Final Clemson Baseball Notes |
Tigers Earned 19th Straight NCAA Appearance
Clemson finished the 2005 season with a 43-23 overall record, earning its 19th straight NCAA Tournament appearance. It was also the 20th consecutive season the Tigers won at least 39 games. Clemson advanced to the Waco (TX) Super Regional, losing in three games, after going 3-0 in the Clemson (SC) Regional. It was the Tigers' fifth super regional appearance in the seven years of its existence. Clemson's NCAA Tournament History The 2005 season marked Clemson's 31st trip to an NCAA Regional dating back to the 1947 season. That year, Clemson actually advanced to the Final Eight of the NCAA Tournament, but it is not considered a College World Series season because only two teams went to the CWS in those days. Clemson won the 1947 District III Tournament in Charlotte by coming through the losers bracket. The Tigers, coached by Randy Hinson, lost in the first round to Alabama 8-2, then came back with a win over Auburn and two wins over Alabama to advance. Clemson's season ended when a Yale team, led by future President George Bush, defeated the Tigers in New Haven, CT by a score of 7-3. Bush was 1-for-3 as the starting first baseman. Clemson made its first trip to the College World Series in 1958 when the Tigers again came through the losers' bracket. After losing to Florida in the first round, Clemson defeated George Washington, Florida State, and Florida twice to advance under first-year Head Coach Bill Wilhelm. Clemson beat Florida 15-14 and 3-1 on June 9 to advance. Harold Stowe struck out 17 in that second game on June 9. The Tigers advanced to the CWS in 1959, this time with three easy wins; one over Georgia Tech and two over Florida State. One of the wins over the Seminoles was a 24-2 victory in Gastonia, NC. That tally is still tied for the most runs scored by Clemson in an NCAA Tourney game. The Tigers did not advance to Omaha again until 1976. In fact, Clemson made just one NCAA Tournament appearance between 1960 and 1974. That was in 1967 when Clemson reached the Regional Championship, but lost to Auburn 6-5. Clemson made it to Omaha three out of five years between 1976-80. Clemson won a regional in Columbia, SC in 1976 with three straight wins, then came through the losers bracket in Miami (FL) in 1977 to advance to Omaha. The 1980 season was the first year Clemson played host to a regional, as Clemson swept three games by scoring 45 runs, including 17 in a 17-12 win over South Carolina. Clemson has been to the NCAA Tournament every year since 1987, making College World Series trips in 1991, 1995, 1996, 2000, and 2002. Clemson's streak of 19 consecutive regionals is the third-longest active streak in the nation behind Miami (FL) (33) and Florida State (28). Clemson's streak is also tied for the third-longest in college baseball history. Overall, Clemson has been to a regional in 31 seasons (including 2005), sixth-best all-time. Clemson's all-time record in NCAA play is 88-66, a 57.1 winning percentage. Clemson is 43-26 (.623) under Head Coach Jack Leggett in NCAA Tournament play, including a 27-5 (.844) record in home NCAA Tourney games. Leggett's 43 wins are the second-most wins by an ACC coach in NCAA Tournament play. Leggett has taken Clemson to a regional all 12 years he has been Clemson's head coach, and the Tigers have advanced to the College World Series four times. Leggett has taken Clemson to the Super Regional five of the seven years that format has been in existence. Tigers Played in Fifth Super Regional Clemson made its fifth super regional appearance in the seventh year of the super regional format in 2005. Only three teams (Miami (FL), Florida State, Louisiana State) have played in more. The Tigers played in the College Station (TX) Super Regional in 1999, falling in game three. In 2000 and 2002, Clemson won its own super regional to advance to Omaha. In 2001, the Tigers lost both games at Miami (FL). In 2005, the Tigers lost in three games at Baylor. The Tigers Clemson (43-23), who finished the season ranked as high as #13, closed out its season by falling twice in three games at the Waco (TX) Super Regional against Baylor. The Tigers were 21-9 during the ACC regular season, finishing in second place in the standings. The 21 victories set a school record for most conference wins. Clemson made its 19th straight NCAA Tournament appearance, tied for the third-longest streak in history. The Tigers, who were 25-7 at home and 18-15 away from home, were led by 12th-year Head Coach Jack Leggett. After starting the season 15-13, Clemson had a 28-10 record. The team also had a top-10 RPI thanks to playing one of the toughest schedules in the nation. The Tigers were also 19-9 against top-25 ranked teams in 2005. The team hit .305 and was led by a freshman. Brad Chalk (.350) had a team-best .458 on-base percentage along with a school-record 15 sacrifice bunts, while fellow freshman Taylor Harbin had 28 doubles, 10 homers, and 63 RBIs along with a .343 batting average. Kris Harvey had an ACC-best 25 homers along with 70 RBIs. Clemson hit 76 homers as a team, while allowing just 31 long balls. The team also had a school-record 62 sacrifice bunts. The pitching staff had a 3.94 ERA and .270 opponents' batting average. Josh Cribb was 8-5 with a 3.54 ERA and 97 strikeouts against only 24 walks. Stephen Faris had a team-best 2.60 ERA as well. Jeff Hahn, one of just two seniors on the team, had a team-high three saves. Clemson fielded at a .968 clip, just behind the school record of .971 (2002). Pitchers, D'Alessio Among NCAA Regional Bests Tiger pitchers allowed just five runs during the Clemson Regional from June 3-5 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Of the 64 teams in the NCAA Tournament, that total was the fewest allowed (total and per game) of any team. Clemson's 1.67 ERA only trailed Oregon State's 1.33 ERA. Tiger pitchers also combined to walk just two batters, tied for the lowest in the tourney, while striking out 28. Andy D'Alessio had the best batting average (.778) in the NCAA Regionals. He also led the regionals in on-base percentage (.857) and was second in slugging percentage (1.556). His four doubles tied for the best in the nation as well. In three games, he was 7-for-9 with four doubles, a homer, four RBIs, four walks, and a stolen base on his way to earning Clemson Regional MVP honors. Worth Noting * Clemson won 15 of its last 19 games and 28 of its last 38 games after starting the season 15-13. * Clemson played 28 games on opponents' home field and six neutral-site games, compared to just 32 home games. * Clemson's 21 ACC regular-season wins in 2005 broke the school record for most conference wins in a season. Both in 1994 and 1995, Jack Leggett's first two seasons as head coach at Clemson, the Tigers went 20-4. * Clemson, who was 21-9 in ACC regular-season games and finished in second place in the standings, was the only ACC team not to be swept in a conference series in 2005. * The team had 21 outfield assists, including eight by rightfielder Travis Storrer, six by leftfielder Tyler Colvin, and five by centerfielder Brad Chalk. The outfielders combined for just five errors as well. * Clemson started six different players at first base, including Andy D'Alessio (60), Tyler Colvin (2), Jorge Andrade, Jr. (1), Ben Hall (1), Kris Harvey (1), and John Ingram (1). * Clemson hit 76 homers, while its opponents hit just 31 long balls. Therefore, Clemson hit 2.5 homers for every one its opponents hit. * Kris Harvey hit 25 home runs, while Clemson's opponents combined for just 31 long balls all season. In ACC regular-season games, Harvey hit 14 homers to the opponents' 15. * Clemson picked off 