CLEMSON BASEBALL

No Movement in Baseball Polls for Tigers


by -

Clemson University


Overall Season Record: 10-4


ACC Regular-Season Record: 0-0



Last Week: 3-1


Wed. W home vs. #17 Coastal Carolina, 4-0


Fri. L home vs. Memphis, 4-6 (10 innings)


Sat. W home vs. Memphis, 8-2


Sun. W home vs. Memphis, 7-2



Next Week


Wed. Home vs. Georgia Southern, 7:15 PM


Fri. Home vs. Duke, 7:15 PM


Sat. Home vs. Duke, 4:00 PM


Sun. Home vs. Duke, 1:00 PM

Notes

Clemson went 3-1 last week in four games, including one against #17 Coastal Carolina (entered the game with a 12-2 record) and three versus Memphis (entered with a 7-3 record). The Tigers shut out the Chanticleers 4-0, then outscored Memphis by a combined score of 19-10 in winning two of three games.

Four pitchers combined to lead #6 Clemson to a 4-0 shutout victory over #17 Coastal Carolina at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on March 7. Starter P.J. Zocchi picked up the win by pitching 5.1 innings, while Daniel Moskos struck out three of the four batters he faced to record the save. Matt Zoltak and Stephen Clyne combined with Moskos to pitch 3.2 hitless innings in relief. The Tigers did not allow an extra-base hit as well. Ahead 1-0 late in the game, the Tigers scored three runs in the eighth inning, highlighted by Marquez Smith's RBI double down the left-field line. Clemson outhit the Chanticleers 11-5, including three hits apiece by Smith and Brad Chalk, and two doubles by Taylor Harbin.

Clemson won two of three games over Memphis from March 9-11 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Clemson hit .301 to Memphis' .222 and stole nine bases while committing only two errors.

In game-one on March 9, Josh Irvin's two-run single in the 10th inning lifted Memphis to a 6-4 victory over Clemson. Memphis took a 4-0 lead in the fifth inning thanks to a two-run homer by Joseph Lieberman. But Clemson rallied with one run in the fifth and two in the seventh. Then with two outs in the ninth inning, D'Alessio hit a towering solo homer to right-center to tie the score. But Irvin's bases-loaded single in the 10th proved to be the difference. Clemson put 17 runners on base, but only scored four runs and stranded 11 on base. Clemson was also 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. D'Alessio had a game-high three hits. Matt Vaughn pitched 3.1 scoreless innings in relief, allowing one hit and no walks with six strikeouts as well.

In game-two on March 10, Clemson scored five runs in the sixth inning on its way to an 8-2 victory over Memphis. D'Alessio went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer in the first inning. After Memphis tied the score 2-2, Clemson erupted for five runs in the sixth, highlighted by Smith's two-run homer to left field. Chalk added a two-run single in the frame. Clyne picked up the win by pitching 3.1 scoreless innings in relief of one-hit ball with four strikeouts. Ryan Hinson allowed just two runs in 5.2 innings pitched with six strikeouts as well. Two Memphis errors led to four unearned runs scored by Clemson.

In game-three on March 11, five pitchers held Memphis to four hits in Clemson's 7-2 victory. Clemson scored two runs in the second inning and two more in the third. After Memphis cut Clemson's lead to 4-2 in the top of the fifth inning, Clemson responded with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on a wild pitch and RBI single by Addison Johnson. Johnson had two hits and a team-high two RBIs, as Clemson had 10 hits overall. Clemson also stole seven bases, including two each by Chalk and Harbin. Alan Farina allowed just two hits in 4.2 innings pitched in his first career start, while Brock Schnabel picked up his first win as a Tiger by pitching 1.1 scoreless innings in relief.

In four games during the week, Clemson hit .309 with 10 doubles and nine stolen bases. Chalk was 8-for-11 (.727) with two doubles, three RBIs, three walks, three hit-by-pitches, and four steals in four attempts in four games. D'Alessio was 8-for-16 (.500) with two homers and four RBIs, while Smith was 7-for-16 (.438) with a homer and four RBIs. The pitching staff had a 2.43 ERA and .208 opponents' batting average and 34 strikeouts against 12 walks while allowing only four extra-base hits.

David Bunnell moved to the starting spot at second base and performed well. The first-year senior walk-on was 3-for-9 with two walks and no errors in 15 chances in three games, as he provided a spark at the bottom of the lineup. Hogan only started one game versus Memphis after suffering a finger injury against Coastal Carolina on Wednesday, but hopes to be back at full-strength this upcoming week. Chalk also upped his streak of reaching base via a hit or walk to 41 games, while Clyne has pitched 30 consecutive innings without allowing a run, one of the longest streaks in ACC history.

On the season, Clemson has a 10-4 record. The team is hitting .287 with a .370 on-base percentage. Chalk leads the way with a .469 batting average, .571 on-base percentage, and four stolen bases. Hogan is hitting .415 with four homers and seven RBIs as well.

The Tigers have a 3.16 ERA and .240 opponents' batting through 14 games. Clyne has allowed eight hits, no runs, and two walks with 14 strikeouts in 14.2 innings pitched. Hinson has a 1.74 ERA, while Moskos has a team-high two saves.

Clemson will play host to Georgia Southern on Wednesday at 7:15 PM before opening its ACC schedule over the weekend against Duke at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

VANDERBILT NO. 1 IN COLLEGIATE BASEBALL NEWSPAPER POLL

TUCSON, Ariz. ? Vanderbilt University (18-0) has been ranked No. 1 for the fourth straight week in Collegiate Baseball newspaper?s NCAA Division I baseball poll.

