Tigers Win, Gamecocks Fall

Senior righthander Clinton McKinney pitched 4.1 strong innings in relief and three home runs on offense enabled #17 Clemson to defeat Duke 7-3 in front of 4,988 fans at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Friday night. The Tigers, who took a 1-0 series lead, improved to 19-9 overall and 8-5 in the ACC. The Blue Devils fell to 19-10 overall and 6-7 in ACC play.

McKinney (2-0) earned the win by allowing just four hits, one unearned run, and no walks with three strikeouts in 4.1 innings pitched, his longest outing as a Tiger. McKinney and Tiger starter Casey Harman were aided by three groundball double plays turned by the Clemson defense. Duke starter Christopher Manno (2-4) suffered the loss, as he yielded four runs on seven hits in 6.0 innings pitched.

Ben Paulsen’s two-run homer in the fifth inning gave Clemson the lead for good, while Jason Stolz and Kyle Parker added solo home runs later in the game. But perhaps Clemson’s most valuable position player in the game was centerfielder Addison Johnson, who was 2-for-2 with two walks and a run, as he reached base in all four of his plate appearances. Johnson had missed the previous six games due to a hamstring injury. The Tigers totaled 11 hits in all, including two doubles, one triple, and three home runs.

In Columbia, Arkansas starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel limited the Gamecocks to three runs on seven hits and
Scott Lyons and Zack Cox each homered as the Razorbacks defeated South Carolina 6-4 in the first of a three-game
SEC baseball series at Carolina Stadium. Arkansas improves to 21-5 and 9-1 in the SEC while the loss drops
Carolina to 19-9 and 4-6 in the conference. The two teams meet again on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 4
p.m. A live audio broadcast is available at GamecockOnline.com and on the Gamecock Radio Network.

After an early run allowed in the first inning, Keuchel kept the Gamecocks at bay as he scattered seven hits up to the
seventh inning. Keuchel would finish with 6.1 innings of work and struck out four and walked one. He improves to
5-0 for the year. Arkansas reliever Mike Bolsinger finished the game for the Razorbacks with 2.2 innings of work.
He allowed one run on two hits. His strikeout total of six included five consecutive to end the game. South
Carolina starting pitcher Sam Dyson suffered the loss and is now 4-2 on the year. He also worked 6.1 innings and
allowed six runs on seven hits. He struck out a season-high seven and walked three.

South Carolina broke ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning. Whit Merrifield singled with one out and advanced
to third base on a base hit by Nick Ebert. Merrifield would score on a RBI fielder's choice from DeAngelo Mack.

Arkansas came back in the top of the fourth inning to take a 2-1 lead against Carolina. Dyson had retired the first 10
batters he faced for South Carolina before giving up a solo home run to Scott Lyons in the top of the fourth inning.
Lyons roped a 1-0 pitch over the right centerfield wall to tie the game. The Hogs then kept it going with a single by
Ben Tschepikow, a walk to Andy Wilkins and Jacob House's RBI single to score Tschepikow giving the
Razorbacks a one-run cushion. Arkansas increased its advantage to 3-1 in the top of the fifth inning. Ryan Cisterna
was hit by pitch to open the frame and after a sacrifice bunt would score on Chase Leavitt's RBI single.