Baseball: FSU sweep pushes Tigers to the brink

By PAUL STRELOW - pstrelow@thestate.com

Clemson’s ACC and NCAA tourney lives hang in the balance with two weeks to go

CLEMSON — A deflated Clemson assistant dragged an equipment bag into the locker room corridor, only to realize both bats had slipped out the bag’s unzipped back end.

It was that kind of weekend for the Tigers, who are now in danger of sliding out of the postseason altogether.

Monday’s 4-2 defeat capped off a sweep at the hands of No. 4 Florida State and could leave Clemson needing help to reach the ACC tournament.

“We just have to keep trying to believe we have a chance,” coach Jack Leggett said. “We have to try to sneak into the tournament, but we have to win some ball games.”

Leggett was referring to the NCAA tournament, but they will have to make the conference tourney first.

Clemson (24-23-1, 10-16-1) suffered its second conference sweep at Doug Kingsmore Stadium this season after having just one in Leggett’s previous 14 seasons — coincidentally, against FSU (40-7, 22-5) in 2002.

The sweep also ensured the Tigers of their first losing conference record since 1972.

In the race for the eight-team ACC’s tourney’s final two spots, they remained percentage points ahead of Duke (8-14-1) for seventh place, with Wake Forest (8-15) a half-game back in ninth.

The best-case scenario for Clemson would be for either Duke or Wake Forest to sweep the other later this week, as both teams then travel to face the two division cellar dwellers for their final weekend series — Duke at Virginia Tech (4-20), Wake Forest at Boston College (8-19).

The Tigers conclude conference play with next weekend’s series at Georgia Tech (33-14, 12-12), but they might have to wait another week to know their postseason fate.

“We have to keep fighting,” shortstop Stan Widmann said. “That’s been the whole thing for several weeks now.”

FSU (40-7, 22-5) clinched the Atlantic Division title with Monday’s win, the latest in Clemson’s season-long chain of offensive struggles.

Stellar relief pitching from left-handers Casey Harman and Ryan Hinson kept the Tigers within striking distance, but they could not close the gap.

They stranded a runner at second in five of the first seven innings and were 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position until catcher Doug Hogan’s two-run single pulled Clemson within 4-2 in the eighth.

“We need to start getting the big hits in the big situations to start getting the wins,” third baseman Matt Sanders said.

Analysts believe Clemson has a slim margin for error in its final five nonconference games if it hopes to sustain its streak of 21 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.

That road does not appear any easier, as the Tigers return to action Wednesday at Furman (29-15), which has won six in a row and nine of its past 10.

Note. Widmann, a redshirt junior, was honored with Clemson’s seniors during their final home series Saturday. He joined the ceremony in case he turns pro after the June draft.

Widmann plans to graduate but would attend graduate school if he opts to return next season.

“It’s kind of up in the air to see how June goes,” he said. “ If everything works out, we’ll see.”