19 baserunners, including 16 by pitchers. Josh Cribb picked off six, Robert Rohrbaugh had five, Stephen Faris had three, David Kopp had one, and Stephen Clyne had one. Tigers 22-6 in Second Half of Regular Season Clemson was 22-6 in the second half of the regular season after going 15-13 in its first 28 games of 2005. The reason for the second-half surge was the hot Tiger bats. In the first 28 games, Clemson hit .290 with 23 home runs along with 6.0 runs per game. But in the second 28 games, Clemson hit .328, including .408 with runners in scoring position, with 45 homers along with averaging 8.6 runs per game. The Tigers also had the best winning percentage in the ACC during the second half of the season (games 29 to the end of the regular season). The seven-win improvement from the first half to the second half of the season tied for the best turnaround in Clemson history. The 1976 Tiger team, that went on to the play in the College World Series, was 11-10 in its first 21 games, then was 18-3 in its last 21 games. Clemson Finished in Top 20 of All Three Polls Clemson finished the 2005 season ranked in the top 20 of all three major polls. The Tigers were #14 by Baseball America, #13 by Collegiate Baseball, and #16 by Sports Weekly. The final top 25 ranking is Clemson's 10th in Head Coach Jack Leggett's 12 years as head coach of the Tiger program. Tigers #6 in Unofficial RPI Clemson was #6 in the final RPI listing at WarrenNolan.com, which included games through June 26. The Tigers, who were 43-23, had a top-10 rating thanks to a rugged schedule, which was the fourth-toughest in the country. Clemson, who was 38-17 in its last 55 games, lost those 17 games by a combined 52 runs. Meanwhile, it has won the 38 games by a combined 214 runs. On the season, Clemson was 7-9 in one-run games, and lost two other two-run decisions. Clemson played 44 of its 66 games against teams in the top 55 of the RPI. And the Tigers played 34 of their 66 games away from home, including 28 games on opponents' home fields. The Tigers were 10-5 against top-10 RPI teams. The Tigers were also 19-9 against top-25 ranked teams. 42 That's how many of Clemson's 66 games were against teams that played in the 2005 NCAA Tournament, which equates to 64 percent. Clemson had a 23-19 record in those 42 games. The Tigers also played 16 games against #1 seeds. In those 16 games, Clemson was 9-7. The Tigers were also 19-9 against top-25 ranked teams in 2005. Clemson 19-9 Against Top-25 Teams in 2005 Thanks to four wins over a top-10 Miami (FL) team, a three-game sweep of #18 UC Irvine, two wins in three games against #9 North Carolina, a two-game sweep of #25 Coastal Carolina, two wins against top-10 South Carolina, two wins against a top-25 College of Charleston team, one win at #6 Florida State, one win against #6 Georgia Tech, one win over #18 N.C. State, and a win at #6 Baylor, Clemson was 19-9 against top-25 ranked teams, including 11-9 against top-10 teams and 4-2 against top-five teams. The nine losses against ranked teams were by a combined 25 runs, while the 19 wins were by a combined 96 runs. In 12 seasons at Clemson, Head Coach Jack Leggett has 147 wins over teams ranked in the top 25. Only three times in his first 12 seasons has he had a losing record against teams in the top 25. Clemson Had 68% Win Mark vs. Top 25 Teams As stated earlier, Clemson had a 19-9 record against top-25 ranked teams in 2005, including a 11-9 record against top-10 teams and a 4-2 record against top-five opponents. The 19-9 record was a school record for winning percentage against top-25 foes. That 67.9 winning percentage was far ahead of the 61.5 winning percentage of the 1998 team that posted an 8-5 record against top-25 teams. The 2005 team tied the school record for top-25 wins in a season. The 1994 team, Jack Leggett's first at Clemson, had a 19-12 record against ranked teams, while his 2002 team was 19-13 against top-25 foes. The 2005 team also tied the school record for top-10 wins. Clemson was 11-9 against top-10 teams, tying the school record of 11, set by the 2000 club that had an 11-10 record against top-10 teams. Clemson Reached 2,300 All-Time Wins Clemson became the ninth team in NCAA history to reach the 2,300 all-time win mark when it defeated Wake Forest 6-5 on May 15, 2005. Clemson has a 2,310-1,283-29 all-time record in 108 years of baseball. Clemson also became the first team in the southeastern region of the United States to reach 2,300 wins. The Tigers joined Fordham, Texas, Southern California, Michigan, Stanford, Arizona State, Washington State, and Arizona in the elite company. Clemson in 25-25 Club Clemson made its 31st NCAA Tournament appearance on the diamond in 2005, one of just six schools to go to at least 30 baseball regionals. The Tigers have also been to 27 bowl games in its history, making the Tiger sports program one of just six schools in the country to compete in at least 25 bowl games and 25 NCAA Baseball Tournaments. The other five schools to compete in at least 25 of each are Florida State, Miami (FL), Oklahoma, Southern California, and Texas. It is interesting to note that three of the six schools are from the ACC. Fielding Near Record Rate Clemson committed 84 errors in its 66 games and had a .968 fielding percentage. That mark was the fourth-best in school history. The 2002 team holds the record with a .971 fielding percentage. That team, which had the likes of current Major Leaguers Khalil Greene and Jeff Baker, committed 78 errors in 71 games. Three Tigers Named to All-ACC Teams Second-baseman Taylor Harbin and designated hitter Kris Harvey were both named First-Team All-ACC on May 23. Righthander Stephen Faris was the Tigers' lone second-team selection. Harbin became the first Clemson freshman to make the first team since 1997 (Ryan Mottl) and the first position player on the first team since 1991 (Billy McMillon). Clemson Set Season Attendance Record Clemson, who was selected to host an NCAA Regional, set the school record for average attendance in 2005. The Tigers drew 129,553 fans for their 32 home games, an average of 4,049 per game. That mark broke the previous record of 3,649, set in 2004. A reason for the high turnout is the fact that Clemson sold nearly 2,000 season tickets this season. Tigers Tough to Beat at Home Under Leggett In 12 seasons, Head Coach Jack Leggett has a 555-243 overall record at Clemson, including a 225-117 mark against ACC teams. He has been especially tough in home ACC series, where he has a 115-30 (.793) record. The ACC team with the most success has been Florida State, who has won seven games in 18 tries at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Even when an opposing ACC team is victorious at Clemson, it usually means that team only won one of three games. In 49 ACC home series under Leggett, Clemson has lost only four series...losing two of three to N.C. State in 1996, getting swept by Florida State in 2002, losing two of three to the Seminoles in 2004, and losing two of three to Georgia Tech in 2005. The Yellow Jackets also split a pair of games in a rain-shortened series in 1997. Leggett Reached 900-Career-Win Mark Jack Leggett, who won his 500th game as Clemson's head coach in 2004, won his 900th career game in the first game of a doubleheader at Maryland on March 26. The win came in dramatic fashion, as the team overcame an early three-run deficit and scored a run in the eighth to tie the score. Maryland then loaded the bases in the 10th inning, only to have reserve second-baseman Ben Hall make a tremendous, game-saving, leaping catch, which allowed Herman Demmink to hit a two-run double in the 13th inning to win the game. After the second game of the