Tigers knock off top-ranked FSU 7-2

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CLEMSON – Tiger head coach Jack Leggett Jack Leggett
Baseball Head Coach
View Full Profile told his team late Saturday to enjoy Saturday’s win for about five minutes, then to move their focus to tomorrow’s contest.

Maybe they can find a way to drag out those five minutes.

Spencer KieboomSpencer Kieboom
Jr. Catcher
#22 6-0, 220
Marietta, GA
View Full Profile hit a tiebreaking 3-run homer and Richie ShafferRichie Shaffer
Jr. 3rd Base
#8 6-3, 205
Charlotte, NC
View Full Profile and Brad FelderBrad Felder
Gr. Outfielder
#3 6-0, 200
Bowman, SC
View Full Profile each hit solo shots, lifting Clemson (30-20, 15-10 ACC) to a 7-2 win over No.1 Florida St. (40-10, 21-4) Saturday night at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, Clemson’s first-ever win over a top-ranked opponent at The Doug.

The win was the second consecutive for Clemson over a top-ranked team (they defeated then-No. 1 Arizona St. in the 2010 College World Series), and the three home runs tied a season-high for this season.

The Seminoles staked starter Brandon Leibrandt to a 2-0 lead, scoring single runs in the second and fifth innings off Clemson starter Dominic LeoneDominic Leone
Jr. RH Pitcher
#6 5-11, 195
Norwich, CT
View Full Profile , who was pulled after five innings after throwing over 100 pitches.

Brad Felder got the Tigers on the board in the bottom of the fifth, barreling a first-pitch fastball from Leibrandt over the wall in right to make it 2-1 Seminoles.

Clemson kept the offensive momentum in the sixth. Richie Shaffer scorched a line drive down the left field line on a 1-2 pitch, and the drive clanged off the foul pole for his 10th homer of the season, tying the score at 2-2.

“I saw it clank off the (pole) and I was very excited,” Shaffer said.

Clemson head coach Jack Leggett said the drive relaxed the rest of the team.

“It just tied it up 2-2 and it relaxed us,” Leggett said. “Things felt good when it got to 2-2. Being the home team, that made it 2-2, we said, ‘OK, sixth inning. Good icebreaker for us.’”

One out later, Jay BaumJay Baum
Fr. Infielder
#13 5-11, 180
Alpharetta, GA
View Full Profile doubled and Jon McGibbon walked, chasing Leibrandt.

He was replaced by sidearmer Gabe Smith, and Kieboom drilled a 3-2 pitch from Smith into left field. Seminole left fielder Jose Bizuela made a leaping attempt to snare the drive, but the ball just eluded his outstretched glove and the Tigers led 5-2.

Kieboom said he didn’t know if the ball was an out or a homer until he saw the umpire make the signal.

“I was rounding first base when it happened and I was just hoping I didn’t see the (umpire) hold up a fist for an out,” Kieboom said. “It was good when he threw it around.”

Leggett said his view from third base wasn’t much better.

“It scared me a little when he got back to the fence quick, and I saw him (Bizuela) jump up, and it disappeared at the same time,” Leggett said. “I didn’t want to see him come down with that ball. It’d have been a heartbreaker for us, it was hit just enough to get over.”

Phil PohlPhil Pohl
Sr. Catcher
#9 5-11, 215
Cooperstown, NY
View Full Profile added a two-run double for the Tigers in the seventh to close out the scoring.

Freshman Daniel GossettDaniel Gossett
Fr. RH Pitcher
#23 6-0, 160
Lyman, SC
View Full Profile pitched the last four innings in picking up his sixth win on the year. He walked five and struck out three, but managed to work around the walks.

Leggett said he told his team they needed to enjoy the win for about five minutes, then focus on replicating the effort Sunday.

“It’s nice, but they’re a good ballclub and they’ll be ready to play tomorrow,” he said. “We’ve got to come out here and be ready to play, duplicate the intensity we had, the concentration and focus and put together a good solid ballgame if we want to try to win.”

