May 17, 2012

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Clemson takes down top ranked Florida State again

May 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

 

Spencer Kieboom played a key role in game one (file photo)

Story from Clemson SID:

Clemson scored nine combined runs in the first four innings and held on for a 9-7 victory over #1 Florida State in the first game of a doubleheader at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Monday afternoon. The Tigers, who took a 2-0 series lead, improved to 31-20 overall and 16-10 in the ACC. The Seminoles fell to 40-11 overall and 21-5 in ACC play. Clemson’s 31st win of the year also assured the Tigers of a final winning record for the 48th consecutive season and a final non-losing record for the 55th straight year.

The loss meant that Florida State lost its first weekend series of the 2012 season. The Seminoles had won each of their last 12 regular-season weekend series dating to 2011, when Clemson handed the Seminoles a 2-1 series loss in Tallahassee to close the 2011 regular season. The win for the Tigers was also their 14th all-time victory over a top-ranked team.

The Tigers built a 9-1 lead after four innings, but the Seminoles chipped away with two runs in the sixth, seventh, and ninth innings. In the ninth inning, they put the tying run on second base with one out, but fell short.

Tiger starter Kevin Pohle (6-2) earned the win by tossing 6.0 strong innings. He gave up six hits, three runs (one earned), and one walk. Scott Firth pitched the final 2.2 innings with three strikeouts to record his second save of the season.

Florida State starter Mike Compton (9-1) suffered his first loss of the year. He yielded six hits, six runs (three earned), and one walk with one strikeout in 1.1 innings pitched. Peter Miller pitched the final 4.1 innings without allowing a run as well. The three Florida State pitchers combined to strand 11 Tigers on base, including seven in scoring position.

The Tigers grabbed the game’s first lead in the first inning after the first two batters were retired. Richie Shaffer flared a two-out double down the left-field line and scored on Phil Pohl’s single to left-center. Jay Baum followed with another double down the left-field line, but Pohl was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

In the second inning, Clemson took advantage of two Seminole errors to score five runs, three of which were unearned. Jon McGibbon led off with an infield single and Spencer Kieboom reached on a throwing error by third-baseman John Holland. Brad Felder followed with a single to center to score McGibbon. Two batters later, Steve Wilkerson laced a double to right-center to score Kieboom and Felder. The two-bagger also extended Wilkerson’s hitting streak to 13 games. After Thomas Brittle was hit-by-pitch, both Wilkerson and Brittle stole a base on the same pitch, then Wilkerson scored when the throw to third was errant. After Shaffer walked, Pohl struck out, and Baum was intentionally walked to load the bases, McGibbon drew a two-out walk on nine pitches to score Brittle.

In the third inning, Josh Delph led off with a single up the middle and Jose Brizuela lined a 1-2 pitch to right field for a single. After Sherman Johnson’s lineout to right field moved Delph to third, Devon Travis reached on a fielder’s choice as Brizuela was retired at second and Delph scored.

The Tigers added to their lead in the fourth inning. Shaffer led off with a walk and advanced to second on Pohl’s groundout to first. Baum walked as Shaffer moved to third on a wild pitch, then Baum stole second. Two batters later with two outs, Kieboom blooped a double down the left-field line to score Shaffer and Baum. Felder followed with a single up the middle to plate Kieboom.

In the sixth inning, James Ramsey drew a one-out walk after being down in the count 0-2 and Jayce Boyd lined a 1-2 pitch to left field for a single. Both runners moved up a base on Lee Howard’s groundout, then John Nogowski reached with two outs on a throwing error by Shaffer at third that allowed Ramsey and Boyd to score.

The Seminoles cut further into Clemson’s lead in the seventh inning. Delph led off with a single to right-center and Brizuela was hit-by-pitch. Giovanny Alfonzo reached on a fielder’s choice as Delph was retired at third, then Travis walked on 10 pitches to load the bases. Ramsey was hit-by-pitch to score Brizuela, then Boyd lofted a sacrifice fly to center to score Alfonzo.

Travis led off the ninth inning with a double to left-center, then Ramsey reached on an infield single. Boyd’s sacrifice fly to right-center plated Travis, then pinch-hitter Stephen Spradling singled through the left side. Nogowski followed with a single to left-center to load the bases, then Seth Miller grounded a 1-2 pitch through the right side for a single to score Ramsey. But Delph flied out to right-center for out #2, then Brizuela struck out swinging to end the game.

