By Trey McCurry.
By Trey McCurry
COLUMBIA — Here is a look back at Clemson’s 3-1 season-ending loss to Liberty on Sunday afternoon at the Columbia (SC) Regional.
What happened?
Liberty scored two runs in the fourth inning and added another in the fifth and that was all the support that the Flames pitching staff would need in a 3-1 Liberty victory that ended the Tigers season at 40-22.
Game-Changing Moment:
The game changing moment came in the bottom of the fifth inning. With Liberty already ahead 2-1, the Flames were able to add an insurance run on a sac fly from catcher Trey Wimmer to push their lead to 3-1.
Story Line:
Clemson could not get a key hit to fall, going 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position, and Liberty starter Trey Lambert pitched 7.2 effective innings to propel the Flames to the championship game of the Columbia (SC) Regional.
Turning Point:
The key point in the game came in the top of the fourth inning. After taking a 1-0 lead on a Steven Duggar double and Garrett Boulware single, Boulware moved to second on a wild pitch and Shane Kennedy reached on an error to give the Tigers runners at second and third with no outs. After a lineout to the second baseman, Joe Costigan hit a sinking line drive to the second baseman. He was just able to get his glove under it for an out and then doubled off Kennedy at second to end the Clemson threat.
What went right?
The Tigers were able to get a 1-0 lead early in the game. Duggar and Boulware both had solid days at the plate, going a combined 5-for-8. Patrick Andrews turned in a solid relief appearance, allowing just one hit with four strikeouts in 3.0 innings.
What went wrong?
The Clemson offense struggled with runners on base, stranding nine runners despite the getting the leadoff man on in six of nine innings.
They said it.
Clemson Head Coach Jack Leggett
“We had some opportunities,” Clemson head coach Jack Leggett said. “We had six lead-off guys on base and we just could not come up with the big hit today. That was the story of it.”
“It is pretty tough to lose and tough to end the season that way,” Leggett said. “We will rebound and will be ready to play next year. We will be back. There are a lot of good things ahead of us.”
Clemson Second Baseman Steve Wilkerson
“It has kind of been the same story for the last week or so. We get them in scoring position and for whatever the reason we can’t get the big hit. It is no one’s fault in particular. We all want the hit and we all want to score the runs, but it just isn’t falling right now and I was really hoping it would kind of come through today like it did yesterday, but for some reason things were not going our way.”