Tigers finish 7-for-7 week with sweep

Clemson catcher Garrett Boulware is congratulated by teammates during the Tigers' win over Georgia Southern on Sunday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. (Photo by Rex Brown/IPTAY Media)

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By Steven Bradley

IPTAY Media

CLEMSON — Heading into the ninth inning of Sunday’s series finale against Georgia Southern, the Clemson baseball team had outscored its opponents 63-17 across seven games last week, certainly a meaningful score in the school’s sporting lore.

While the Tigers allowed a run in the ninth and only finished the week with a 63-18 edge, which doesn’t have nearly the same ring as the score of the football program’s memorable 2003 win over rival South Carolina, it doesn’t diminish the dominant form Clemson showed in winning seven games in seven days for the first time since also achieving the feat between March 3-9, 1994.

“That’s about as good as you can ask for,” Clemson head coach Jack Leggett said. “I thought we played really well this weekend. We had good energy and were really good offensively. Our bunt game was excellent, we ran the bases really well, got some timely hits and put pressure on them. I thought our pitching was good all weekend long, and our defense was good.

“We’ve got the engine churning pretty good right now. We’ve just got to keep it up.” [Read more...]

From the Desk of Dan Radakovich

May 13, 2013

Hello Tiger fans!

I am headed off to the ACC spring meetings this week in Florida. In my next writing, I hope to have much content to discuss as a result of those meetings. In the meantime, I thought it would be appropriate to focus this space on the student-athletes that graduated from Clemson last Friday. I had the privilege to be on hand for each of the three ceremonies as part of the president’s administrative council. It was wonderful to see so many orange stoles, which are worn to signify student-athletes, in each ceremony!

I thought I would share the wonderful success stories of a few of them. In all, 49 student-athletes walked across the stage in Littlejohn Coliseum to receive their degrees from President Barker. (See complete list of 2013 spring graduates below). It was particularly heart-warming to see some of our student-athletes who returned to earn degrees several years after their Tiger careers ended. [Read more...]

Even at half strength, Crownover continues to deliver

By William Qualkinbush

CLEMSON — Prior to his start against Georgia Southern on Saturday, Clemson lefthander Matthew Crownover knew it would be a special day. After the first few pitches, however, he changed his tune.

“I threw one of my best bullpens all year,” Crownover said. “I threw about 15 pitches, and I threw everything I wanted to. Then I got onto the mound and I threw four straight balls.”

After a brief rough patch, the Georgian settled down and stoked the Tigers to a 7-0 victory over Georgia Southern. His start was one of many solid performances on the mound for the Tigers during a three-game sweep of the Eagles.

Crownover allowed a mere three hits in seven innings of work, walking three and striking out eight. It was his fifth shutout win of the season and second consecutive quality start. [Read more...]

Bouncing back becoming commonplace for Gossett

Clemson sophomore Daniel Gossett recorded a season-high 12 strikeouts in a win over Georgia Southern on Friday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. (Photo by Dawson Powers)

By William Qualkinbush

CLEMSON — The last time Daniel Gossett stood atop the Doug Kingsmore Stadium mound, the results were not pretty. He walked off after recording only seven outs against a Maryland team that would beat his Clemson squad at the end of the day.

The loss stung, perhaps more than Gossett would have liked to admit at the time. The old adage, “Time heals all wounds,” did not apply. The only way for Gossett to erase the bad memories was to go out and make new ones against Georgia Southern on Friday night.

The sophomore did the job, allowing only one run on two hits in 7.1 innings in a 7-1 victory that set the tone for a weekend sweep of the Eagles. Six days after allowing four runs in his second-shortest career start, Gossett allowed only five baserunners during his time on the mound and recorded a season-high 12 strikeouts. [Read more...]

Koerner finds command, helps Tigers take two

Clemson freshman Brody Koerner delivers against Furman during the first game of a doubleheader Wednesday at Fluor Field in Greenville. (Photo by Rex Brown/IPTAY Media)

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By Steven Bradley

IPTAY Media

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Six walks, four wild pitches and an error usually don’t make for a great day at the park for a pitcher, but pairing them with six innings of one-hit ball will do the trick.

Such was the case for Clemson freshman Brody Koerner, who worked around early control issues to blank Furman for six frames and lift the Tigers to a 14-2 victory in the first game of their doubleheader Wednesday at Fluor Field.

“I figured I had to go five (innings) and get a quality start in for our bullpen to kind of save some arms,” Koerner said. “I had a rough start, but luckily I was able to go and give us six to help us out.” [Read more...]

Freshman southpaws staking claim to weekend spots

Clemson freshman Matthew Crownover delivers against Maryland on May 6 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. (Photo by Dawson Powers)

CLEMSON — Technically it was a weekday, but Zack Erwin and Matthew Crownover showed in Clemson’s May 6 twinbill with Maryland why they have garnered spots in head coach Jack Leggett’s weekend rotation as freshmen.

The southpaws have already ascended to weekend-starter status for the Tigers early in their young careers, but a bad-weather weekend forced the series to finish with a Monday doubleheader at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

Erwin and Crownover combined to earn victories on either end, winning the opener 3-2 behind the former and the nightcap 9-5 behind the latter to take the Atlantic Coast Conference series from the Terrapins.

“These were really important for us because we’re around the bubble of hosting an NCAA regional or not,” Crownover said. “So all the wins we can get, the better.” [Read more...]

Kennedy embodies versatility of Tiger lineup

Clemson designated hitter Shane Kennedy, left, is greeted at home plate by teammate Steven Duggar after his two-run home run against Maryland on Saturday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. (Photo by Dawson Powers)

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By William Qualkinbush

CLEMSON — Hitters in the middle of high-major collegiate baseball batting orders have certain assumed characteristics. There are certain things those kinds of hitters generally can or cannot do that distinguish them.

They do not lay down sacrifice bunts or lead their teams in total sacrifice hits. They do not steal bases at an impressive clip. They do not lead their teams in on-base percentage.

But Shane Kennedy does all of those things for the Clemson baseball team.

The Tigers’ designated hitter, who has also played third base this season, has come in after an excellent career in junior college and held down a spot in the middle of the batting order for head coach Jack Leggett.

But at a school with a recent tradition of power hitters spraying homers all over Doug Kingsmore Stadium, Kennedy has redefined what a middle-of-the-order batter looks like relative to the rest of the lineup. [Read more...]

Krieger delivers Tigers twinbill sweep of Tech

Clemson shortstop Tyler Krieger celebrates with teammates after his bases-loaded single in the 11th inning lifted the Tigers to a 4-3 win over Georgia Tech on Friday night at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. (Photo by Dawson Powers)

Clemson nabs first doubleheader sweep of top-20 team since 2000

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By Steven Bradley

IPTAY Media

CLEMSON — Tyler Krieger was so ecstatic over his walk-off hit against Georgia Tech late Friday night, he almost forgot he needed to run to first base to make it official.

Fortunately for the freshman, his Clemson teammates were there to remind him.

“The whole bench was out here,” Krieger said. “Coach (Brad) Chalk was screaming at me. I touched first — and there’s nothing like getting tackled after a win. It doesn’t get much better than that.” [Read more...]

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