Clemson baseball rallies to complete series sweep of VMI
Jordan Greene keeps delivering and Clemson keeps winning.
A day after the Tigers second baseman hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh inning to help Clemson to a doubleheader sweep of VMI, Greene came through with the go-ahead two-run single in the sixth inning Sunday afternoon as Clemson finished off the series sweep Keydets with an 11-6 victory.
Clemson trailed 3-0 entering the sixth inning before the Tigers scored 11 runs in their final three at bats to improve to 6-1 on the season and earn their fourth consecutive victory.
The Tigers will host ETSU on Tuesday before playing a three-game series against in-state rival South Carolina next weekend.
“We fell behind 3-0 going into the sixth inning, and then in the sixth inning, we find a way to break it open, tie the ballgame up. And Jordan Greene came up with a big two-out single to put us ahead 5-3,” Tigers coach Monte Lee said. “We’re finding ways to win in different ways . . . We had a really good week this week. We’ve just got to continue to have good practices. Got another game on Tuesday night and then we’ve got a big series this upcoming weekend.”
Clemson scored six runs in total in the sixth inning to turn a three-run deficit into a three-run lead.
The Tigers got plenty of help in the frame as VMI pitchers hit three batters and walked two more. Clemson had seven batters get hit by a pitch during eh game and drew four walks.
“We got hit by a bunch of pitches today. The free 90s came via the HBP because I think we had seven of them today. The box is ours as we tell our players,” Lee said. “We’ll have to get a little ice on the ribs. We found a way to get on base and did enough to win the series.”
After VMI cut the lead to 6-4 on a passed ball in the seventh inning, the Tigers quickly added several insurance.
Clemson scored five runs in the eighth inning with the big blast being a grand slam by Sam Hall to give the Tigers a 10-4 lead. Grayson Byrd added an RBI single later in the frame to push Clemson’s lead to 11-4, before VMI added a couple of runs in the ninth.
Hall reached base in all five of his plate appearances, going 2-for-2 with two runs scored and four RBIs.
Davidson led the Tigers with three hits, going 3-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI.
“Sam Hall offensively was probably, between him and Logan, were the two best offensive players for us today,” Lee said. “Sam Hall had five quality at bats today, scored two runs, hit the big grand slam in the eighth for the second big inning of the day.”
Sam Weatherly earned the win for the Tigers, pitching 2 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run.
Starting pitcher Justin Wrobleski allowed three runs in 3 2/3 innings, but the Tigers did not allow an earned run the rest of the way.
“I thought our bullpen did a nice job. Weatherly early on, probably within the first five or eight pitches was trying to find the strike zone. Once he found it he was really good for us,” Lee said. “Travis Marr was outstanding, threw the ball really, really well. And it was great to see Jackson Lindley, another true freshman, get into the game. Lindley threw the ball very, very well.”
This story was originally published February 24, 2019 at 4:28 PM.