doubleheader, which the Tigers won 12-0, he was given a Gatorade shower outside the dugout. Leggett, who was named 2005 ACC Coach-of-the-Year by SEBaseball.com, became just the 35th coach in NCAA history to reach the 900-career-win mark as a Division I head coach and holds a 932-533 (.636) record in 26 seasons. Leggett Leading a Consistent Winner Head Coach Jack Leggett is 555-243 (.695) at Clemson in 12 seasons. The legendary Bill Wilhelm has the most wins of any Tiger coach with 1,161 in 36 seasons (1958-93) at Clemson. Leggett's 555 wins are second-most in school history. No other Clemson coach has more than 70 wins while in Tigertown. Through Leggett's first 12 seasons at Clemson, he has 555 wins. Only five other programs (Florida State, Wichita State, Louisiana State, Miami (FL), Rice) have more wins over that span from 1994-05. Furthermore, he has led the Tigers to at least 39 wins every year he has been at the helm of the program. Clemson along with Florida State, Louisiana State, and Wichita State are the only programs in the nation to win at least 39 games every year since 1994. Unloaded Clemson hit a remarkable .481 (26-for-54) with the bases loaded in 2005, and totaled three grand slams and 74 RBIs. The team also slugged .778 in that situation. The most successful Tiger with the bases loaded was Andy D'Alessio, who was 6-for-9 with two homers and 18 RBIs. Kris Harvey, whose grand slam in the eighth inning at Virginia Tech on May 10 gave the Tigers the lead for good, was 4-for-6 with 11 RBIs. Taylor Harbin was 3-for-4 with eight RBIs with the bases full, including a two-out, walkoff, two-run single in the ninth inning to beat #6 Georgia Tech 6-5 on April 30. Tigers Set School Record for Sacrifice Bunts Clemson had a school-record 62 sacrifice bunts in 2005. That mark broke the old record of 47 held by the 2000 team. Six Tigers had at least six sacrifice bunts, including Brad Chalk (15), Adrian Casanova (12), Herman Demmink (8), Taylor Harbin (8), Stan Widmann (7), and Travis Storrer (6). Casanova, Chalk Moved Runners Along An area that Head Coach Jack Leggett stresses in practice and in games is the ability to get down sacrifice bunts. And in 2005, the team was able to lay down bunts to move runners into scoring position. Two players who were especially good at this were catcher Adrian Casanova and centerfielder Brad Chalk. Chalk set the school record with 15 sacrifice bunts, while Casanova had the third-most in Tiger history (12). The team's 62 sacrifice bunts were also a school-record for a single season, breaking the 2000 team's 47. Five Tigers Picked in Major League Draft Five Tigers, highlighted by utility player Kris Harvey's selection in the second round, were taken in the Major League Draft from June 7-8, 2005. Harvey was drafted by the Florida Marlins, the same team his father (Bryan) was the closer for from 1993-95. Junior lefthander Robert Rohrbaugh was drafted in the seventh round by the Seattle Mariners. On day two of the draft, senior righthander was drafted in the 35th round by the Detroit Tigers, junior catcher Adrian Casanova was drafted in the 44th round by the Detroit Tigers, and junior righthander Drew Fiorenza was drafted in the 45th round by the Cleveland Indians. With the five selections, Jack Leggett has had a total of 52 players drafted in his 12 seasons as head coach at Clemson. Eight of those 52 players were drafted twice, meaning a Tiger has been drafted 60 times in his tenure. Thirteen more Tigers have signed free-agent contracts as well. Freshmen Up the Middle Many coaches will say that you must be strong "up the middle" to have a successful team. Well, Clemson relied upon three true freshmen at those three positions in 2005, and the three held their own. Taylor Harbin (2B), Stan Widmann (SS), and Brad Chalk (CF), all top-35 freshmen in the nation in the preseason according to Baseball America, showed flashes of outstanding defense in the field. Harbin committed only nine errors in 340 chances in the field. Widmann committed 25 errors, but his .925 fielding percentage was respectable for a freshman shortstop. He also had a .972 fielding percentage in ACC regular-season games, committing just four errors. Both Harbin and Widmann started every game at their respective positions. And Chalk made 108 putouts and five assists, as he showed tremendous range in centerfield. The three were big reasons the team had a .968 fielding percentage, just behind the school record of .971 (2002). The trio also was impressive at the plate. Chalk was the team's top hitter. He hit .350 with a .458 on-base percentage. Harbin hit .343 with 64 runs scored, 28 doubles, four triples, 10 homers, 63 RBIs, and 29 multi-hit games. Widmann hit .289 after struggling early in the season. Therefore the three combined to hit .327 in 2005. Harbin Impressive as a Freshman In 66 games, freshman second baseman Taylor Harbin hit .343 with 64 runs scored, 28 doubles, four triples, 10 homers, 63 RBIs, and four stolen bases. The Travelers Rest, SC native led the team with 29 multi-hit games. Harbin also hit a team-best .391 with 14 doubles, six homers, and 30 RBIs in 30 ACC regular-season games. Against #6 Georgia Tech on April 30, he hit a two-run walkoff single with two outs in the ninth to lift Clemson to a dramatic 6-5 win over Georgia Tech. Harbin Named Second-Team All-American Taylor Harbin was named a second-team All-American at second base by Collegiate Baseball. The Travelers Rest, SC native became the first Tiger freshman to be named to an All-America first, second, or third team in history. He was also named a freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball. On the season, he hit .343 with 28 doubles, four triples, 10 homers, and 63 RBIs in 66 games. He also had an outstanding .974 fielding percentage. Harbin Surpassed Freshman Doubles Mark Taylor Harbin had a team-best 28 doubles in his freshman season. That mark was third-most in a season in Clemson history and was the second-highest figure in the nation in 2005. He broke the Tiger freshman record for doubles, previously held by Billy McMillon, who hit 26 in 1991. Khalil Greene, the current starting shortstop for the San Diego Padres, holds the single-season record with 33 doubles in his national-player-of-the-year season of 2002. Harbin also had 42 extra-base hits, including 28 doubles, four triples, and 10 home runs. The 42 extra-base hits were the eighth-most in a season in Clemson history, and the most by a freshman in school history. Against #4 Miami (FL) on May 21, Harbin hit three doubles, tying the school record for doubles in a game held by many. He almost hit four two-baggers in the game, but centerfielder Danny Figueroa made a diving catch at the fence in one of his at-bats. Harbin Went Off at N.C. State on April 23 Taylor Harbin became the 11th Tiger in history to hit three homers in a game when he did that at N.C. State on April 23. The freshman second baseman also went 5-for-5 with eight RBIs and a school-record 16 total bases in the Tigers' 16-9 victory. He broke the old total-base record of 15 that stood for nearly 43 years. Harbin also hit a triple and single, and lacked only a double for the cycle, ironically a category he led the ACC on a per-game basis entering the series. The Travelers Rest, SC native scored five runs in five plate appearances. He hit a single in the first, a triple in the second, a three-run homer in the fourth, another three-run homer in the sixth, and a solo homer in the eighth. The three long balls came on back-to-back-to-back pitches, as the last two homers came on the first pitch of each at-bat. Harbin, who was named ACC Player-of-the-Week thanks in part to his performance in that game, became