Clemson Defeats NC State 9-5

Friday, March 24

Clemson, S.C.

7:15 PM

NC State

21-6, 0

Clemson

14-6, 0

NC State

Clemson

3/24/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 24, 2006

Final Stats

CLEMSON, S.C. - Clemson took the suspense out of this one early, erupting for five runs in the bottom of the first inning and four more in the bottom of the second, then cruised to a 9-5 victory over 12th-ranked NC State in the first game of a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference baseball series at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

The win lifted No. 8 Clemson to 14-6 overall and 1-3 in the ACC. NC State fell to 21-6 and 5-2. Tigers righthander Josh Cribb (5-0) got the win after allowing two runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked two, both in the first inning, and struck out eight. Cribb kept the ball on the ground, recording seven outs on ground balls and just one on a fly ball. Wolfpack righthander Eryk McConnell (4-3) took the loss in his shortest outing of the season. McConnell allowed seven runs, all earned, on nine hits in just 1 1/3 innings. He struck out two and did not issue a walk.

Matt Camp went 3-for-5, scored twice and drove in a run for the Wolfpack, and Aaron Bates drove in a pair of runs on a sacrifice fly and a single in three offical at-bats. Andy D'Alessio had two hits, including a grand slam to lead the Tigers. Herman Demmink, Taylor Harbin and Stan Widmann had two hits apiece for Clemson.

The Tigers caused major damage in the bottom of the first in large part by taking. Demmink hit McConnell's first pitch into center field for a single. Brad Chalk bunted to the right side of the infield, but McConnell was late covering first and Chalk beat the throw for an infield single. Harbin followed with a bunt up the third-base line, just beating Matt Mangini's throw for a single that loaded the bases with none out. McConnell struck out Tyler Colvin for the first out, but D'Alessio homered to straightaway center field to give Clemson a 4-0 lead.

The Tigers still were not finished. Marquez Smith lined a single to right field, and Widmann blooped a single into shallow center to put runners on first and second, still with just one out. D.J. Mitchell's single through the left side of the infield drove in Smith to make it 5-0. McConnell got out of further trouble when Widmann was out at the plate trying to score on a passed ball and Adrian Casanova struck out looking.

The onslaught continued in the bottom of the second. Demmink led off with a single to center and Chalk sacrificed the runner to second. Harbin lined a single to center to drive in Demmink and make it 6-0 and drive McConnell to an early shower. Matt Payne came in to pitch and Tyler Colvin hit a line drive to center field that Camp misjudged. Camp came in on the ball, allowing it to go over his head and all the way to the fence for an RBI double, making it 7-0. D'Alessio popped up for the second out, but Smith walked on four pitches and Widmann's blooper to shallow center field rolled out of a diving Camp's glove when Camp hit the ground fully extended. Colvin and Smith scored on the play to give Clemson a 9-0 lead after two innings.

NC State's bullpen was exceptional after that. Clemson had just three more baserunners and just one hit in six innings the rest of the game. Wolfpack relievers walked three and struck out six, but the damage was done in the first two innings. NC State got on the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth. Jonathan Diaz led off with a single up the middle and Camp doubled off the top of the wall in right field to put runners on second and third with none out. Aaron Cone's grounder to second base drove in Diaz, and Bates's sacrifice fly to right field scored Camp, trimming the lead to 9-2.

The Pack added three more in the top of the sixth. Matt Mangini led off with a single through the left side. After Ramon Corona struck out, Sean Clark came in for Cribb and walked Jon Still to put runners on first and second. Diaz struck out for the second out, but the runners moved up to second and third on a wild pitch, and Camp's bunt single drove in Mangini. Cone followed with a single to left to drive in Still, and Bates singled through the left side to drive in Camp and cut the Clemson lead to 9-5 after six innings.

NC State and Clemson will play the second game of the series on Saturday at 7 p.m. Assuming the communication problems at Clemson have been resolved, the game will be broadcast live on WKNC (88.1 FM) on online at gopack.com.