Clemson Completes Three Game Sweep of GT

---

CLEMSON - Funny how one series can change the complexion of an entire season.

Bolstered by a pair of timely hits from sophomore Brad McCann, Clemson completed a stunning three-game sweep of ACC rival Georgia Tech Sunday with an 11-3 victory at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

The win vaulted the Tigers back over the .500 mark in conference play (8-7, 31-13 overall), putting them percentage points ahead of Virginia. Meanwhile, the weekend sweep slowed a Yellow Jacket (32-11, 11-4) steamroller which had suffered just one conference loss coming into the series, and dropped Tech into a first-place tie with Florida State.

"We've had to overcome a lot of adversity," said Clemson head coach Jack Leggett. "We had about a week there where we faced a lot of it. So this weekend was huge. Now we just have to keep concentrating on what we do and not worry about the rest of the conference. We have to play like we can play."

McCann finished the afternoon with a double, two singles and four RBI. He drove in three of the four runs in a pair of at-bats following intentional walks to first baseman Michael Johnson.

Johnson, who had a hit and scored a run Sunday, reached base in 13 of 16 plate appearances during the series - collecting six hits and walking seven times.

"They've been doing that to Michael all year," said McCann. "He's walked 50 times, or some ridiculous number like that. So I have to produce. If they're going to walk him to get to me, I have to come through to help the team."

Steven Jackson (6-2) pitched 6 1/3 innings for the victory. He left after giving up a three-run, pinch-hit home run to Steven Blackwood that, at the time, cut Clemson's lead to 4-3.

But four Tiger relievers - Robert Rohrbaugh, Paul Harrelson, Jeff Haugh and Pat Clayton - shut out the Yellow Jackets the rest of the way, and Clemson scored seven runs over its final two at-bats to blow it open.

Micah Owings (6-2) was the starter and loser for Georgia Tech.

The Tigers now have a week off for finals, then open a three-game series next Sunday at home vs. Duke. The series begins a stretch of 12 games in 14 days for Leggett's team, a stretch that - to a man - the players feel will determine the season's outcome.

"We'll find out if we can put some (wins) together," Jackson said. "It will be like the ACC Tournament. You've got to play four or five games in four or five days, so we'll see what we're made of."

Georgia Tech 3 (32-11,11-4)


Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB


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


Boggs, Brandon cf........  5  0  0  0   0  1  5  0   1


Slayden, Jeremy rf.......  3  0  0  0   1  0  2  0   2


Murton, Matt lf..........  4  0  0  0   0  0  2  0   1


Remole, Clifton 1b.......  2  0  0  0   2  1  9  0   0


Nickeas, Mike 3b/c.......  4  0  1  0   0  1  2  1   1


Owings, Micah p/dh.......  3  0  0  0   1  1  0  2   0


Greene, Tyler ss.........  1  1  0  0   1  0  1  1   2


Hall, Jake 2b............  4  1  2  0   0  1  2  3   0


Hawranick, Andy c........  2  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0


 Blackwood, Steven ph....  1  1  1  3   0  0  0  0   0


 Myers, Davis 3b.........  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0


 Watchko, Jeff p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0


 Kown, Andrew p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0


 Schmidt, Kyle p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0


Totals................... 30  3  4  3   5  5 24  7   7


Clemson 11 (31-13,8-7)


Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB


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


Green, Zane rf...........  5  2  2  1   0  0  3  0   2


Triplett, Russell ss.....  5  1  1  0   0  0  0  2   0


Johnson, Michael 1b......  3  1  1  0   2  0  8  1   0


McCann, Brad 3b..........  4  2  3  4   0  0  3  1   0


Frank, Kyle cf...........  5  1  2  2   0  0  4  0   2


 Evans, Garrick cf.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0


Slevin, David 2b.........  5  1  2  1   0  1  1  5   2


Demmink, Herman dh.......  3  0  0  0   1  1  0  0   1


Valiente, Roberto lf.....  3  1  1  1   0  0  1  0   0


Pyzik, Steve c...........  4  2  3  1   0  0  5  1   0


Jackson, Steven p........  0  0  0  0   0  0  2  1   0


 Rohrbaugh, Robert p.....  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0


 Harrelson, Paul p.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0


 Hahn, Jeff p............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0


 Clayton, Pat p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0


Totals................... 37 11 15 10   3  2 27 11   7


Score by Innings                    R  H  E


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


Georgia Tech........ 000 000 300 -  3  4  1


Clemson............. 020 020 43X - 11 15  0


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


E - SLAYDEN(1). LOB - Georgia Tech 7; Clemson 7. 


2B - McCANN(16). HR - BLACKWOOD(3). HBP - 


GREENE 2. SF - McCANN(4); VALIENTE(1).


Georgia Tech           IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF


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


Owings, Micah.......  7.0 11  8  7  2  1 31 34


Watchko, Jeff.......  0.0  3  3  3  0  0  3  3


Kown, Andrew........  0.2  1  0  0  1  0  2  4


Schmidt, Kyle.......  0.1  0  0  0  0  1  1  1


Clemson                IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF


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


Jackson, Steven.....  6.1  4  3  3  4  3 22 27


Rohrbaugh, Robert...  0.1  0  0  0  1  0  1  2


Harrelson, Paul.....  0.1  0  0  0  0  0  1  1


Hahn, Jeff..........  1.0  0  0  0  0  1  3  3


Clayton, Pat........  1.0  0  0  0  0  1  3  4


Win - JACKSON (6-2).  Loss - OWINGS (6-2).  Save - None.


HBP - by JACKSON (GREENE); by CLAYTON (GREENE).


BK - JACKSON 2(4). Umpires - HP: A.J. Lostaglio


  1B: Tony Maners  3B: Mickey Fuqua


Start: 2:04   Time: 2:46   Attendance: 5060


WATCHKO faced 3 batters in the 8th.

Send Feedback to Dan Scott: Email | Comment

Trending on TigerNet

Former Clemson 5-star signee headed to Louisville

Clemson prospects in final Mel Kiper rankings, seven-round ESPN NFL draft projection

No. 4 Clemson at No. 17 Georgia: Gametime, TV and pitching matchup

Clemson drops spot, new No. 1 named in latest 247Sports preseason Top 25