April 20, 2002

The top-ranked Clemson Tigers used two two-out home runs to defeat the Duke Blue Devils, 4-1, Saturday afternoon at Jack Coombs Field.

Despite solid defense and good pitching, the Blue Devils dropped their second game in a row to the Tigers.

"I'm pleased with the way we've played the last two days," Duke head coach Bill Hillier said. "We played good defense and we pitched well. Clemson's pitching has done a good job of shutting us down in key situations and that's why they're the No. 1 team in the country. What we've done the last two days is elevate our game to another level. I'm anxious to see how we do tomorrow."

Both starting pitchers, Duke's Jeff Alleva and Clemson's B.J. LaMura pitched in and out of trouble in the early innings. The Blue Devils had two runners on and just one out but LaMura got an inning-ending double play. In the second, Duke had runners on first and third with one out after Troy Caradonna extended his hitting streak to nine games, but LaMura recorded back-to-back strikeouts to get out of the jam.

Alleva also escaped early Clemson scoring threats. The Tigers had runners on first and third with only one out, but Alleva ended the inning with a strikeout and a pop up to shortstop. Clemson loaded the bases with no one out in the top of the second, but Steve Pyzik hit into a pitcher-to-catcher-to first double play and after a walk, Alleva got Kyle Frank to pop up to end the inning.

Clemson broke a scoreless tie with a two-out, two-run home run by Jeff Baker in the fifth inning.

The Blue Devils got one back in the sixth. Bryan Smith singled with one out and advanced to third on two wild pitches. Caradonna sent Smith home on a ground ball to third and reached on a fielding error by the third baseman. Grant Stanley singled, but Duke once again stranded two runners when Thomas Boozer got the final two outs in relief of LaMura.

Clemson took a 4-1 lead on its second two-out, two run homer of the game. Jeff Hourigan sent a 2-2 pitch by Zach Schreiber over the left field wall.

Alleva (5-5) took the loss for the Blue Devils, allowing two runs on six hits and four walks while striking out four in five innings. LaMura (4-1) scattered eight hits and three walks in 5.1 innings for the win. He struck out five batters. Boozer pitched the final 3.2 innings for his second save of the season.

Duke (19-21, 1-10 ACC) and Clemson (33-5, 9-2 ACC) conclude their three-game series Sunday at 1:30 p.m.