just the fifth Tiger in history to hit three homers in an ACC game and the first since Shane Monahan did it in 1993 at N.C. State. In fact, three of the five three-homer games in ACC contests have taken place at N.C. State's Doak Field. Harbin's five hits were a career high as well, as he had not even totaled as many as four prior to the game. Harbin Set Three Clemson Freshman Records Taylor Harbin set three Clemson freshman records in 2005. The Tiger second baseman started all 66 games and established a freshman record for doubles (28), total bases (160), and extra base hits (42). Below is a list of the current Clemson freshman records in each category followed by Harbin's stats in 2005. It should be noted that fellow freshman Brad Chalk actually had a higher batting average (.350) than Harbin. Harbin's Fielding % Among Clemson Best In addition to his contributions as a hitter (team leader in runs scored, hits, and doubles), freshman second-baseman Taylor Harbin was a big reason Clemson had a .968 team fielding percentage. That was near the Clemson single-season record pace of .971 set by the College World Series team of 2002. In 66 games, Harbin had a .974 fielding percentage, a figure that was among the best in Clemson history among Tiger third basemen, shortstops, or second basemen. Harbin had just nine errors all year. Harbin had 121 putouts and 210 assists to go with the nine errors for 340 total chances. The Clemson record for single-season fielding percentage by a Tiger non-first-baseman infielder is .988 by Billy Wingo in 1977. Demmink Delivered From Leadoff Spot Junior third-baseman and leadoff batter Herman Demmink (Midlothian, VA) provided game-winning heroics in the first game of a doubleheader at Maryland on March 26, as he hit a two-run double in the 13th inning to plate the winning runs. For the rest of the year, he was 72-for-195 (.369) in his last 46 games. Thanks to hitting safely in 40 of the last 46 games, which included 23 multi-hit games, and hitting safely in 16 of the last 17 games, he raised his season average to a .345 mark. He also had 17 doubles, four home runs, 41 RBIs, and a .408 on-base percentage in 65 games. Demmink was second on the team with a .412 batting average with runners in scoring position as well. Colvin Had a 19-Game Hitting Streak Sophomore outfielder Tyler Colvin (North Augusta, SC) was the team's hottest hitter during the season's first month, but then his average dipped to .272 in early April. But he upped his average thanks to his 19-game hitting streak that came to an end on May 1 against #6 Georgia Tech despite hitting the ball hard three times right at Yellow Jacket fielders. During the streak, he was 31-for-78 (.397). Another reason for the lefthanded batter's surge was his ability to hit lefthanded pitchers. He was 26-for-78 (.333) against lefties in 2005. In his freshman season of 2004, he was just 1-for-14 (.071), so that area was a key to his improvement. Colvin also hit .333 with runners in scoring position in 2005. Colvin Doubled His Game Tyler Colvin, who received the 2005 Bob Bradley Award for being the Tigers' MVP in the four-game series against South Carolina, hit 22 doubles in 65 games in 2005, or 0.34 doubles per game. In his first 20 games of 2005, he hit just four doubles. But in the last 45 games, he hit 18 doubles. He joined former Tiger great Khalil Greene (1999-02) in elite company when he hit three doubles at N.C. State on April 24. It was the 13th time in school history that a Tiger hit three doubles in a game. Ironically the last Tiger to do that was Colvin, who hit three in a game against Florida State in 2004. Greene, the San Diego Padres' starting shortstop, hit three doubles in a game on three different occasions. Therefore Colvin became only the second Tiger in history to have multiple three-double games. D'Alessio Made Most of It Sophomore first-baseman Andy D'Alessio (Naples, FL) would admit that did not have the season he hoped for, but the hits he had certainly counted in a big way. He had just 58 hits, but 30 went for extra bases, including 14 doubles, a triple, and 15 home runs. He also had 60 RBIs, which equates to 1.03 RBIs for every hit. A big reason for that is the fact that he was 6-for-9 with two grand slams, a double, and 18 RBIs with the bases loaded. He also had a team-high 25 two-out RBIs among his 60 total RBIs. One of his best all-around games took place at Wake Forest on May 14. In that game, he went 3-for-6 with a homer, double, and six RBIs. But he was the Tigers' MVP in the game for a play he made in the field. With the score tied, the bases loaded, and two outs in the ninth inning, he backhanded a groundball in the hole that appeared to be headed into right field and threw to second base to record the inning-ending out, keeping the Tigers alive. Clemson went on to win 17-14 after his go-ahead, two-run double in the 11th inning. D'Alessio Named Clemson Regional MVP Andy D'Alessio came up big for the Tigers in the Clemson Regional from June 3-5 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. In three games, he was 7-for-9 (.778) with four runs scored, four doubles, a homer, four RBIs, a 1.556 slugging percentage, four walks, a hit-by-pitch, an .857 on-base percentage, and a stolen base. He was named the Clemson Regional MVP thanks to his performance. Harvey Up for Player-of-the-Year Awards Junior pitcher/DH Kris Harvey (Catawba, NC) was one of 40 players selected to the Golden Spikes Award Watch List and one of 64 semifinalists for the Dick Howser Trophy in late April, which both went to the nation's top collegiate baseball player. Former Tiger great Khalil Greene won both awards in 2002. Earlier in 2005, Harvey was also selected to the Brooks Wallace Award watch list presented to the national player-of-the-year. The versatile two-way player had an ACC-high 25 homers (including 14 in ACC regular-season games), 11 doubles, and 70 RBIs to go along with a .341 batting average in 65 games. He also was 5-4 with a 5.52 ERA as a starting pitcher, and struck out 52 against 28 walks in 62.0 innings pitched over 13 starts. One of his highlights in 2005 came at Virginia Tech on May 10. With the Tigers trailing 2-1 in the eighth inning, the Hokies elected to intentionally walk Tyler Colvin to load the bases and face Harvey. Harvey promptly hit the first pitch over the fence in left-center for his first grand slam of the season. Clemson went on to win 6-2. Then in a three-game series against #4 Miami (FL) in May, he was 8-for-12 with three homers and six RBIs. Harvey Had Week to Remember in March Kris Harvey had one of the best all-around weeks and games in Clemson history during four games from March 16-20. In four games, three of which were against #9 North Carolina, he was 6-for-13 (.462) with five runs scored, two walks, a double, three homers, and 10 RBIs at the plate. For his efforts, he was named one of six national players-of-the-week by Collegiate Baseball along with being named ACC Player-of-the-Week. His best game during the week was against the Tar Heels on March 19. He started on the mound and earned the victory by pitching 7.0 scoreless innings of one-hit ball. He did not allow a Tar Heel runner past second base. That same game, he hit two towering home runs to lead Clemson to a 9-1 win. He pulled multi-faceted feat off again against Virginia on April 15. He hit two towering home runs and earned the win on the mound in 6.0 innings of work. Then in perhaps his greatest single moment as a Tiger, he hit a go-ahead, three-run homer at #8 South Carolina in the ninth inning to lift the Tigers to a 7-5 win. Harvey Established Clemson Dual Record Four times in 2005, Clemson junior Kris Harvey hit