April 22, 2009
COLUMBIA, S.C. – After five scoreless innings, Clemson erupted in the final four innings on its way to a 12-2 win over South Carolina on Wednesday night at Carolina Stadium. Carolina starting pitcher Adam Westmoreland was perfect through five innings before the Tigers got on the scoreboard in the sixth. Ben Paulsen and Kyle Parker each homered as Clemson improved to 28-14 on the year. The loss drops South Carolina to 27-15 for the season. The two teams split the series 2-2 on the season. Carolina returns to action this weekend at Florida with first pitch for the opener set for 6:30 p.m. in Gainesville.
It was a pitcher’s duel to start as both Westmoreland and Clemson starter Scott Weismann kept the teams at bay on the mound. Westmoreland retired 15 in a row before yielding a leadoff walk to Brad Miller to start the sixth inning. That is when the momentum shifted to the Tigers side as John Nester followed with a single and both runners were sacrificed over to second and third base by Addison Johnson. With one out and runners in scoring position, Jeff Schaus lifted a 1-2 pitch into centerfield. On the play, Gamecock center fielder Whit Merrifield looked to make a throw home but missed the fly ball allowing Schaus to reach base and scoring Miller from third for the first Tigers run. Nester would score on the next play as Mike Freeman tallied an RBI ground out. That brought Ben Paulsen, who laced a two-out RBI single to left field scoring Schaus. With Clemson leading 3-0, Kyle Parker reached base on a walk that ended the game for Westmoreland. With Carolina reliever Curtis Johnson on the mound, Wilson Boyd drove in two more for Clemson with a RBI triple off the center field wall.
Clemson’s 5-0 lead increased to 8-0 in the top of the eighth inning as Paulsen launched a solo homer and Nester driving in a pair with a two-out RBI single.
Carolina would get on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the eighth as DeAngelo Mack drove in two with a RBI double to right center. Mack finished the night 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Clemson finished the scoring in the top of the ninth inning with a four spot against the Gamecocks. Parker drove in three with a homer to right center and Nester had his third RBI and third hit with a single that scored Wilson Boyd as the Tigers went up 12-2 and sealed a victory at Carolina Stadium.
Clemson out-hit Carolina 11-6 with Nester’s three hits leading the way. Paulsen and Parker were each 2-for-4 as well. Along with Mack’s two hits, the Gamecocks also got two hits from Merrifield.
Clemson reliever Matt Vaughn picked up the win after three scoreless innings of relief. He is 3-1 on the year. Westmoreland allowed five runs, one earned, on two hits with six strikeouts to take the loss. He is 3-2 on the year.
At the conclusion of Wednesday’s game, Carolina and Clemson handed out the Tom Price Award and Bob Bradley Award for the respective MVP’s of each team for the season series. DeAngelo Mack, who had two game-winning hits in the two Carolina wins, was the Tom Price Award Winner and Kyle Parker was the Bob Bradley Award winner.
