April 9, 2006
Final Stats
CLEMSON, S.C. - The Maryland Terrapins (14-20, 6-12 ACC) dropped their series finale against seventh-ranked Clemson, 15-7, on Sunday afternoon at Kingsmore Stadium. The Tigers scored four runs in the third and posted a pair of five-run innings as they won their ninth consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference game.
It marked just the second time that Maryland, which has played the 10th hardest schedule in college baseball, has been swept all year.
Starter Stephen Faris (4-0) earned the victory for Clemson, allowing seven hits and five runs with six strikeouts in six innings. Lefty Brett Tidball (3-5) was charged with the loss after allowing eight runs on seven hits over four innings on the hill.
Already up, 1-0, Clemson increased its lead to five in the third inning. Three singles off Tidball loaded the bases for Andy D'Allesio, who drove a 2-2 pitch over the fence in right for his second grand slam of the season.
Maryland began to dip into the Tiger lead in the top of the fourth. First baseman Gerry Spessard reached on an error by the shortstop and moved to second after a single by Chad Durakis. Jordan Wilson followed with an RBI single to center on the first offering he saw from Faris as the Terps closed to 5-1. They cut the deficit to three during their next at-bat when Steve Braun tripled to right and came in to score on a base hit to center by Spessard.
A two-run homer by second baseman Taylor Harbin in the fifth bumped the Tiger lead back up five at 7-2. Following a walk to the next Tiger hitter, Tidball was removed in favor of right-hander Kevin Biringer. Clemson would go on to score three more runs in the inning, assuming a commanding 10-2 advantage.
The Terps scored three times in the top of the sixth off Faris. Wilson came in on a grounder to third by Braun and Matt Maropis drove in two more on a double to right as the Terps made it a 10-5 game. But Clemson tacked on five runs in its half of the frame to go up by double digits.
In the seventh, Jon Greenwich hit a pinch hit RBI double to right-center and Durakis scored on a groundout by Mike Murphy, pushing Maryland's run total to seven on the afternoon.
Maryland will be home for its next six games. Old Dominion comes to town on Tuesday night followed by a visit from James Madison on Wednesday. The Terps will then host North Carolina State in a three-game ACC weekend series at Shipley Field before finishing up the home stand with a matchup against West Virginia on April 18.