The Commodores are off to the best start in school history and sport a .340 team batting average with 19 homers, 48 doubles and 6 triples in 18 games. The pitching staff has a 2.33 ERA and has fanned 188 batters (10.4 strikeouts per game) while walking only 40 for a better than 4:1 strikeout to walk ratio.

Two teams just behind Vanderbilt are Florida St. (20-0) and North Carolina (15-1). The Seminoles are off to the best start in school history while the Tar Heels have been superb all season long. Over the past weekend, North Carolina swept a 3-game series against Miami, Fla. in Chapel Hill, N.C. for the first time in history to take an early 3-0 record in Atlantic Coast Conference action.

Poll Notes: Several other teams have been outstanding. Kentucky jumped from 18th to 12th this week with a perfect 16-0 record. Oregon St. (17-3) has won six straight along with Auburn (17-2). Virginia Military Institute (12-3) is ranked this week after winning seven straight games. Oklahoma St. (12-4) has won 7 of its last 8. And Oklahoma (13-5) is ranked this week after winning 11 of its last 12 games. In key series over the past weekend, East Carolina stunned Cal. St. Fullerton by sweeping the 3-game series in Greenville, N.C. It marked the first time in school history the Pirates swept a series over a top 10 opponent. Southern California won two of three from Stanford at Stanford. Long Beach St. won two of three against Arizona St. in Tempe, Ariz.

The Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll is the oldest college baseball poll. Its birth took place during the 1957 college baseball season.


Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's

NCAA Div. I Poll (As of March 12, 2007)

Rank School (Record) Pts Previous

1. Vanderbilt (18-0) 496 1

2. Florida St. (20-0) 495 2

3. North Carolina (15-1) 494 3

4. South Carolina (13-2) 491 4

5. Oregon St. (17-3) 485 7

6. Clemson (10-4) 483 6

7. Virginia (16-3) 482 5

8. Texas A&M (18-2) 477 9

9. Rice (14-7) 475 10

10. Auburn (17-2) 473 13

11. Arkansas (13-5) 471 11

12. Kentucky (16-0) 468 18

13. Pepperdine (15-5) 465 12

14. Mississippi (13-5) 463 16

15. Cal. St. Fullerton (12-8) 460 8

16. Nebraska (8-5) 458 17

17. Long Beach St. (10-5) 456 20

18. Arizona St. (13-7) 455 14

19. Texas (15-7) 453 19

20. Wichita St. (13-4) 450 25

21. Arizona (15-6) 448 24

22. Oklahoma St. (12-4) 446 ?

23. Coastal Carolina (15-3) 445 29

24. Oklahoma (13-5) 443 ?

25. Southern Calif. (15-9) 439 26

26. Southern Miss. (12-4) 437 27

27. East Carolina (11-6) 434 ?

28. Texas Christian (11-6) 432 23

29. U.C. Irvine (15-5-1) 431 ?

30. Va Military Inst. (12-3) 429 ?

Baseball America

DURHAM, N.C.-- The top three teams remain the same in Baseball America's Top 25 rankings, as both No. 1 North Carolina and No. 2 Vanderbilt went 4-0 last week, and No. 3 South Carolina swept its weekend series.

No. 5 Oregon State swept Evansville over the weekend after defeating No. 16 Texas A&M in a Monday contest. No. 16 entering the season, the Beavers continue to prove that their program is among the best in the nation.

Taking the biggest tumble of any team to date, Miami (previously No. 11) drops out of the rankings. The Hurricanes lost 5-2 to St. Bonaventure last Tuesday before getting swept by North Carolina over the weekend. Miami, ranked No. 2 in the preseason, is just 10-9.

Oklahoma, Mississippi, Kentucky, and East Carolina all jump into the rankings. East Carolina outscored No. 13 Fullerton 20-6 on its way to a weekend home sweep.

The staff of Baseball America determines the Top 25 rankings. Records indicated are through games of March 11 and do not include ties.

COLLEGE TOP 25



Rk. Team 		W-L Last Prev. 

1. North Carolina 15-1 4-0 1

2. Vanderbilt 18-0 4-0 2

3. South Carolina 13-2 3-1 3

4. Florida State 20-0 3-0 5

5. Oregon State 17-3 4-0 9

6. Clemson 10-4 3-1 6

7. Virginia 16-3 2-2 4

8. Rice 14-7 3-1 8

9. Arkansas 13-4 3-0 10

10. Texas 15-7 3-1 12

11. Pepperdine 15-5 2-1 13

12. Wichita State 13-4 3-0 14

13. Cal State Fullerton 12-8 0-3 7

14. Oklahoma State 12-4 2-1 16

15. Coastal Carolina 15-3 3-1 17

16. Texas A&M 18-2 3-1 18

17. Long Beach State 10-5 2-1 19

18. Arizona State 13-7 1-2 15

19. Southern California 15-9 2-2 20

20. Auburn 17-2 4-0 24

21. Oklahoma 13-5 4-1 NR

22. San Diego 15-9 3-1 22

23. Mississippi 13-5 2-1 NR

24. Kentucky 16-0 4-0 NR

25. East Carolina 11-6 4-0 NR

Dropped Out: Miami (11), Georgia Tech (21), UCLA (23), Evansville (25)

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