May 27, 2005

JACKSONVILLE, FL. (AP) - Kris Harvey doubled home two runs to key a four-run first inning and Clemson held off a ninth-inning North Carolina State rally to post a 5-4 win Friday, knocking the Wolfpack out of the Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Tournament at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.

Clemson (39-20) moves on to Saturday's semifinals against Virginia, one of two teams still unbeaten in the tournament. The Tigers will need to beat the Cavaliers twice to earn a berth in Sunday's championship game.

North Carolina State drops to 40-17 for the season, the Wolfpack losing a second consecutive game for just the second time this year.

Clemson jumped on NC State freshman Matt Payne, making his first collegiate start, for six hits and four runs in the first inning. The Tigers batted around with Travis Storrer and Stan Widman adding RBI singles to go with Harvey's two-bagger.

Payne (2-1), who was charged with the loss, was lifted after the first inning, with Wolfpack reliever Phil Davidson then holding the Tigers to three hits and one run over the next 6 1/3 innings. The one run came on Taylor Harbin's tenth home run of the season and proved to be the game winner.

Clemson starter Robert Rohrbaugh was coasting on a two-hitter entering the ninth, his only mistake to that point resulting in an Aaron Bates two-run homer in the sixth inning. But after getting the first two outs in the ninth, Rohrbaugh gave up a single to Jake Muyco followed by a double from Brian Aragon to bring the Wolfpack to within 5-3.

Rohrbaugh (7-2) was relieved by Jeff Hahn who was greeted by a single from pinch-hitter Lee Mezistgrano. The second run of the inning came home when Harbin threw wildly to second base on the play. Hahn then struck out Jonathan Dix with the tying run on second base to preserve the win.