April 13, 2005
Clemson, S.C. – Stephen Faris pitched a complete game five-hitter and the Clemson offense added four home runs and 15 hits as the Tigers defeated fourth ranked South Carolina 12-2 on Wednesday night at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The loss snaps South Carolina’s nine-game winning streak with the Gamecocks now 28-6 on the season and Clemson 19-13 on the year.
Faris limited Carolina to just two runs while striking out seven and walking one. Faris is now 3-1 on the season. South Carolina starting pitcher Andrew Cruse suffered his first loss of the season and is now 3-1 on the season. In his first career start, Cruse worked one 2/3 innings allowing three runs on four hits with three strikeouts and two walks.
Clemson went ahead in the second inning with three runs and chased Cruse. The Tigers opened their scoring on a one-out solo home run from Travis Storrer. The home run for Storrer was his third of the season and cleared the center field wall. After loading the bases, Clemson scored its second run on a passed ball on catcher Ryan Mahoney. Wynn Pelzer came on in relief for Cruse with two outs and the bases loaded and balked to score Clemson’s third run. Kris Harvey would increase Clemson’s lead to 4-0 in the third inning with a solo homer to left field.
Carolina scored its first run of the game in the fourth inning with Steven Tolleson and Steve Pearce each extending their hitting streaks to eight games. Tolleson hit a one-out double down the right field line and scored on a RBI single up the middle from Pearce.
Clemson would score three times in the bottom half though and take a 7-1 lead. Stan Widmann singled, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a RBI single from Herman Demmink. Taylor Harbin would add a RBI single to score two more and give the Tigers a six-run edge.
Ryan Mahoney cut the Tiger deficit to five runs as he led off the fifth inning with a solo homer to right field, his second homer of the year. Tyler Colvin would homer for the Tigers in the seventh inning bringing its lead back to six runs and Harbin added a three-run homer in the eighth inning.
South Carolina returns to action on Friday at 7 p.m. beginning a three-game series vs. Vanderbilt at Sarge Frye Field. Saturday’s game is scheduled for 4 p.m. with Sunday’s finale first pitch at 1:30 p.m. Carolina enters the weekend in a three-way tie for first place in the SEC with an 8-4 conference record.
