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Game One
The first game pitted Maryland's Jake Stinnett vs. Clemson's ace, RHP Daniel Gossett (2 - 0 , 2.50 ERA). Back in the line-up for the Terps was Charlie White, who sat out last Sunday's game with a shoulder injury. LaMonte Wade started in right field as Mike Rescigno played first base.
Clemson jumps out on top in a pitchers' duel
With one out in the second Shane Kennedy hit a high fly to deep left center that kept carrying. And carrying. Clemson led 1 - 0. Maryland had men in scoring position with one out in each of the first two innings. But Gossett brought some serious heat and struck out two straight batters both times.
In the Clemson fourth Stinnett fanned the first two hitters. Kennedy hit Stinnett hard again, with a sharp single to right. Jay Baum blooped a single to right that sent Kennedy to third. But Stinnett got Weston Wilson to ground out to third.
Gossett looked impressive though five innings. He allowed only four hits while striking out four. The Terps had men in scoring position in three of those innings but couldn't get the clutch hit. Stinnett also pitched well, fooling the Clemson hitters with his breaking pitches. Both pitchers had a strong sixth inning and seventh innings: we went to the eighth with Clemson still on top by a run.
Montville's homer ties the score, but Clemson responds
Clemson managed only an infield hit in the top of the eighth. With one out in the bottom of the inning Blake Schmit fouled a 1 - 0 pitch off his face and had to leave the game. Michael Montville came in and smacked the very first pitch for a home run to center. Kyle Convissar singled but was thrown out trying to steal. Kevin Martir grounded out to end the inning.
Brandon Casas came in to pitch in the top of the ninth. Stinnett's line: eight innings, seven hits, two walks, one run, and six strikeouts. Steve Wilkerson led off with a double down the right field line. Kevin Mooney relieved Casas. Kennedy blasted a triple off the center field wall. Baum hit a fly to right but Wade's throw just missed getting Kennedy at the plate. Clemson led 3 - 1. Wilson singled to right. Slaton lined one that Charlie White made a great diving catch on. Mooney struck out Krieger but the damage had been done.
Clemson's closer RHP Matt Campbell came on to pitch for Clemson. Papio struck out looking, Wade flew out to deep right, and Rescigno fanned: Clemson won 3 - 1.
Brandon Casas took the loss to go 0 - 1. Gossett got the win to move to 3 - 0 and Campbell got his fifth save of the year.
Game Two
In the nightcap Maryland sent out undefeated Mike Shawaryn (5 - 0) to face LHP Matthew Crownover (4 - 2, 3.08 ERA).
Tigers get to Shawaryn in the first
Tyler Slaton lined a single to right and went to second on a wild pitch. After a pop-up and a strike out, Steve Duggar hit a ground ball on a 0 - 2 pitch that sneaked through the left side of the infield; Slaton came around from second to score the first run. Chris Okey walked, then Steve Wilkerson blasted a three-run shot to put Clemson up 4 - 0. Shawaryn sailed through the second. With two outs in the Tigers' third Wilkerson (who had homered in his previous at bat) laced a double off the wall. But Shawaryn got Shane Kennedy on strikes, the first time today that Kennedy had been retired. Clemson's Crownover allowed only a single by Brandon Lowe and hit Mike Rescigno in the first three frames.
With two outs in the Clemson fourth Slaton and Tyler Krieger hit back-to-back singles. But Krieger was picked off and LaMonte Wade fired to Kevin Martir to nip Slaton. Through four innings Clemson had collected eight hits but their lead remained at four runs.
In the Terps' fourth Crownover again retired the Terps, with Anthony Papio's two-out double just missing a home run.
Clemson bats continue to pound away
Duggar crushed a one-out triple in the top of the fifth. That was it for Shawaryn who was replaced by Bobby Ruse. He was rudely greeted by Okey who hit a two-run homer. Clemson was now ahead 6 - 0. Ruse settled down after that and held the Clemson bats in check.
Through six innings the Terps had only two hits. Crownover had struck out six and had not issued a walk.
Terps get on the board
Martir began the Terps’ seventh with a solid single to left. After Crownover struck out Papio and Rescigno, Lowe slammed a shot off the right field wall for an RBI triple. But he was stranded there as Cuas hit a ground ball back to the pitcher.
Clemson got the run back in the top of the eighth on a double by Wilkerson and a pinch-hit triple by Mike Dunster.
The Terps didn't score in the eighth or the ninth and Crownover had the complete game victory.
Mike Shawaryn suffered his first loss of the year (5 – 1). Matthew Crownover got the victory (5 – 2) for Clemson.