No. 5 Seed Miami Drops Heartbreaker to No. 4 Seed Clemson, 5-4
May 23, 2007
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Clemson’s Alex Lee’s suicide squeeze scored the game-winner with the bases loaded as the fourth-seeded Tigers rallied with two runs in the bottom of the 13th inning to edge No. 5 seed Miami, 5-4, Wednesday evening in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament opener. Roger Tomas, Yonder Alonso, Mark Sobolewski and Jemile Weeks each had two hits for the Hurricanes, who fell to 35-21.
Scott Maine (5-5) started for Miami and allowed two earned runs in 6 2/3 innings. He allowed eight hits and struck out four. John Housey tossed 1 1/3 innings. He suffered his third loss as he allowed two earned runs on two hits.
Clemson’s Alan Farina improved to 5-3. He tossed 3 2/3 innings in relief, gave up one hit and struck out six. Daniel Moskos tossed 7 2/3 innings while giving up eight hits and three earned runs.
Marquez Smith, J.D. Burgess and Andy D’Alessio all had two hits for the Tigers.
Burgess chopped a single down the right field line which scored Paul Hogan tying the game, 4-4. Clemson then loaded the bases before Lee laid down a perfect bunt single down the third base line which scored Johnson for the game-winner.
Miami took a 4-3 lead in the top of the 13th when Alonso hit a sacrifice fly to score Tomas, who single, reached second on a throwing error and third on a passed ball. Alonso flied out to center field for his 73rd RBI of the season.
Clemson capitalized on Miami miscues to ease its way back from a three-run deficit. D.J, Mitchell reached base on a error to start off the bottom of the sixth. He scored on Chalk’s double down the right field line bringing the Tigers within, 3-1.
Clemson tied the game in the bottom of the seventh. Marquez Smith’s infield single allowed Burgess to score to make it 3-2. Ben Paulsen hit into a fielder’s choice but he was safe after an errant throw. The error allowed Lee to score from second and tie the game.
Weeks’ second RBI single gave the Hurricanes a 3-0 lead in the top of the fifth. Blake Tekotte hit a one-out double and took third on a ground out. He scored on Weeks’ ground ball up the middle.
Miami jumped out to the 2-0 lead in the top of the third. Ryan Jackson dropped in single in right field. After a sacrifice bunt moved him up, Tomas doubled down the left field line putting the Hurricanes ahead, 1-0. Miami made it 2-0 on Jemile Weeks’ single to center scored Tomas.
The Hurricanes have Thursday off. They return to action Friday night when they face No. 1 seed Florida State at 7 p.m.