Felder led Clemson’s nine-hit performance by going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run, while Kieboom totaled a team-high two RBIs. Clemson also amassed a season-high five stolen bases.

 

 

Filed Under: Clemson Tigers, Sports

Gamecock catcher earns USA Baseball National Team roster spot

May 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Grayson Greiner earns spot on Team USA (file photo)

USC freshman catcher Grayson Greiner has been selected to the roster for the 2012 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, it was announced on Monday afternoon. It is the ninth time in school history for a player to be selected to the collegiate team and it is the third consecutive season a Gamecock has been named to the team. Christian Walker was named to last year’s squad, although he was unable to participate due to a hamate bone injury. Jackie Bradley Jr. represented the Red, White & Blue after the 2010 season.

Players who have taken the field for the Collegiate National Team and have gone onto Major League Baseball success include such notables as Jim Abbott, Troy Glaus, Todd Helton, Ryan Howard, Barry Larkin, Tino Martinez, Dustin Pedroia, David Price, Huston Street, Mark Teixeira, Troy Tulowitzki, Jason Varitek, and Ryan Zimmerman.

SOUTH CAROLINA PLAYERS & USA BASEBALL COLLEGIATE NATIONAL TEAM

  • 2012 – Grayson Greiner, C
  • 2011 – Christian Walker, 1B (did not play due to injury) 2010 – Jackie Bradley Jr., OF
  • 2007 – Justin Smoak, 1B
  • 2003 – Matt Campbell, P
  • 2002 – Landon Powell, C
  • 1997 – Adam Everett, SS
  • 1989 – Brian Williams, P/OF
  • 1986 – Dave Hollins, 3B
Filed Under: Sports, USC Gamecocks

SC Athletic Hall of Fame will enshrine eight new members tonight (AUDIO)

May 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

 

Eckie Jordan, Hootie Johnson, June Rains and Dale Davis (left to right)

We will be on hand tonight as the SC Athletic Hall of Fame class of 2012 is officially enshrined.  There is a rundown of the latest class below. You can also scroll down to the bottom of the page to hear a few of the inductes’ comments during a news conference Monday afternoon.

Later we will post our interviews with the Hall of Famers we catch up with tonight.

BILL WILHELM: A 2011 inductee of the National College Baseball Hall of Fame, Coach Bill Wilhelm coached at Clemson for 36 years (1958-93) and never had a losing season. His 1,161 win total was fifth-best in the nation at the time of his retirement and still is in the top 20. He led Clemson to 19 regular-season ACC Championships, seven ACC Tournament titles, and remains the career wins leader in the ACC with 381. Wilhelm’s teams were immediately successful, with the 28-year-old head coach taking his first two teams to the College World Series in Omaha in 1958 and 1959. His teams would return to Omaha four more times in 1976, ‘77, ‘80 and ‘91. Among Wilhelm’s legacies was his invention of the ACC Tournament, which began in 1973 and provided the template for other conferences around the nation. From 1973-85, Wilhelm’s teams either won the ACC title or played in the championship game, a streak that speaks to the dominance of the baseball program under his leadership. Wilhelm coached 88 First-Team All-ACC selections and had 100 players sign professional contracts, with 27 players advancing to Major League careers. Wilhelm’s last team in 1993 provided a fitting farewell for the legendary coach, winning the ACC Tournament in dramatic fashion with a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning. The win earned Wilhelm his seventh tournament title, and in addition to 19 regular-season titles, gave him 26 ACC Championships in 36 years of coaching. He passed away in 2010.

HOOTIE JOHNSON: William W. “Hootie” Johnson, a member of Augusta National since 1968, became club chairman in 1998. He oversaw significant changes to the famous golf course, modified The Masters Golf Tournament qualifications for invitation, initiated 18-hole TV coverage and guided sizable charitable donations by the club. Johnson, who won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as a fullback at the University of South Carolina, embarked on a stellar banking career in 1953 in his hometown of Greenwood. In 1965, at age 34, he became the youngest president of a major bank (Banker’s Trust of South Carolina) in the Palmetto State. He retired in 2001 as chairman of the executive committee of the Bank of America Corp. in Charlotte.

