Clemson Turns Back Georgia Tech, 9-3, in #ACCbase Championship
Tigers spoil Yellow Jackets' chance for championship berth.



May 29, 2010

  • 2010 ACC Baseball Championship Site
  • Game 11 Box Score
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    • By Rob Daniels
    theACC.com

    GREENSBORO, N.C. - Richie Shaffer's three-run home run in the first inning gave Clemson the early edge, and Will Lamb, making his first start in nearly six weeks, threw 6 1/3 strong innings as the Tigers salvaged a win from the ACC Baseball Championship with a 9-3 win over Georgia Tech.

    The loss knocked the Yellow Jackets from championship eligibility and means the winner of Saturday night's game between Virginia Tech and NC State will play Florida State for the title at 1 p.m. Sunday. The Seminoles got into the championship when Virginia bounced Miami earlier in the day.

    The Tigers (38-21), eliminated from the title chase when they lost their first two games, avoided winlessness. All eight teams in the field won at least once, underscoring the popular sentiment that the league is as deep as any in the country.

    Shaffer, a part-time starter, justified coach Jack Leggett's faith in him when he took a 1-0 pitch from Jed Bradley over the fence in right-center to score Jeff Schaus and Kyle Parker.

    "We got the lead, and Will took over the rest of the game," Shaffer said. "Even when they scratched out a couple of runs, we felt comfortable out there. We had a great approach at the plate today and just got the job done."

    From there, the Tigers entrusted matters to Lamb, who hadn't started on the mound since these same Jackets touched him up for seven hits and five earned runs in less than three innings on April 18.

    "In the last start at Georgia Tech, I was getting overwhelmed and consumed by the game," Lamb admitted. "Tonight, I went pitch-to-pitch and worried about just getting outs."

    Two of those outs came on tremendous plays by center fielder Addison Johnson, who stole at least three Jacket runs in the process.

    "We just didn't play the way we needed to play to compete in the game and have a chance to play (today)," Tech coach Danny Hall said. "Johnson made two great catches in center field. He saved them twice."

    The Jackets' best chance came after they knocked Lamb out in the seventh. At that point, however, reliever Dominic Leone struck out Tony Plagman, who brought a season total of 19 homers to the plate, with two on and two out to end the threat.

    2010 Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Championship
    NewBridge Bank Park -- Greensboro, N.C.
    Saturday, May 29, 2010
    Game 11: #3 Georgia Tech vs. #2 Clemson
    Postgame Notes

    Clemson (38-21, 18-12 ACC)... ...improves to 38-21 overall and 100-59 all-time in the ACC championship. ...is the first team to win 100 games in the ACC championship. ...avoids becoming the first team to lose three games in a single championship. ...scored in five of its eight turns at-bat. ...1-2-3-4-5 hitters went 8-for-20. ...snapped a two-game losing streak.

    Georgia Tech (45-13, 21-9 ACC)... ...improves to 45-13 overall and 67-50 all-time in the ACC championship. ...is eliminated from contention in the championship game. ...left eight runners on base. ...head coach Danny Hall was ejected with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning. ...sophomore lefthanded pitcher Jake Davis was ejected after the seventh inning. ...only had the leadoff batter on base in two innings.

    Other notes:

    • 45 home runs have been hit by 34 different players in the ACC championship.
    • Both teams have finished 1-2 in the championship in each of the past three seasons.