a home run at the plate and won the game on the mound in a single game. He became the first Tiger in history to do that four times in the same season, breaking the record of three single-season occurrences established by Damon Vincent in 1961 and 1962. Vincent has the career record for this unusual accomplishment with six. Hitting a home run and gaining the pitching victory in the same game is unusual since college baseball adopted the designated hitter rule in 1974. Between 1974 and this season, a Clemson player hit a home run and was the winning pitcher in the same game just five times. Harvey did it four times in one year. Harvey first accomplished the feat on February 27 when he struck out seven and allowed just two earned runs in 5.2 innings pitched in addition to hitting a home run in a victory over UC Irvine. That accomplishment took place 23 years to the day after Jimmy Key beat Valdosta State in a game in which he also homered. It was the only time Key accomplished the feat at Clemson, and the only other time this feat has been accomplished in the month of February in Tiger history. Twice in 2005 Harvey hit two home runs in a game he has also won as Clemson's pitcher. He accomplished that on March 19 against North Carolina and April 15 against Virginia. Harvey is the only player in school history to hit two home runs and earn the win in the same game in Clemson history. Harvey also had a home run and a win against Duke on April 8. That was one of his finest pitching performances as a Tiger, as he gave up just two earned runs, struck out nine, and walked just one in 7.0 innings pitched. Vincent is one of just two Tigers to pitch a complete game shutout and hit a home run in the same game. He did that against Wake Forest on May 14, 1962 when he hit struck out 17 batters (sixth-highest total in Clemson history) in a 6-0 victory in Belmont, NC. Dave Van Volkenburg is the only other Tiger to hit a home run and pitch a shutout in the same game. He accomplished the feat against Jacksonville on April 23, 1969, a game in which he struck out 10. It is also interesting the note that Billy O'Dell struck out 18, the third-highest single-game total in Clemson history, and hit a home run in a 4-2 victory over Furman on April 23, 1952. Harvey led the ACC in home runs (25), seven more than then next closest player, and was only three victories behind the team leader in wins (5). No Tiger has ever led the team in both categories in the same season. Jarrod Schmidt had 16 home runs and seven wins in 2001, but did not lead the team in either category. But, Schmidt is the only Tiger to hit at least 15 home runs and win seven games on the mound in the same season. Harvey Tied for Second in Homers Nationally Kris Harvey hit 25 home runs in 2005, ranking tied for second-most in a season in Clemson history. Khalil Greene holds the school record with 27 in his national-player-of-the-year season of 2002. Of Harvey's ACC-leading 25 homers, 14 came in ACC regular-season games. He also hit 18 homers at home and had four multi-homer games in 2005. The 25 homers tied for the second-most in the nation in 2005. Harvey Named All-American Kris Harvey was named a second-team All-American (DH) by Baseball America and third-team All-American (DH/Athlete) by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) on June 16. Harvey tied for second in the nation with 25 home runs. The 25 homers also tied for second-most in a season in Clemson history. On the year, he hit .341 with 11 doubles, 70 RBIs, and a .687 slugging percentatge. Harvey, a second-round draft pick of the Florida Marlins in 2005, ended the season on a 14-game hitting streak. On the mound, he was 5-4 with a 5.52 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 62.0 innings pitched. Storrer Had a 19-Game Hitting Streak Junior outfielder Travis Storrer (Mount Vernon, WA) had a 19-game hitting streak from April to May that ended on May 21 against Miami (FL). Thanks to the streak, he raised his batting average to .346 with six homers and 43 RBIs. During the streak, he hit .425 (31-for-73). It tied for the longest streak by a Tiger in 2005, tying Tyler Colvin's 19-game hitting streak in April. After going 0-for-2 against the Hurricanes on May 21, he ended the season on a 10-game hitting streak. Therefore he hit safely in 29 of the last 30 games of 2005. Chalk's Bat a Plus Freshman centerfielder Brad Chalk (Greer, SC) was in the starting lineup mainly because of his defensive abilities and range in the outfield. But he raised his batting average to a team-best .350 figure along with his team-best .458 on-base percentage, as he provided a spark in the lineup. He was effective when batting in the #2 spot in the batting order, where he was 60-for-160 (.375) with a .485 on-base percentage. After the team's first 12 games, his batting average stood at .192. But his average steadily climbed thanks to him going 60-for-159 (.377) in his last 47 games. In the ACC Tournament at Jacksonville, FL, he had two hits in each of Clemson's four games. He was 8-for-17 (.471) with two walks and a stolen base in the tourney. He also had 13-game hitting streak in May and was named a freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball. Chalk Led Team in Average as Freshman Brad Chalk did what no other Tiger freshman had done since 1991...lead the team in batting average. He was 70-for-200 in his freshman season, good for a team-best .350 batting average. The last Tiger freshman to lead the club in batting average was Billy McMillon in 1991. McMillon, who went on to play in the Major Leagues, hit .391 that year. Ben Hall That name instantly brings memories of the former Tiger tight end rumbling into the endzone at South Carolina in 2003, but this Ben Hall made his presence felt on the diamond in limited action. The junior second baseman from Ormond Beach, FL hit .319 (15-for-47) with five doubles, a triple, a home run, and nine RBIs in 34 games off the bench and three starts. He was also 11-for-30 (.367) as a pinch-hitter. Perhaps the highlight of his young Tiger career came in the field in the first game of a doubleheader at Maryland on March 26. With the bases loaded and two outs in the 10th inning, Dan Melvin lined what appeared to be the game-winning, walkoff single to right field. But Hall, all of 5'10", leaped and speared the liner at second base to keep the Tigers alive. Clemson went on to win 6-4 in 13 innings. The win was a landmark one, as it was Head Coach Jack Leggett's 900th of his career. Then in the second game of the doubleheader, he came off the bench and hit two doubles late in Clemson's 12-0 victory. Cribb Control Junior righthander Josh Cribb (Lake View, SC) exhibited excellent control as both a starter and reliever in 2005. In 15 starts and four relief appearances, he had a 3.54 ERA against outstanding competition. He also struck out 97 against only 24 walks (four of which were intentional), good for a 4.0-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. In three seasons with the Tiger program, he has made 17 starts and 35 relief appearances for a total of 195.0 innings pitched. He has a 3.65 career ERA and has allowed just 45 walks while striking out 174. His 2.08 walks per nine innings pitched mark is second-best in school history. His 3.87 strikeout-to-walk ratio is also second-best in school history. Strictly Starting Josh Cribb had a 4.04 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 19 appearances in 2005, which included 15 starts. That 4.04 mark is sixth-best in Clemson history. His 3.87 figure in 2004 is eighth-best in Tiger history. But if one just looks at his 15 starts, his stats were even better. In 99.2 innings pitched over 15 starts, he