DALE DAVIS: A 6-11, 252-pound big man who played basketball from 1987-91, Dale Davis is one of the best basketball players ever to play at Clemson. In 2000, he became the first men’s basketball player inducted into Clemson’s Ring of Honor. While at Clemson, he was an honorable mention All-American and the first ACC player to lead the conference in both rebounding and field goal percentage in consecutive years. He is one of just three players in conference history to accumulate 1,500 points, 1,200 rebounds, and 200 blocked shots in a career. He was named an All-ACC player three times, becoming only the fourth Clemson player to do so. He helped lead the Tigers to an ACC championship in 1990, the first title in program history. At the time of his graduation, he ranked in the Top-10 in ACC history in three categories and is one of only four players to lead the conference in rebounding three straight seasons. After graduating with a degree in management, Davis was drafted by the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the 1991 NBA Draft (13th overall). In his first nine years, he led the Pacers in field goal percentage and is ranked first in team history in that category and rebounding. In 2000, he was selected to participate in the NBA All-Star game. He played in the Final Four of the NBA Finals four times and was ranked 22nd in NBA history in career field goal percentage. He also played for Portland, Golden State, New Orleans and Detroit, and was inducted into the Clemson Hall of Fame in 1996.

STEPHEN DAVIS: A Spartanburg native and a graduate of Spartanburg High, Davis played three years (1993-95) for Auburn University starting in his sophomore year. He made the All-SEC team his last two seasons and graduated as the team’s fourth all-time leading rusher behind Joe Cribbs, James Brooks and Bo Jackson. He held the record for rush attempts (1,945), rush yards (8,052) and rushing TDs (65) amongst all Auburn alumni in NFL history. He was drafted in the fourth round (103rd overall) in the 1996 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins, where he was a fullback. He spent three seasons as a backup and fullback before getting the starting nod at the start of the 1999 season. That was his breakout season as he posted career highs and ended up representing the NFC in the Pro Bowl. Davis led the NFC in yards rushing with 1,405, and led the league in yards per carry (4.8). He was also the league’s leading non-kicking scorer, posting 108 points on 17 touchdowns and one 2-point conversion. He continued to post high numbers the following season en route to his second straight Pro Bowl selection. In 2001, Davis rushed for 1,432 yards, breaking the record he set in 1999 for most rushing yards in a season by a Redskin. He signed with the Carolina Panthers for the start of the ’03 season, and was a catalyst in leading the team to Super Bowl XXXVIII. Davis rushed for a career-high 1,444 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, and also finished in the top three for the NFL MVP voting that year.

JIM HUNTER: A Charleston native and longtime NASCAR executive, Jim Hunter started with NASCAR in 1968 as the public relations director Darlington International Raceway and then as president of the “Track Too Tough to Tame.” He implemented most the changes and improvements at the historic track when he served as president from 1993-01. Between his stints at Darlington, he worked as the PR director at Talladega Raceway. His climb up the NASCAR hierarchy put him in his final position of VP of Corporate Communications. NASCAR honored him by naming its track series standings the “Hunter Index” for Hunter’s work over the years in making the truck series an integral part of the business of racing. Hunter, one of the guiding forces behind NASCAR’s ascent from a regional to a national sport, played football and baseball at USC and then joined The State newspaper in the 60’s where he earned the nickname “Fumes” for his coverage of NASCAR. He passed away in 2010.

EVELYN “ECKIE” JORDAN: A diminutive guard, Eckie Jordan led her undefeated Pelzer High team in 1942 and dominated the women’s amateur basketball league in North Carolina, leading the Hanes Hosiery team of the Southern Textile league to 102 consecutive victories (the streak included three National AAU Championships (1951, ’52 & ‘53). She received the Teague Award in 1953 as the Carolinas’ most outstanding athlete. The five-time AAU All-American starred for the U.S. Gold Medal team at the 1955 Pan-Am Games. She also shined in softball and tennis in the Winston-Salem area. Jordan has been inducted into the National AAU Basketball Hall of Fame, the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame and the NC Softball Hall of Fame. Her jersey rotates with those of George Mikan and Bob Cousy in the Smithsonian Museum.

JUNE RAINES: June Raines coached USC baseball from 1977-96, replacing Bobby Richardson, and finished his tenure as the program’s all-time winningest coach at the time with a 763-380-2 record in 20 years. He took the Gamecocks to four College World Series (1977, ‘81, ’82 & ‘85), and finished as runner-up in 1977. Overall, he led Carolina to 11 NCAA tournaments and won four Regionals. He also had nine 40-win seasons and during the 1980s witnessed the program’s most successful run during his tenure as the Gamecocks made eight NCAA Tournaments, including seven straight from 1980-1986.

