May 26, 2006
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) – Pinch-hitter Ben Hall singled home Taylor Harbin who had led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a double as Clemson edged Georgia Tech 3-2 Thursday to remain unbeaten in the Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Tournament at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
Hall, pinch-hitting for D.J. Mitchell, laced a sharp grounder in the hole between short and third. Harbin beat left fielder Jeff Kindel’s throw home to catcher Andy Hawranick. It was Hall’s first at-bat in the tournament.
Hall’s hit broke up a pitching duel between Tech’s Lee Hyde and Clemson’s Stephen Faris. Hyde threw a season-high eight innings, allowing the Tigers seven hits, only two in his last five innings of work.
Faris went seven innings and scattered three singles while allowing just one run. The junior right hander struck out eight, but received a no-decision when reliever Daniel Moskos allowed the tying run to score in the eighth inning.
Clemson (45-13) scored twice in the second inning for an early lead. Stan Widmann singled, stole second and came home on Adrian Cassanova’s single. Herman Demmink brought home the second run of the inning with a long triple to the gap in left-centerfield.
Georgia Tech (43-15) could do little against Faris. The Yellow Jackets only run against him came in the fourth inning when designated hitter Wes Hodges came through with an RBI single. Tech scored again in the eighth inning against Moskos when Jeff Kindel’s single up the middle brought home Steven Blackwood.
Tech threatened in the ninth, putting two runners on but Blackwood popped out to end the inning.
The win earns Clemson a bye into Saturday’s semifinal game while Georgia Tech will meet Miami tonight in an elimination game.