had 87 strikeouts against only 16 walks to go along with a 6-4 record and 3.16 ERA. The 5.44 strikeout-to-walk ratio would be third-best in a season in Clemson history. In his last five starts, he had three complete games and two shutouts. In those 40.0 innings pitched, he allowed just nine earned runs (good for an 2.03 ERA), 33 hits, and five walks while striking out 34. Two of those three starts came against a top-10 Miami (FL) team that was hitting near .330. He also won six of his last seven decisions after starting the year 2-4. Cribb Had First Tiger Shutout in Two Years Josh Cribb came up big when the team needed him the most at Virginia Tech on May 9. The pitching staff was struggling entering his start, and he did not start during the previous weekend series against Georgia Tech. So Head Coach Jack Leggett called upon the junior righthander, and he responded with a six-hit shutout of the Hokies in his first career complete game. He walked just one and struck out six in the Tigers' 7-0 win. Cribb became the first Tiger to pitch a shutout since 2003 (Tyler Lumsden), and the first Tiger to do so in an ACC game since 2001 (Steve Reba). Later that week at Wake Forest on May 14, he pitched 3.0 innings in relief, allowing one run on three hits to earn the win in Clemson's 17-14 win in 11 innings. Thanks to those two outings, he was named ACC Pitcher-of-the-Week. A week later, he allowed just two runs and one walk with nine strikeouts in 7.0 innings pitched to earn the win against #4 Miami (FL). He earned ACC Pitcher-of-the-Week honors for the second-straight week for that performance. Then in the ACC Tournament against the same top-10 Hurricane club, he went the distance in Clemson's 9-1 win. He allowed one run, six hits, and no walks with eight strikeouts in pitching the first complete game by a Tiger in the ACC Tournament since 2000. He was named to the ACC All-Tournament team as one of just two pitchers as well. He earned his fourth-straight honor in as many weeks when he was named to the Clemson Regional All-Tournament team thanks to pitching a two-hit shutout against #22 College of Charleston on June 4. Cribb threw just 98 pitches, allowing one walk with six strikeouts. College of Charleston, who easily led the nation in batting average entering the tournament, did not advance a runner past second base, while the two hits included a bunt single and a bloop single to left field. It was the seventh time in school history a Tiger pitched a shutout in an NCAA Tournament game, and his two hits were the least allowed in any of those seven shutouts. It also ended the Cougars' streak of 135 consecutive games without being shut out dating back to 2003. On the season, Cribb was 8-5 with a 3.54 ERA and 4.0 strikeout-to-walk ratio in a team-high 109.1 innings pitched. He also won six of his last seven decisions after starting the year 2-4. Faris Friday Starter Sophomore righty Stephen Faris (Richmond, VA) allowed only 28 earned runs in 97.0 innings pitched over 10 starts and 10 relief appearances in 2005, and had a team-best 2.60 ERA. In two-straight starts, against Georgia on April 6 and #4 South Carolina on April 13, he pitched complete games in both contests, as he allowed just 10 hits and three earned runs combined in the two games. Then on May 13, he pitched another complete game at Wake Forest, allowing only one run on six hits in the Tigers' 4-1 win. Faris, who was 6-4 with a save, allowed just 89 hits and 25 walks while striking out 79, and allowed only 16 extra-base hits, including only one homer. Opponents only hit .251 off him as well. Faris Wheeled & Dealed Complete Games Stephen Faris pitched back-to-back complete games in two April starts, becoming the first Tiger to do that since 2000 (Ryan Mottl). Clemson had just one complete game each of the last three seasons. And he did that against two teams that played in the 2004 College World Series. Against Georgia on April 6, he allowed five hits, one earned run, and three walks while striking out eight. Then a week later on April 13, he shut down #4 South Carolina, who was coming off a three-game sweep at #6 Louisiana State, in another complete-game five-hitter. This time the Tigers were victorious, as Faris allowed two runs and one walk while striking out seven. He became the first Tiger to pitch a complete game against the Gamecocks since 1997 (Matt White). His performance was a big reason the Tigers snapped the Gamecocks' nine-game winning streak. He also earned ACC Pitcher-of-the-Week honors for that performance. Then on May 13, he pitched another complete game in Clemson's 4-1 win at Wake Forest. He allowed just six hits and one walk while striking out five. He became the first Tiger to toss three complete games in a single season since 1996, when Kris Benson (7) and Ken Vining (3) both had at least three. That 1996 team had 12 complete games in all. Josh Cribb also pitched three complete games in 2005. Rohrbaugh Second in the ACC in League Wins Junior lefty Robert Rohrbaugh (Littlestown, PA) had an 8-3 record and 4.22 ERA in 16 starts and three relief appearances (96.0 innings pitched) in 2005. The quiet hurler was a pitcher Head Coach Jack Leggett liked to call upon because he was a pitcher who performed on a consistent basis. Rohrbaugh was Mr. Reliable for Leggett the past three years. And in 2005, he had a 6-1 record in ACC regular-season games. The six wins in the league were the second-most, trailing only Cesar Carrillo, who was 8-1 in 10 ACC starts for Miami (FL) in 2005. Hahn Appeared Often Fifth-year senior righthander Jeff Hahn (Winchester, VA) made 23 relief appearances and two starts in 2005. He allowed 57 hits and 27 walks while striking out 59 in 60.1 innings pitched to go along with a 3.13 ERA and a team-high three saves. One of his highlights of this season came in his home state, at Virginia Tech on May 10. With the Tigers trailing 2-1, he entered the game and pitched the final 5.0 innings, allowing no runs on two hits to earn the win thanks to the Tigers rallying for a 6-2 victory. With 25 appearances in 2005, Hahn became just the second Tiger in history to make at least 20 appearances in four different seasons. Matt Additon, who has a school-record 98 appearances, did the same from 1997-00. Hahn entered the season with 63 career appearances, nine of which were in a starting role. Add his 23 relief appearances and two starts in 2005, he made 88 career appearances (tied for second-most in Clemson history) and 77 career relief appearances (fourth-most in Clemson history). Graduate Tigers Senior righthander Jeff Hahn (marketing), senior catcher Gene Pierce (civil engineering), and junior infielder Daniel Pritchard (marketing) all received their undergraduate degrees at commencement ceremonies in Littlejohn Coliseum on May 13. Tigers Set School Record in the Classroom The Clemson baseball program set a team record for highest GPA in a single semester during the spring, 2005 semester. The team combined for a 3.00 GPA in the spring and a 2.97 GPA for the 2004-05 school year. A total of 20 players made the honor roll (3.0 GPA or higher) in the spring, including seven of eight freshmen. The freshmen combined for a 3.39 GPA in the spring and a 3.22 GPA for the school year. In the fall, a record 21 players made the honor roll as well, when the team had a then-record 2.94 semester GPA. Gene Pierce, who graduated on May 13, 2005 with a degree in civil engineering, had a perfect 4.0 GPA for the spring semester and finished with a 3.30 GPA for his career. Jeff Hahn and Daniel Pritchard also received their marketing degrees on May 13. A total of 22 of the 34 team members have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better