May 22, 2002

Box Score | Quotes | Tournament Central

St. Petersburg, Fla. - No. 4 seed Clemson (45-12) capitalized on its run scoring opportunities while No. 5 seed Georgia Tech (44-13) did not in Wednesday's opening game at the 2002 ACC Baseball Championship in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Tigers moved past the Yellow Jackets with a 10-0 win during the morning session.

The game offered one of the more intriguing match-ups of the tournament's first round as both teams are ranked among the nation's top-10 in all three polls, yet finished fourth and fifth respectively in the ACC final regular season standings.

Clemson was able to capitalize on a combination of errors, hit batters and timely hits to provide run scoring support for starter Steve Reba.

In the top of the first, Georgia Tech second baseman Eric Patterson took Reba's first pitch into center field for a lead off single. However, the early scoring opportunity was short lived as Patterson was thrown out at second trying to advance on a wild pitch in the next at bat.

The Yellow Jacket first inning proved to be a foreshadowing of things to come for head coach Danny Hall's club throughout the game. The Jackets would hit into four double plays during the contest, including two that came after the lead off batter reached base.

Reba (12-2) was very effective during eight shut out innings as he scattered seven hits and struck out three. Reba was replaced in the ninth by Steven Jackson who walked the first two batters he faced before recording three straight outs to end the game.

Reba was backed up by a superb defensive performance by the Tigers. Clemson, which entered the tournament with the conference's best team fielding percentage, committed no errors compared to three by Georgia Tech.

At the plate, Clemson was led by shortstop Khalil Greene who was 2-for-3 with three runs scored. One of Greene's two hits was a two-run blast which cleared the 400 feet sign in left center field in the fifth inning. Greene was able to continue his hitting streak which now stands at 23-games and is the fourth longest in Clemson history.

Tiger first baseman Michael Johnson was 3-for-5 with three RBIs. Johnson's performance was highlighted by a deep drive to straight away center field that resulted in a triple and the first run of the game.

Tech starter Chris Goodman (6-1) lasted six innings giving up six runs, four of which were earned, in taking his first losing decision of the season.

Clemson advances to face the winner of Wednesday's second game which pits No. 1 seed Florida State against No. 9 Duke, while Georgia Tech will face the loser of that game.