May 20, 2006

Box Score

CLEMSON, S.C. - Clemson grabbed a 7-1 lead after three innings and the No. 3 Tigers never looked back for a 7-3 victory over No. 22 Wake Forest Saturday afternoon to complete a three-game sweep of the Demon Deacons. Wake Forest drops to 33-20 overall and 16-13 in the ACC, while Clemson improves to 43-13 and 24-6.

The loss locks the Deacs into the seventh or eighth seed for next week's ACC Tournament. Wake Forest could earn the seventh seed with an NC State loss Saturday night at Florida State. The Deacs would be the eighth seed with a Wolfpack victory over the Seminoles.

Redshirt senior Justin Keadle (5-3) was charged with the loss. The righty went only 2.2 innings and was roughed up for seven earned runs on seven hits. Keadle issued two walks and did not register a strikeout for the first time in his Demon Deacon career.

Clemson starting pitcher Jason Berken (9-3) was credited with the victory. With the ACC Tournament just around the corner and working on a pitch count, the righty tossed just 3.2 innings and allowed three runs, all unearned, on three hits. Berken walked one, the Tigers' only free pass of the entire series, and fanned three Demon Deacons.

Junior All-American Matt Antonelli and redshirt sophomore Eric Williams paced the Deacon attack. Antonelli went 1-for-5 with a two-run double, while Williams went 3-for-4 with a run scored.

Four Tigers had two hits a piece. Junior Tyler Colvin went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two RBI. Senior Travis Storrer went 2-for-3 with a run scored and three RBI. Colvin finished the weekend 11-for-13 with three home runs and 14 RBI. Colvin, who singled in his last plate appearance Thursday night and went 4-for-4 last night, had hits in seven straight plate appearances before drawing walks in his last two plate appearances on Saturday.

After the second weather related delay of the afternoon (this one lasting an hour and 53 minutes), Wake Forest put runners on first and second with no outs in the top of the eighth inning following singles from sophomore Brett Linnenkohl and freshman Allan Dykstra. Freshman Tyler Smith nearly legged out a bunt single, but was thrown out by a step. Both Dykstra and Linnenkohl moved into scoring position, but Clemson pitcher Sean Clark punched out sophomore Andy Goff and freshman Dustin Hood to keep the Wake Forest deficit, 7-3.

Daniel Moskos, the Tigers' sixth pitcher of the afternoon, did allow a one-out single from Williams in the ninth inning, but struck out redshirt junior Brendan Enick and senior Casey Sterk flied out to end the game.

The Clemson bullpen of Stephen Clyne, Ryan Hinson, Matt Vaughn, Sean Clark and Moskos did not allow a run over their 5.1 innings of work. They combined for seven punch outs.

Wake Forest grabbed its first lead of the weekend with a run in the top of the first inning. Freshman Evan Ocheltree singled and Dykstra reached on a hit by pitch. After both runners moved up on Linnenkohl's ground out, Ocheltree raced home when Clemson catcher Adrian Casanova dropped ball four. With runners on the corners, Goff laced Berken's first offering of the at-bat down the right field line, but Tiger first baseman Andy D'Alessio made a great pick to end the inning.

The 1-0 Wake Forest lead did not even last an inning. Colvin continued his torrid streak with a seeing-eye single that scored sophomore Brad Chalk. Storrer followed with a two-run double that just evaded the out-stretched glove of Ocheltree in right centerfield. Keadle kept the Tigers lead, 3-1, getting consecutive ground outs to end the inning.

After Keadle sent down the Tigers in order in the second, Clemson pushed the lead to 7-1 in the bottom of the third inning and Colvin was in the mix again. After Chalk walked and moved to second on a wild pitch, Colvin singled to left field pushing the Tigers lead to three runs. He promptly stole second base and came home on Storrer's RBI single up the middle. After D'Alessio drew a two-out walk, Stan Widmann laced a two strike, two out double into the left centerfield gap scoring a pair. That would spell the end of the afternoon for Keadle.

Junior reliever Josh Ellis did his part to keep the Deacons in the contest. With a runner in scoring position and four runs already across in the bottom of the fourth, Ellis retired D'Allesio to end the inning and proceeded to keep the Tigers scoreless over the next 3.0 innings. The right-handed hurler worked 3.1 scoreless innings and only allowed one hit. He did walk four, but also fanned three.

Sophomore closer Ben Hunter was also tremendous in his only action of the weekend. The righty pitched 2.1 scoreless innings and surrendered just one hit. Hunter struck out three and did not walk a batter.

The Deacons return to action on Wednesday in Jacksonville, Fla., for the 2006 ACC Tournament. Wake Forest's opening and game are yet to be determined.