and have combined for a school-record 2.99 GPA. Berken Out for Season Junior righthander Jason Berken (De Pere, WI), who missed most of last half of 2004, was out for all of 2005, as he recovered from "Tommy John" surgery. Berken, who was the team's #1 starter entering 2004, has a career record of 9-3 and a 2.90 ERA in 105.2 innings pitched. He hopes to be at full strength in 2006. To prove his value to the team, he was voted one of two captains by his teammates for 2005 (joining Daniel Pritchard). His leadership qualities and competitive spirit have been noted time and time again by Head Coach Jack Leggett. Four Tigers Among Nation's Top-35 Freshmen Clemson relied on 14 newcomers in 2005, and that group was ranked as the #12 recruiting class in the nation by both Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball. Four of the signees were listed in the top 35 of Baseball America's top-50 freshman list entering 2005. Clemson was the only school in the nation to have four freshmen listed in the top 50. Among the freshmen listed were righthander David Kopp (#9), shortstop Stan Widmann (#14), second-baseman Taylor Harbin (#17), and outfielder Brad Chalk (#34). Sophomore first baseman Andy D'Alessio (#17) and junior pitcher/DH Kris Harvey (#48) were also listed among the top 50 of their classes. Clemson's Field Rated Tops in the Nation Doug Kingsmore Stadium's playing surface is one of the best in the country thanks to the dedication of many members of the Clemson Grounds Crew. Mike Echols, Supervisor of Athletic Grounds for the past four years and former Tiger golfer (1981-83), heads up the team that was recently honored. In January of 2005, the American Baseball Coaches Association and Turface Athletics awarded Echols and the grounds crew, which includes many volunteers, as having the best collegiate baseball field in the country based on their exemplary infield and turf maintenance programs. Clemson received a crystal trophy recognizing its excellence in maintenance, one ton of Turface MVP sports field conditioner, and $400 designated for field maintenance equipment. "Mike and his staff exemplify what Clemson is all about," said Head Coach Jack Leggett. "They exhibit tremendous pride and a never-ending work ethic. "We play on many fields and are familiar with a lot of grounds crews. But our players and coaches always comment that we have the best. The pride in their work is far above any I've ever seen. Our players, coaches, and fans appreciate their dedication to Clemson Baseball and our facility." PawVision Moved to Doug Kingsmore Stadium Clemson's video replay board, known as "PawVision," was moved from Memorial Stadium, home of Tiger football, to Doug Kingsmore Stadium, home of Tiger baseball, prior to the 2005 season. It was erected on March 4 in left-centerfield. Below the replay board is a scoreboard, like the old one in right-center. Enhanced graphics, replays, and real-time stats thanks to PawVision is yet another reason Doug Kingsmore Stadium is one of the best college baseball facilities in the country. Tigers in the Majors in 2005 Clemson had four former players on opening-day Major League rosters. The list includes 2002 teammates Khalil Greene (San Diego Padres) and Jeff Baker (Colorado Rockies). The other two former Tigers in the Majors were also teammates on Clemson College World Series teams. Both Kris Benson (New York Mets) and Matthew LeCroy (Minnesota Twins) were teammates on Clemson's 1995 and 1996 College World Series teams. Greene and Baker both started on opening day for their respective teams against each other. Baker actually hit a home run in his second Major League at-bat, and finished the game with a pair of hits and two RBIs. Greene had two hits and two RBIs in the second game of the series between San Diego and Colorado on April 6. That same day, LeCroy hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning to help the Twins to victory. The native of Belton, SC is in his sixth year in the Major Leagues. He entered this season with 41 career home runs, including a career-high 17 in 2003. Tim Teufel has the record for most home runs in the Major Leagues by a former Clemson player. He belted 86 home runs between 1983-93. Benson started the season on the disabled list with the New York Mets. Benson was 12-12 last year with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Mets. He has a career record of 47-53 in his five Major League seasons. Two Tigers who were on Major League rosters last year, Billy Koch and Billy McMillon, were not on opening-day rosters in 2005. McMillon is in the minor leagues with the Boston Red Sox organization. He is a veteran of six Major League seasons, including 2004 when he played in 52 games for the Oakland Athletics. When Baker started the season in Colorado, he became the 38th former Tiger baseball player to appear in a Major League game. Clemson had five former players in the Major Leagues during the 2004 season, and 31 others played at some level of minor league baseball. Tigers Go 1-2 at the Baseball at The Beach Clemson went 1-2 in the Baseball at The Beach tournament at Myrtle Beach, SC from February 18-20 to open the season. The Tigers won their opening game 7-2 over West Virginia, but lost the last two games against host Coastal Carolina and East Carolina. The Tigers went their last 17 innings without scoring a run. Clemson hit .204 combined in the three games, including just 4-for-28 (.143) with runners in scoring position in the tourney and 1-for-15 in the two losses. Freshman Taylor Harbin had an impressive debut. He was 5-for-12 (.417) with three doubles, a walk, and three steals in three attempts. He also did not strike out and was errorless in 12 chances at second base. The pitching staff had a 4.97 ERA and .273 opponents' batting average, but had 25 strikeouts against only eight walks, better than a 3-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio. Junior transfer Adrian Casanova also threw out two of four basestealers in the tourney. In the season-opener against West Virginia, junior righthander Josh Cribb pitched 6.0 effective innings to earn the win in the Tigers' 7-2 victory on February 18. It was Clemson's first season-opening victory since 2002, as the Tigers improved to 10-0 all-time against the Mountaineers. Cribb earned the victory pitching less than 50 miles from his hometown of Lake View, SC. He scattered nine hits and two runs without allowing a walk. Freshmen Brad Chalk and Taylor Harbin had two hits apiece to pace the Tigers' 10-hit attack. A five-run second inning put Clemson up for good. Clemson did not commit an error in 42 chances in the field. West Virginia had 10 hits, including six doubles, but could not piece together a big inning. In the second game, pinch-hitter DJ Burns hit a walkoff single in the ninth inning to give Coastal Carolina a 3-2 win over the Tigers on February 19. Clemson scored two runs in the first inning, highlighted by Kris Harvey's run-scoring single. The Tigers held the lead until the eighth inning, when Mike Costanzo's RBI groundout tied the score 2-2. The Chanticleers, the home team, then won the game in the ninth. Costanzo also earned the win in relief. Four Tiger pitchers combined to allow just four hits, including two hits and one run by starter Robert Rohrbaugh. Clemson stranded 10 runners on base. In game three, East Carolina scored 10 runs in the first five innings and cruised to a 10-0 victory on February 20. Mike Flye limited the Tigers to just three hits in 7.0 innings pitched to earn the win. Meanwhile, the Pirates, coached by former Tiger player and assistant coach Randy Mazey, had 13 hits, including at least one by nine different players. Tiger