Clemson vs Maryland Baseball Recap

Clemson 18, Maryland 6

The Clemson Tigers knocked the lights out of the Maryland Terrapins - literally and figuratively - with an 18-6 win in College Park, Maryland.

Terps pitcher Brian Harman had trouble from pitch one. Tigers leadoff batter Will Lamb came out swinging on the first Harman delivery with a double to the outfield wall. The next pitch to Clemson second basemen Mike Freeman was served right back to Harman - hard off his pitching arm and into the outfield – allowing Lamb to score from second. After a flyout advanced Freeman to third base, he dashed home on a Harman wild pitch for an early 2-0 Clemson lead. 

The fourth inning saw the Tigers start running up the score on the Terps. Rightfielder Kyle Parker led off the inning with a double and catcher John Nester nailed a pitch down the line to score him. Centerfielder Wilson Boyd's RBI single and designated hitter Richie Shaffer's RBI groundout vaulted Clemson to a 6-0 lead by the end of the inning.  

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The later innings would not be kind to the Terps either, with 12 more Tigers plating runs on 12 more Clemson hits. Freeman alone went 4 for 5 with 3 RBIs and crossed the plate for two runs as well. The Tigers seem to have found their answer at the leadoff spot (where they have struggled all season) with their first baseman, Mr. Lamb. The lanky, 6’5" sophomore had three hits, scored three runs, and knocked in 2 runs (with a stolen base mixed in to boot). The Tigers left-handed hitter, leftfielder Jeff Schaus, is finding a groove as well. Schaus smashed his ninth home run of the season on a 2-run shot to right field in the fifth inning.

Clemson's ace, lefty Casey Harman (6-1), benefited from the abundant run support for his first win since April 2 and his first road win on the season. He was not at his finest (allowing 6 hits and 3 walks), but pitched a solid six innings with only 2 earned runs and a strikeout.

The lights went out on the Terps while down 16-5, literally, in the bottom of the eighth Friday night. The power outage caused a lengthy delay before Clemson finished out the win.

The Tigers and Terps resume the series at 1:00 Eastern on Saturday. Clemson throws righty Scott Weismann (4-2, 4.60 ERA) against Terps left-hander Eric Potter (2-9, 8.39 ERA).

By: Brandon Rink
DFN Sports Guest Writer