) pitched a career-high 3.0 innings in relief and allowed only two hits with three strikeouts to earn his first win as a Tiger. Matt Vaughn came on in the ninth to record his first save of the year. Elon starter Cory Harrilchak (0-1) took the loss for Elon, as he pitched 6.0 innings and allowed three runs on 12 hits and one walk with two strikeouts.
Brad Miller and Mike Freeman started the bottom of the third inning with infield singles and Ben Paulsen's sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position. After a Kyle Parker single to centerfield plated Miller, Freeman scored on a wild pitch to give Clemson a 2-0 lead.
Elon answered with two runs in the top of the fourth inning. Mike Melillo hit a one-out single and Chase Austin followed with his first home run of the season to tie the score.
Clemson squandered an opportunity in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Tigers had the bases loaded with no outs and Parker hit a lineout to shortstop Neal Pritchard, who stepped on second base for a double play. Jeff Schaus flied out to centerfield to end the inning.
Clemson took a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning. Matt Sanders led off the inning with a single. After a sacrifice bunt and flyout, Addison Johnson reached on an infield single. Miller then singled through the right side to score Sanders.
Clemson added two insurance runs in the eighth inning. Wilson Boyd reached on a passed ball after striking out and Jason Stolz moved Boyd to second with a sacrifice bunt. John Nester hit his second home run of the year, a line-drive, two-run, opposite-field long ball to give Clemson a 5-2 lead.
Justin Hilt led off the top of the ninth inning with a single and Pritchard singled to right. With two outs, Zeth Stone hit a run-scoring single to right field to cut the Clemson lead to 5-3. But Bennett Davis flied out to right field to end the game.
The teams combined for 27 hits in the game. Elon had 11 different players tally a hit, led by Austin and Pat Irvine with two hits apiece. With a hit in the first inning, Harrilchak extended his hitting streak to 18 games and reached base safely for the 51st straight game. Clemson had eight different players with a hit, led by Miller and Freeman with three hits apiece.
Elon 3 (12-6) Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Cory Harrilchak p/cf..... 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Harry Austin cf.......... 3 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 Mike Lobacz 1b.......... 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Zeth Stone pr/2b........ 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 Bennett Davis 3b/1b...... 5 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 4 Mike Melillo c........... 4 1 1 0 0 0 3 0 1 Matt Kirchner pr........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Dallas Tarleton c....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Chase Austin 2b/3b....... 4 1 2 2 0 0 3 2 0 Pat Irvine lf............ 3 0 2 0 1 1 1 0 2 Justin Hilt rf........... 4 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 Ryan Adams 1b/p.......... 3 0 1 0 0 1 5 2 1 Jordan Darnell p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Greg Annarummo ph....... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Neal Pritchard ss........ 4 0 2 0 0 0 6 4 0 Totals................... 37 3 14 3 1 6 24 11 9 Clemson 5 (15-6) Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Brad Miller ss........... 5 1 3 1 0 1 1 0 0 Mike Freeman 2b.......... 4 1 3 0 0 0 7 4 0 Ben Paulsen 1b........... 1 0 1 0 1 0 6 1 0 Kyle Parker rf........... 3 0 1 1 1 0 3 0 1 Jeff Schaus lf........... 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 3 Matt Sanders dh.......... 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 Wilson Boyd ph/dh....... 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Jason Stolz 3b........... 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 John Nester c............ 4 1 2 2 0 0 6 1 0 Addison Johnson cf....... 3 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 2 Chris Epps cf........... 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Will Lamb p.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Clinton McKinney p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Casey Harman p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Matt Vaughn p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 31 5 13 4 2 4 27 10 8 Score by Innings R H E ------------------------------------------- Elon................ 000 200 001 - 3 14 0 Clemson............. 002 001 02X - 5 13 1 ------------------------------------------- E - McKINNEY(1). DP - Elon 3; Clemson 2. LOB - Elon 9; Clemson 8. 3B - IRVINE(1). HR - C. AUSTIN(1); NESTER(2). HBP - HARRILCHAK; PAULSEN. SH - PAULSEN(2); STOLZ 2(3). SB - HARRILCHAK(4). CS - HARRILCHAK(4); ADAMS(1). Elon IP H R ER BB SO AB BF ----------------------------------------------- Cory Harrilchak..... 6.0 12 3 3 1 2 25 28 Ryan Adams.......... 0.1 0 0 0 1 0 1 3 Jordan Darnell...... 1.2 1 2 1 0 2 5 6 Clemson IP H R ER BB SO AB BF ----------------------------------------------- Will Lamb........... 4.1 8 2 2 1 1 17 19 Clinton McKinney.... 3.0 2 0 0 0 3 11 11 Casey Harman........ 0.2 1 0 0 0 1 3 3 Matt Vaughn......... 1.0 3 1 1 0 1 6 6 Win - McKINNEY (1-0). Loss - HARRILCHAK (0-1). Save - VAUGHN (1). WP - HARRILCHAK 2(3). HBP - by LAMB (HARRILCHAK); by ADAMS (PAULSEN). PB - TARLETON(2). Umpires - HP: Arthur Schmidt 1B: David Savage 3B: Steve Manders Start: 5:56 PM Time: 2:33 Attendance:
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