starter Kris Harvey suffered the loss, only the second of his career. Tigers Sweep #18 UC Irvine Clemson swept #18 UC Irvine in a three-game series at Doug Kingsmore Stadium from February 25-27. The Tigers outscored the Anteaters 18-8 and outhit them .289 to .235 in the series. Clemson was aided by nine Anteater errors in the series, while the Tigers committed just two. Tiger pitchers combined for a 2.67 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 27.0 innings pitched. Taylor Harbin led the Tigers with three doubles, a triple, and a single in 11 at-bats. Kris Harvey had a solid series, as he picked up a win in a starting role, and added two homers and six RBIs at the plate. In game one, Clemson scored a run on two errors on one play in the eighth inning to propel the team to a 3-2 win on February 25. Pitcher Nash Robertson's throw to second base on an attempted sacrifice bunt was errant, and another throwing error on the same play allowed Brad Chalk to score all the way from first base for the go-ahead run. The Anteaters committed four errors in the game after committing just four in their first eight games of the season. Josh Cribb, who did not factor in the decision, struck out eight batters in 6.1 innings pitched. Alta Loma, CA native Daniel Moskos, whose hometown is just 50 miles from Irvine, CA, earned the win by retiring the only batter he faced in the eighth inning. Stephen Clyne picked up his first career save by striking out the side in the ninth inning. Tyler Colvin and Adrian Casanova paced the Tigers with two hits apiece. In game two, Tyler Colvin's game-winning RBI on a fielder's choice in the ninth inning propelled Clemson to a 5-4 win on February 26. The Tigers led 4-2 after eight innings, but the Anteaters had a two-out rally in the ninth inning to tie the score. Harbin's one-out, bloop double in the ninth inning was key to the Tigers' win. He was later on third with the bases loaded, and scored on Colvin's groundout that the Anteaters could not turn into a double play. The throwing error on the play was their fourth of the game and eighth of the series. Freshman Stan Widmann had three hits, while Harvey added the first homer by a Tiger in 2005, a solo shot in the eighth inning. Drew Fiorenza picked up his first career win in relief. In game three, the Tigers scored 10 runs in the first three innings and cruised to a 10-2 win on February 27. Eleven different Tigers had at least one hit in Clemson's 13-hit attack. Harvey earned the win by pitching 5.2 innings, and allowing two runs, six hits, and one walk while striking out seven. He also had four RBIs, including a three-run homer. Harbin and Herman Demmink were both 2-for-2, while Harbin hit his sixth double. Clemson had six hits with runners in scoring position after totaling just seven in its first five games. UC Irvine stranded 12 runners on base, including five in the first two innings without scoring a run. Clemson Wins Series Finale at Auburn Clemson went 1-2 at Auburn from March 4-6. The Tigers lost a heartbreaker in game one 6-5 and then lost Saturday 8-4, but came back strong to trounce the SEC Tigers 14-3 in the series finale. The hitters' ballpark (extremely fast infield and wind blowing out most of the series) saw Clemson total 44 hits in the three games and hit .352. Clemson also committed just one error and had a .991 fielding percentage. Tyler Colvin was spectacular in the series, going 8-for-12, including a 5-for-5 performance in game one. Travis Storrer was 7-for-15, and Taylor Harbin had five hits, including two more doubles to raise his season total to eight in nine games. Clemson hit five homers on the weekend, including two by Andy D'Alessio in game three. The middle-infield-freshman combination of Harbin and Stan Widmann went errorless in a combined 35 chances in the field as well. In game one, Auburn scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to rally for a 6-5 win on March 4. Clemson took a 4-3 lead in the seventh inning on Herman Demmink's two-run homer and added another run in the ninth. But Auburn used two walks and four singles, including the game-winner by Philip Stringer, to defeat the Tigers. Clemson was called for three balks, while reliever David Kopp suffered the loss. Tyler Colvin was 5-for-5, while Demmink had two doubles and a two-run homer to pace the Tigers' 14-hit attack. In game two, Auburn jumped out to a 7-0 lead and cruised to an 8-4 win on March 5. Auburn pounded out 17 hits, including at least two hits by six different players. Josh Sullivan pitched 6.2 solid innings to earn the win, while Ben Sprague hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning to blow the game open. Clemson had 11 hits, including three each by Harbin and Widmann. Robert Rohrbaugh allowed 10 hits in 3.0 innings, as he suffered the loss. Clemson was errorless for the second straight game. In game three, Clemson exploded for 19 hits in a 14-3 victory on March 6. D'Alessio led the way with two homers and six RBIs, including his first career grand slam. Adrian Casanova added his first homer as a Tiger, and Storrer had three hits. Twelve Tigers had at least one hit in all. Kris Harvey earned the win, as he pitched 6.1 innings, allowing two earned runs on nine hits while striking out five. Clemson had 12 two-out RBIs after totaling just one in the first two games of the series. Clemson also had 13 of its 19 hits with two outs, while Auburn was 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position. The ACC Tigers broke a 2-2 tie after five innings and scored 12 runs over the last four frames. Winthrop Shuts Down Tigers 8-2 Kevin Slowey pitched a complete game four-hitter to lead Winthrop to an 8-2 win over Clemson on March 9 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The righthander allowed just two runs on four hits and no walks while striking out five. He faced the minimum three batters in eight of the nine innings. David Kopp suffered the loss in his first career start. The Eagles scored six runs in the first three innings and cruised to the win, totaling 12 hits in all. Kris Harvey had a two-run double to account for the Tigers' only runs. Gamecocks Outlast Tigers Twice South Carolina won both games of the home-and-home series over the Tigers on March 12,13. Clemson out-hit South Carolina .310 to .284, but the Gamecocks outscored the Tigers 12-8. Six Tigers had at least three hits in the two-game series, including four by Taylor Harbin. Brendan Winn's two-run homer in the sixth inning led #4 South Carolina to a 6-3 win over Clemson in front of 5,617 fans at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on March 12. The Gamecocks added two more runs in the seventh inning before Travis Storrer homered to cut the lead to 6-3. Starter Aaron Rawl earned the win for South Carolina, while Jason Fletcher earned the save. Tiger starter Josh Cribb suffered his first loss of the season. Harbin, Kris Harvey, and Stan Widmann each had two hits to contribute for six of the team's nine hits. Winn was one of five Gamecocks with two hits, as he added a game-high three RBIs as well. The following day in Columbia, South Carolina scored three runs in the eighth inning after a costly Tiger error to defeat Clemson 6-5 at Sarge Frye Field on March 13. The Tigers took a 5-3 lead in the seventh inning thanks to a two-run double by Storrer and RBI single by Tyler Colvin, but the Gamecocks capitalized on two Tiger miscues in the eighth. With one out and a runner on first base, reliever David Kopp's throw to first base on a ground ball was errant, allowing a run to score and the tying run to advance to third base. It was the first error by a
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