May 26, 2005

JACKSONVILLE, FL. (AP) - Clemson's Josh Cribb threw a complete-game six-hitter Thursday to lead the Tigers past Miami 9-1 in an elimination game of the Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Tournament at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.

The win enabled Clemson (38-20) to move into Friday's game against the loser of the North Carolina State-Virginia scheduled for later in the day on Thursday. The No. 8 ranked Hurricanes (38-17-1) lost their sixth consecutive game, their longest losing streak since 1966 when they dropped seven in a row. Miami became the first team eliminated from the double-elimination portion of the tournament.

Cribb permitted just three hits through eight innings, including Eddy Rodriguez' seventh home run of the season which accounted for the Hurricanes' only run. Cribb, a junior right-hander, struck out eight and did not issue a walk in his second complete game of the year.

He received adequate support from his teammates who lashed out a dozen hits over five different innings, scoring in four of them. The Tigers jumped to a 4-0 lead in the second inning, using a double, two walks and RBI singles by Herman Demmink and Brad Chalk to take the early lead.

Shortstop Stan Widmann hit a two-run home run in the fourth to hike the lead to 6-0 before Miami got on the board with Rodriguez' round-tripper. Clemson added three more runs in the seventh and eighth innings, combining three doubles, a single and a sacrifice fly for the three runs.

Miami starter Dan Touchet (3-5) went three innings and allowed five hits and six runs to take the loss.