March 28, 2008
Box Score
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
A ninth-inning comeback attempt by the University of Maryland fell just short and Clemson held on for a 2-1 victory over the Terrapins in an Atlantic Coast Conference baseball game played Friday before 368 at Shipley Field.
The victory in the first of a three-game weekend series improved Clemson's record to 17-7 overall and 5-5 in the league, as the Tigers won their fifth straight and their eighth in the last nine games. Maryland fell to 13-12 overall and 2-8 in the ACC.
Clemson starter D.J. Mitchell scattered four hits over eight innings and went into the bottom of the ninth with a 2-0 lead. Chad Durakis opened with a walk and A.J. Casario came on to pinch run. Gerry Spessard then singled to right field, chasing Casario to second.
Nick Jowers then laid down a sacrifice bunt that Mitchell bobbled for an error. The Tiger pitcher then threw the ball past first base and Maryland's runners all cruised around the bases. The ball lodged in the right-field fence, however, and the play became dead with only one Maryland run scoring on the play.
Casey Harman came on to pitch with runners on second and third, and forced Will Greenberg to ground out and struck out Joe Palumbo. Tiger closer Matt Vaughn then came on and got Steve Braun, who had two of Maryland's five hits, to ground out to first to end the game. Vaughn's save was his ACC-high eighth of the season.
Mitchell finished as the winning pitcher, improving to 3-2 by allowing five hits, three walks and no earned runs while striking out six.
Maryland starter Scott Swinson (3-3), who had won his last two ACC series-openers, pitched well again for the Terps. The sophomore transfer gave up only six hits and one earned run in six innings of work.
Clemson sophomore Mike Freeman finished with three of the Tigers' eight hits.
The Tigers scored in the first inning when Ben Paulsen singled in Freeman with two out. The Tigers made it 2-0 in the sixth when an RBI single by Kyle Parker drove in Doug Hogan, who had reached on an outfield error.
Maryland and Clemson play again on Saturday at 4 p.m., with the series finale set for Sunday at 1 p.m.
Clemson (17-7, 5-5) 100 001 000 - 2 8 3
Maryland (13-12, 2-8) 000 000 001 - 1 5 1
D.J. Mitchell, Casey Harman (9), Matt Vaughn (9) and Doug Hogan;
Scott Swinson,
Brett Tidball (7),
Brett Jones (8) and
Chad Durakis. W - Mitchell, 3-2. L - Swinson, 3-3. Sv - Vaughn, 8.
