April 26, 2013
CLEMSON, S.C. – Sam Dove had two hits and an RBI for No. 19 Georgia Tech, but Clemson scored 11 times over the final five innings to take the first game of Friday’s doubleheader, 11-1, at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. A.J. Murray also had two hits and an RBI for the Yellow Jackets.
Clemson broke the scoreless tie with a pair of unearned runs in the fifth inning, and it would prove all the Tigers (29-13, 14-8) needed in taking Friday’s series opener. The teams will tangle again Friday night at 7 p.m. on CSS and ESPN3 as the series schedule was adjusted by impending rain.
Tech (27-15, 11-11) left runners on in each of the first two innings and missed another prime scoring chance in the third after Daniel Spingola led off with a double. Spingola’s second two-bagger this year found the gap in right, but Clemson starter Daniel Gossett retired the next three Jackets in order to keep the game scoreless. He would face the minimum over the next three innings, while the Tigers’ offense went to work.
Gossett scattered five hits with four strikeouts over seven innings and improved to 7-2.
The Tigers tacked on a run in the sixth to make it 3-0, and Tech finally dented the scoreboard in the seventh as Zane Evans doubled to the left-field gap, followed two batters later by Dove’s RBI double to right. Tech left a pair stranded in the seventh, and Clemson pulled away for good thanks to a five-run, three-hit bottom of the seventh in which 11 Tigers came to the plate.
Farmer was on the hook for four earned runs over 6.1 innings with four strikeouts and absorbed the loss for the Jackets (7-3). Kyle Wren saw his nine-game hitting streak halted.
Gonzalez doubled in the ninth inning and eventually scored on an error. Murray plated the Jackets’ third run with an RBI single through the right side.
Tyler Krieger was 3-for-3 with two RBI and Jon McGibbon added a pair of hits and drove in three runs. Clemson batters drew eight walks in the game.
With rain in the forecast on Saturday and Sunday, the Tigers and Jackets will attempt to complete the series Saturday at 11 a.m.
