No. 6 Clemson Holds Off Late Duke Rally For 6-4 Win

Friday, March 16

Clemson, S.C.

7:15 PM

Duke University

Clemson

Four Blue Devils Named To All-ACC Academic Baseball Team

No. 6 Clemson Holds Off Late Duke Rally For 6-4 Win

3/16/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

By: Duke Sports Information

CLEMSON, S.C. – The sixth-ranked Clemson Tigers jumped out to a 6-0 lead but had to fight off a late-inning Duke rally to preserve a 6-4 victory on Friday night at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The Blue Devils fall to 17-5 overall and 0-4 in the ACC while the Tigers improve to 12-4 and 1-0, respectively.

Trailing 6-0 entering the top of the eighth, Duke scored three runs with two outs to make it a three-run ballgame. Left fielder Alexander Hassan reached on a two-out error to start the frame. Center fielder Jonathan Anderson then reached on a bunt single to third, and when the throw from Clemson third baseman Marquez Smith sailed over Andy D'Alessio's head at first, Hassan scored and Anderson advanced to second. Right fielder Jimmy Gallagher followed with an RBI-single through the right side to score Anderson. First baseman Nate Freiman then doubled over Brad Chalk's head in center to score Gallagher. The three runs allowed by Clemson snapped the Tigers' 20-inning scoreless streak over their last three games.

In the top of the ninth, catcher Matt Williams drew a one-out walk to begin the inning. After freshman Christopher Manno came in to pinch run, pinch hitter Jonathan Nicolla lined a two-out single up the middle, moving Manno into scoring position. Hassan then sent an RBI-single to right center, scoring Manno and cutting Clemson's lead to 6-4. With Nicolla on second and Hassan on first, Anderson came to the plate as the potential go-ahead run but the senior went down swinging to end the game.

Clemson grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third. Left fielder Addison Johnson led off the inning with a one-out single to left before advancing to third on a single to right by second baseman David Bunnell. Chalk followed with an RBI-single up the middle to score Johnson. Bunnell then scored on a Duke error to give the Tigers the two-run advantage.

The Tigers added three runs in the bottom of the fifth to extend their lead to 5-0. Chalk drew a one-out walk to start the inning. Right fielder Wilson Boyd then hit a chopper up the middle and Duke shortstop Gabriel Saade tried to make a tag on Chalk but he was called safe at second. Shortstop Taylor Harbin then turned on the first pitch he saw and sent a three-run homer over the left field wall.

Catcher Doug Hogan lined a one-out double into the gap in left center to begin the bottom of the sixth. Johnson followed with an RBI-triple down the right field line, scoring Hogan and giving Clemson a 6-0 lead.

Freiman paced the Blue Devils at the plate, going 2-for-4 with an RBI-double. Hassan finished 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a run scored, Gallagher was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored and Anderson went 1-for-4 with a run scored.

Clemson starter P.J. Zocchi improved to 3-0 on the season, holding the Blue Devils to three hits in seven scoreless innings. Daniel Moskos then held off Duke's ninth-inning rally for his fourth save of the year.

Duke starter Tony Bajoczky fell to 3-2 after allowing six runs on six hits in six innings of work. Freshman Will Currier had a solid relief appearance for the Blue Devils, holding the Tigers hitless in the seventh and eighth.

Game two of the series will be tomorrow at 4 p.m. The Blue Devils and Tigers will then wrap up the three-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m.

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