Sunday’s game has been moved to 1 p.m. from its scheduled start of 6:30 p.m. due to the threat of inclement weather; Monday’s series finale is still set for 6 p.m. and will be televised nationally by ESPNU.

Florida State 2 (40-10,21-4 ACC)


Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB


------------------------------------------------------


Sherman Johnson 3b.......  3  0  1  0   1  1  1  2   2


Devon Travis 2b..........  5  1  2  0   0  0  1  1   3


James Ramsey cf..........  3  0  1  0   2  1  5  0   0


Jayce Boyd 1b............  5  0  1  0   0  0  6  0   0


Stephen McGee c..........  2  0  0  1   1  1  7  0   2


Stephen Spradling dh.....  3  0  0  0   0  2  0  0   2


 John Nogowski ph........  0  0  0  0   1  0  0  0   0


Justin Gonzalez ss.......  3  1  1  0   1  1  0  2   3


 John Holland ph.........  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   2


Josh Delph rf............  3  0  1  1   1  1  1  0   0


Jose Brizuela lf.........  3  0  0  0   1  1  3  0   0


Brandon Leibrandt p......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0


 Gage Smith p............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0


 Bryant Holtmann p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0


 Brandon Johnson p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0


Totals................... 31  2  7  2   8  8 24  6  14


Clemson 7 (30-20,15-10 ACC)


Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB


------------------------------------------------------


Steve Wilkerson 2b.......  3  0  1  0   0  1  2  1   0


Thomas Brittle cf........  3  1  0  0   1  0  3  0   0


Richie Shaffer 3b........  4  1  1  1   0  0  0  0   2


Phil Pohl dh.............  4  0  2  2   0  1  0  0   0


Jay Baum lf..............  4  1  1  0   0  1  4  0   1


Jon McGibbon 1b..........  3  1  0  0   1  1  5  1   0


Spencer Kieboom c........  4  1  1  3   0  3  9  0   1


Brad Felder rf...........  4  1  1  1   0  0  3  0   0


 Tyler Slaton rf.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0


Jason Stolz ss...........  3  1  2  0   0  0  0  2   0


Dominic Leone p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   0


 Daniel Gossett p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0


Totals................... 32  7  9  7   2  7 27  6   4


Score by Innings                    R  H  E


-------------------------------------------


Florida State....... 010 010 000 -  2  7  1


Clemson............. 000 014 20X -  7  9  1


-------------------------------------------


E - GONZALEZ(16); McGIBBON(6). DP - Clemson 1. LOB - Florida St. 14; Clemson


4. 2B - BOYD(19); POHL(10); BAUM(3). HR - SHAFFER(10); S. KIEBOOM(3);


FELDER(6). HBP - S. JOHNSON; McGEE; SPRADLING. SH - WILKERSON(3). SF -


McGEE(7). SB - GONZALEZ 2(12); SHAFFER(6). CS - SHAFFER(2).


Florida State          IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF


-----------------------------------------------


Brandon Leibrandt...  5.2  6  4  4  1  6 23 24


Gage Smith..........  0.0  1  1  1  0  0  1  1


Bryant Holtmann.....  1.1  2  2  2  1  0  5  7


Brandon Johnson.....  1.0  0  0  0  0  1  3  3


Clemson                IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF


-----------------------------------------------


Dominic Leone.......  5.0  5  2  2  3  5 18 24


Daniel Gossett......  4.0  2  0  0  5  3 13 19


Win - GOSSETT (6-2).  Loss - LEIBRANDT (6-2).  Save - None.


HBP - by LEONE (S. JOHNSON); by LEONE (McGEE); by GOSSETT (SPRADLING).


Umpires - HP: Bryant Woodall  1B: Tony Walsh  3B: Mark Chapman


Start: 6:34 PM   Time: 3:06   Attendance: 5822


SMITH faced 1 batter in the 6th.

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