 

DUCE STALEY: A graduate of Airport High in West Columbia, Duce Staley, as a Gamecock senior in 1996, was ranked 13th in the nation in rushing with 1,116 rushing yards. In his South Carolina career, he attempted 345 rushes for 1,582 yards (4.58 per average) and also caught 59 passes for 489 yards and two touchdowns. Staley was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1997 NFL Draft and played for the Eagles through the ’03 season. He developed into the team’s perennial leading receiver through the Eagles’ screen-heavy West Coast offense, and later signed with Pittsburgh in ’04, becoming their top running back and was seen as the eventual heir apparent for Jerome Bettis. In 2005, the Steelers won Super Bowl XL, giving Staley his first-ever championship. He officially retired as a Philadelphia Eagle during the Eagles-Giants game on December 9, 2007, and currently serves as the team’s special teams quality control coach.

AUDIO: Hall of Fame group presser [28:16]

Filed Under: Sports

Clemson draws Purdue in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge

May 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Clemson will play host to Purdue on November 28th

The Clemson basketball team will take on Purdue at Littlejohn Coliseum on Wednesday, Nov. 28 in the 14th annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge, presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods. The game will be nationally televised by ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU. Time and network designations will be determined at a later date. The ACC won the first 10 challenges, while the Big Ten has won the last three.

All 12 games will also be available via WatchESPN, which delivers live access to ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN3 on PCs, smartphones and tablets to fans who receive ESPN’s linear networks as part of their video subscription from Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks or Verizon FiOS TV.

Clemson has a 9-4 record in the history of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Tigers have won six out of their last eight games in the event, including four straight as the road team. Last season, the Tigers won their fourth straight on the road with a convincing 71-55 triumph at Iowa. Clemson has also won at Penn State, Minnesota and Illinois during the four-game road winning streak in the challenge. Clemson is 4-2 at home in the history of the event.

This will serve as the fifth meeting between the two schools, and third matchup in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. It will also be the first game played between the head coaches, Clemson’s Brad Brownell and Purdue’s Matt Painter. Brownell is 205-112 (.647) in 10 seasons, 38-27 (.585) in two years at Clemson. Painter has a career record of 185-82 (.693) in eight seasons, 160-77 (.675) in seven years at Purdue.

Brownell, a native of the Hoosier State, has never faced Purdue in his coaching career. His wife, Paula, earned her undergraduate degree from Purdue in 1991. Brownell grew up in Evansville, IN and played Division III basketball at DePauw University.

The first meeting between the two teams took place in 1971-72, with Clemson claiming a 72-66 win in overtime at home. The two programs met again in 1973-74, where the Tigers won at Purdue and again in overtime, 81-80. Clemson and Purdue have won a game apiece in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, with the Boilermakers winning at home, 76-64 in 2003, and the Tigers defeating an eventual NCAA Tournament team 61-58 in 2007.

Clemson will return two starters in 2012-13, senior forwards Devin Booker and Milton Jennings. The Tigers will have 10 underclassmen among 12 scholarship players, five first-year freshmen and five sophomores. The Tigers went 16-15 in 2011-12, Brownell’s second season, including 8-8 in the ACC. It was the fifth consecutive season the Tiger program was at least .500 in conference play, a first in school history.

Purdue went 22-13 last season and advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament. The Boilermakers lost three of their top four scorers, including All-Big Ten performer Robbie Hummel, to graduation. Purdue has advanced to the NCAA Tournament each of the last six seasons.

 2012 ACC/Big Ten Challenge Schedule

Tuesday, Nov. 27

  • North Carolina at Indiana
  • NC State at Michigan
  • Minnesota at Florida State
  • Maryland at Northwestern
  • Iowa at Virginia Tech
  • Nebraska at Wake Forest

Wednesday, Nov. 28

  • Ohio State at Duke
  • Virginia at Wisconsin
  • Michigan State at Miami
  • Purdue at Clemson
  • Georgia Tech at Illinois
  • Boston College at Penn State
Filed Under: Clemson Tigers, Featured Stories, Sports

Clemson scalps top ranked FSU in series lid lifter (AUDIO)

May 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Spencer Kieboom homered Saturday night (file photo)

Story from Clemson SID:

Brad Felder, Richie Shaffer, and Spencer Kieboom all hit homers to propel Clemson to a 7-2 win over #1 Florida State in front of 5,822 fans at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Saturday night. The Tigers, who took a 1-0 series lead, improved to 30-20 overall and 15-10 in the ACC. The Seminoles fell to 40-10 overall and 21-4 in ACC play.

