Tigers Sweep Doubleheader Over Wake

by Press Release - Sun Apr 16 00:36:45 GMT-04:00 2000

CLEMSON, SC - Pinch-hitter Steve Pyzik added an insurance run by knocking in Khalil Greene in the bottom of the seventh and that proved to be the difference in a 5-4 win over Wake Forest in the second game of a doubleheader at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Mike Calitri, a late entry into the Tiger lineup, also contributed with an opposite-field, two-run homer. Clemson won the opening game 6-5 in 12 innings.

Each team scored twice in the first inning. The Demon Deacons led off the game with a double by Cory Sullivan, who was doubled in by Dan Conway. Danny Borrell, who had walked and then was advanced to third by Conway, scored on a sacrifice fly by Corey Slavik.

Clemson answered in the bottom half of the inning. The Tigers began the inning with a ground out to second by Casey Stone. After Brian Ellis singled and Khalil Greene walked, Patrick Boyd was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Jarrod Schmidt. Schmidt, who was the starting pitcher and batting as the designated hitter, knocked in both Ellis and Greene on a two-RBI single.

The Tigers added another pair of runs in the fourth inning when Mike Calitri hit his second home run of the season to score Schmidt, who had reached on a walk. Calitri was a late substitution before the game. He took the place of Michael Johnson, who was injured in the first game and scratched in the second game just before the first pitch.

Borrell got things going for Wake Forest in the fifth inning with the first of three Deacon hits. After a ground out to start the inning, Borrell doubled and moved to third on a single by Conway. Carlos Brackley knocked in Borrell with a single to pull within one run, 4-3.

Pyzik scored Greene for insurance in the seventh. Sullivan doubled off reliever Nick Glaser to lead off the eighth inning and then was hit in by Borrell. In the bottom half of the inning, the Tigers were retired in order but still led 5-4.

Ryan Johnson led off the ninth inning with a base hit, meaning the tying run was at first base. Nick Blue bunted foul for the third strike and the first out. Sullivan hit a grounder to Jeff Baker, who made an outstanding play to get the out at first. Pinch hitter Jason Aquilante popped up to right field ending the game.

Wake Forest stranded 16 runners on base from 13 hits in game two. Clemson scored five runs on five hits ad only stranded seven base runners.

The starters were the pitchers of record. Schmidt pitched 5.2 innings to get the win. He improved to 6-0 on the season. Ryan Braun was pegged with the loss despite giving up only four hits in five innings of work. Braun stumbled to 2-1 this season. Glaser pitched two innings to record his 11th save of the year.

Clemson improved to 31-8 overall with the pair of one-run wins. The Tigers are now 8-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference and are 11-1 in all games decided by two runs or less. Wake Forest fell to 31-11-1 and 11-6 in conference play.

The series concludes on Sunday at 2:00 PM at Kingsmore Stadium.

CLEMSON, SC - Brian Ellis singled in the bottom of the 12th inning to knock in pinch runner Brian Holstad and lift Clemson to a 6-5 win over Wake Forest in the first game of a Saturday twin bill.

Jarrod Schmidt drew a lead-off walk to start the 12th and was replaced by Holstad, who was then hit over by Ryan Riley on a sacrifice bunt. After another walk on Stone, Schmidt sent a blast off the fence in right center field. The win snapped the Tigers' six-game losing streak to Wake Forest and ended the Deacons' 11-game season win streak. Wake Forest had also won seven consecutive games in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The game started off for the Tigers nearly the same way Wednesday's game against South Carolina did. Clemson starter Ryan Mottl gave up a triple by Cory Sullivan, the first batter of the game. Jason Aquilante knocked in Sullivan to give the Demon Deacons a 1-0 lead.

The Tigers battled back to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second. Schmidt knocked in Jeff Baker, who had reached on a single and second baseman Ryan Riley hit in Henri Stanley, who boarded on an error by Wake Forest shortstop Jamie Athas.

The Deacons re-took the lead in the top of the third. Stephen Sullivan opened the inning with a lead off double. Chase Voshell batted in Sullivan and then Danny Borrell doubled in Voshell to go up 3-2. Patrick Boyd opened the Clemson fifth inning with a fly out to Carlos Brackley in right field, but then Deacon started Scott Siemon gave up four straight hits, including two singles, by Stanley and Casey Stone, a double by Jarrod Schmidt and a triple by Riley.

Clemson took that 5-3 margin to the top of the eighth inning. Mottl hit Borrell to start the inning. Right handed pitcher Kevin Lynn came into strike out the next two batters, but he then gave up an RBI single to Brackley. Brackley was advanced to third by Athas on a single to right field. Mike Proto relieved Lynn but gave up a hit and then Nick Glaser promptly replaced Proto, but a balk tied the game, sending Athas across the plate.

The Tigers were retired in order in the bottom of the eighth and then Wake Forest stranded two runners in the top of the ninth. Khalil Greene led off the bottom of the ninth with a double and then Michael Johnson was intentionally walked. Baker popped up a bunt for the first out and then Boyd lined out to second base. Greene and Johnson were left stranded when Mike Calitri, pinch-hitting for Stanley, flied out to right field to send the game to extra innings.

Neither team threatened until the 12th inning. Wake Forest put two runners on base that reached on walks with only one out. Clemson was able to get out of the inning by striking out Matt Price and forcing Cory Sullivan to ground out to short to end the inning.

Ellis finished 2 for 7 with the lone RBI, while Stanley, Schmidt and Riley were all 2 for 4 on the afternoon.

Thomas Boozer who came on to record the final out in the top of the 12th, got the win to improve to 1-1 on the year. David Bush who pitched the final five innings for the Deacons was tagged with the loss to fall to 2-2.

Clemson improved to 30-8 overall and 7-3 in the ACC, while Wake Forest dropped to 31-10-1 and 11-5.