Box Score Baseball Falls to #21 Clemson 9-6 More Information:
CLEMSON, S.C. – The 18
th-ranked Coastal Carolina University baseball team (15-3) gave up eight runs in the first two innings and despite an eight-strikeout performance in relief by freshman
Cody Wheeler (Spotsylvania, Va./Spotsylvania), the Chanticleers fell to 21
st-ranked Clemson (11-6) 9-6 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Wheeler came in with one out in the second and only gave up one hit and one run in 6.2 innings. His eight strikeouts tie a career high, set March 5 against Toledo. Coastal got the leadoff runner, freshman
Scott Woodward (Markle, Ind./Norwell) on with an infield single, but did no damage in the top of the first. Clemson would then score three runs in the bottom of the first. Stan Widmann led off the inning with a double to right. Wilson Boyd then hit a chopper to first that was mishandled by freshman
Rich Witten (Danville, Ky./Danville). Witten tried to throw out Boyd, but his throw was wild, scoring Widmann. Doug Hogan then hit his fourth home run of the year, a towering shot to left field, making it 3-0 Clemson. In the top of the second, sophomore
Adam Rice (Murphy, Texas/Elgin C.C.) led off with a single for the Chanticleers. He moved to second on a single from senior
Tommy Baldridge (Fort Mill, S.C./Fort Mill). Coastal loaded the bases when junior
Tyler Bortnick’s (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor) sacrifice bunt was thrown away by Clemson pitcher Matt Zoltak. The Tigers would get out of the jam as senior
Derek Martin (Barnwell, S.C./Barnwell) fouled out and Witten grounded into a double play. Clemson came right back in the second as John Hinson hit his first career home run, a two-run shot, to give Clemson a 5-0 lead. Hogan made it 8-0 Clemson with a three-run home run off junior
David Anderson (Lexington, S.C./White Knoll). Coastal cut into the Tiger lead in the fourth. With two out, Bortnick walked and Martin singled to left field. Witten then hit his first career home run, a lined shot to right field, making it 8-3 Clemson. Coastal added a run in the sixth. Martin singled with one out and sophomore
Chance Gilmore (Surfside Beach, S.C./Virginia) walked. Freshman
Rico Noel (Lawton, Okla./Lawton) loaded the bases with a bunt single. Woodward brought in Martin with a sacrifice fly to left. Clemson made it a 9-4 game in the eighth. J.D. Burgess started the inning with a double. He moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a sacrifice fly from Alex Lee. In the ninth, Baldridge hit a two-run home run, his fourth of the season. Justin Sarratt earned the win for Clemson in relief. Zoltak gave up three runs and five hits in four innings for the Tigers. Anderson fell to 3-1 on the year, giving up seven earned runs in 1.1 innings. Martin and Bortnick had two hits apiece in the loss. Witten drove in three runs while Baldridge had two runs-batted-in. For Clemson, Widmann and Hogan had two hits, with Hogan driving in five runs. Coastal will finish up its two-game road trip Wednesday, March 19 at UNC Wilmington. The game was moved up to 4 p.m., to hopefully avoid the rain that’s scheduled to hit the Wilmington area Wednesday night.