The victory was Clemson’s 13th in history over a top-ranked team and first since 2010, when the Tigers defeated #1 Arizona State in the College World Series. It was also Clemson’s first-ever win over a top-ranked team at home, as the previous 12 came away from home.

The Seminoles held a 2-0 lead until Felder’s solo homer in the fifth inning. Then in the sixth inning, Shaffer lined a solo homer to tie the score before Kieboom untied the score with a two-out, three-run homer later in the frame. Phil Pohl, who graduated on Friday, added a two-run double in the seventh inning for Clemson, who clinched a spot in the ACC Tournament with the win.

Daniel Gossett (6-2) earned the victory by tossing 4.0 scoreless innings. He allowed just two hits and five walks with three strikeouts. Starter Dominic Leone pitched 5.0 solid innings, yielding five hits, two runs, and three walks with five strikeouts. Leone and Gossett combined to limit Florida State to 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position and 0-for-8 with two outs. They also combined to allow only two of the Seminoles’ 19 baserunners to score, as Florida State stranded 14 runners on base.

Florida State starter Brandon Leibrandt (6-2) suffered the loss, as he gave up six hits, four runs, and one walk with six strikeouts in 5.2 innings pitched.

The Seminoles took the game’s first lead in the second inning. Justin Gonzalez reached on a bunt single with one out, stole second, and scored on Josh Delph’s single down the left-field line.

Devon Travis led off the top of the fifth inning with a single to center. Two batters later, Jayce Boyd grounded a one-out double down the left-field line to advance Travis to third. Stephen McGee followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to plate Travis. Felder cut Florida State’s lead in half in the bottom of the fifth inning when he lined a solo home run to right field, his sixth long ball of the season.

Shaffer tied the score in the sixth inning when he lined a 1-2 pitch off the left-field foul pole for a solo home run, his 10th long ball of the season. Two batters later, Jay Baum flared a two-out double to left-center, then Jon McGibbon walked. Kieboom came through with a three-run homer, his third long ball of the year, off the glove of left-fielder Jose Brizuela to give Clemson a 5-2 lead.

In the seventh inning, Jason Stolz led off with a single through the left side and advanced to second on Steve Wilkerson’s sacrifice bunt. After Thomas Brittle walked and Shaffer flied out, Pohl belted a two-out double down the left-field line to score Stolz and Brittle.

In the ninth inning, James Ramsey led off with a single to left-center on a 1-2 pitch, then the next two Seminoles were retired. Pinch-hitter John Nogowski drew a two-out walk, but pinch-hitter John Holland flied out to center to end the game.

Pohl led the Tigers, who totaled nine hits, by going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Stolz added two hits and a run, while Kieboom had a game-high three RBIs on his three-run homer. The three home runs matched Clemson’s previous season high, which came against Winthrop on April 3. Five of the Tigers’ seven runs came on two-out hits as well.

Wilkerson went 1-for-3 to extend his hitting streak to 12 games, while Brittle’s 22-game hitting streak, tied for eighth-longest in school history, came to an end. Brittle was 0-for-3 with a run and walk.

Travis led the Seminoles’ seven-hit performance by going 2-for-5 with a run. Florida State batters combined for eight walks and three hit-by-pitches. Florida State also had a batter reach base in all nine innings, while at least two Seminoles reached base in eight of the nine innings.

Clemson and Florida State will play game-two of the three-game series on Sunday at 1:00 PM. The game was originally scheduled to start at 6:30 PM, but the threat of inclement weather forced the move. Sunday’s game will be available live via webcast at ESPN3. Sunday will also be “Senior Day” at Clemson, as six Tigers will be honored during pregame ceremonies.

AUDIO: Jack Leggett postgame [3:58]

AUDIO: Spencer Keiboom [1:56]

AUDIO: Daniel Gossett [1:46]

BOX SCORE

Filed Under: Clemson Tigers, Sports
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