Clemson Takes Baseball Series, 2-0

Courtesy: NC State Eryk McConnell allowed just two runs on six hits in seven innings Sunday, but Clemson defeated the Wolfpack 2-0.

CLEMSON, S.C. – Eryk McConnell’s timing was all wrong. On the day the NC State’s senior righthander pitched arguably his best game of 2008, his Wolfpack teammates could not figure out Clemson righthander Graham Stoneburner, who pitched a gem to lift the Tigers to a 2-0 victory over the Pack in the finale of their three-game Atlantic Coast Conference baseball series at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

Clemson, which won the series two games to one, improved to 14-7 overall and 4-5 in the ACC. The Wolfpack fell to 13-7 and 4-5.

McConnell (2-1) worked seven strong innings himself, allowing just two runs on six hits. He walked one and struck out three. Clemson got to him for two runs early, before he could settle in. The Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. A single to center field by Mike Freeman, a two-base wild pitch that kicked off home plate and eluded catcher Chris Schaeffer and an RBI groundout accounted for the first run. Doug Hogan scored the other run on a double to left, a stolen base and a throwing error.

McConnell was in complete command after that. He retired 12 men in a row and 17 of 19 after Hogan’s double. Twice Clemson got a baserunner to third base with less than two out, but McConnell pitched out of trouble both times.

Stoneburner (4-0), meanwhile, tossed a complete-game shutout, allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out seven. Matt Payne led off the top of the second inning with a single up the middle, and that was it for the NC State offense until the sixth. Stoneburner retired the next 12 batters before walking Schaeffer leading off the sixth, and then retired eight more in a row before Schaeffer reached on a two-out infield single in the eighth.

NC State will return to action Tuesday for the first game of a two-game series vs. Marshall. Game time Tuesday will be 6:30 p.m. The Wolfpack and Herd will play again at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday. Both games will be broadcast live on WKNC-FM (88.1) and can be heard on the internet at gopack.com through Pack Pass.