CLEMSON, S.C. -- The 20th-ranked Clemson Tigers notched 13 base hits, 12 of which were singles, but held off the Elon Phoenix by a 5-3 margin in baseball action from Doug Kingsmore Stadium in the first game of a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday night. The loss snapped Elon's season-long four-game winning streak.
The Tigers (15-6) started the bottom of the third with back-to-back infield singles from Brad Miller and Mike Freeman. After a sacrifice bunt moved up both runners, Kyle Parker lined a single to center to score Miller with the game's first run. A wild pitch allowed Freeman to score the second run.
Elon (12-6) responded in the top of the fourth when, following a
Mike Melillo single,
Chase Austin connected for his first homer of the year – this one to left.
Miller and Freeman began the Clemson fifth with back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners. Ben Paulsen then walked to load the bases. Parker lined into a double play before Jeff Schaus flew out to center to end the threat and keep the game even at two.
With two outs and runners on second and third in the bottom of the sixth, Miller singled through the right side to score Matt Sanders with the go-ahead run. On the play,
Justin Hilt gunned down Addison Johnson at the plate to end the inning and keep the Phoenix deficit to just a run at 3-2.
The Phoenix threatened in the eighth, getting runners on first and second with two outs before a strikeout ended the Elon attack.
Clemson added two insurance runs in its half of the eighth when John Nester drove a 1-1 pitch over the wall in right which also plated Wilson Boyd.
Elon added one and was poised to make a run in the ninth before a fly out ended the game. The run scored on
Zeth Stone's single to right as Hilt came in from third. The Phoenix had runners on the corners when the game ended.
Cory Harrilchak took the loss and fell to 0-1 on the year. Harrilchak allowed three runs on 12 hits and a walk in 6.0 innings of action on the mound. On the night, Elon pitching walked just two hitters.
Picking up the win was Clinton McKinney (1-0). McKinney three 3.0 scoreless innings for the Tigers in relief of Will Lamb. Matt Vaughn threw the ninth for his first save of the year.
Austin and Irvine both had two-hit nights for Elon while Harrilchak went 1-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to a career-best 18 games. He has also reached base safely in 51 consecutive contests. Ten of the 11 Phoenix players to record an at bat had a hit.
Clemson's Miller and Freeman each had three hits and scored once. Nester went 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI.
-- ELON --
