Tigers get out the brooms, sweep Yellow Jackets in foggy nightcap

Nikki Hood by Staff Writer -

CLEMSON – Clemson took a broom and swept the Yellow Jackets out of the third base dugout. And out of Clemson.

Seth Beer, Chris Williams, and Bryce Teodosio homered and Jake Higginbotham turned in another solid start as No. 12 Clemson defeated Georgia Tech 13-2 Saturday night in the second game of a doubleheader, giving Clemson a three-game sweep in the series.

Clemson improved to 15-1 overall and 3-0 in the ACC, while Georgia Tech fell to 9-6 overall and 0-3 in the ACC. The start is the best for Clemson since starting 26-1 in 2002.

Logan Davidson drove in three runs, while Beer, Williams, Teodosio, and Grayson Byrd each drove in two runs. It was the first start of the season at catcher for Williams, who started 14 of the first 15 at first base. Beer also scored three times.

"A great day of baseball. A very long day anytime you play a doubleheader and then you have the rain delay," head coach Monte Lee said. "Give my team a lot of credit for staying focused over a long day. We played really good baseball today. Jake Higginbotham took a line drive that hit him in the shoulder, hand and face but was able to pitch his way out of it and get a win. Travis Marr was outstanding out of the bullpen and gave us three innings with no walks and three strikeouts. Then, Sam Weatherly did a great job with his one inning of relief.

"We swung the bats well. We scored seven runs in the first. It's always good to have the bottom of the order give you really good offensive production. Grayson Byrd had his best game of the year offensively. Teodosio had two two-strike hits and used the other side of the field. He made some adjustments. I'm very proud of Teo. I'm pretty hard on him sometimes but it's because I think he has so much upside. I was really happy for him to put together a couple of big at-bats. Our defense was good again. It was great to get Chris Williams behind the plate for the first game of the year. We just played a good baseball game."

Lee said he was proud of the sweep.

"To get a sweep in the first weekend and to play as well as we did," he said. "I think we outscored them 23-7 over three games against a really good offensive ball club. Very proud of my team and we'll definitely enjoy the day off tomorrow."

The Tigers wasted no time in Saturday’s nightcap as they batted around in the first inning.

The first three batters reached on a hit by pitch and back-to-back walks. Chris Williams flew out to center to begin the onslaught. Jolly singled to left to plate Beer, who was at third, and Justin Hawkins followed with a walk to load the bases.

Grayson Byrd singled through the left side, scoring two. Bryce Teodosio reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases for Logan Davidson, who knocked a bases-clearing double to left center. Clemson led 7-0 after one inning.

Byrd led off the third inning with a single up the middle and scored on a Beer bomb into the Cajun Café, giving Clemson a 9-0 lead over Georgia Tech. It was Beer’s third home run of the series and sixth of the season.

Higginbotham was cruising along until he was hit in the shoulder on a line drive up the middle with two outs in the fourth. After throwing a couple of pitches, Higginbotham looked to be okay, but he immediately gave up a single up the middle and a home run off the batter’s eye in center, cutting the Tigers’ lead to 9-2.

The Tigers got one run back courtesy of a leadoff home run by Williams – his fourth of the year – making it a 10-2 Clemson advantage after four innings.

Beer earned a walk on four pitches and advanced to third on a wild pitch and passed ball. Cromwell then laced a RBI single to left center to give Clemson an 11-2 lead after five innings.

Higginbotham’s day was done after five strong innings. He gave up two runs – both earned – on four hits. He struck out four and walked none. He earned the win, improving to 3-0 on the young season.

Teodosio added a solo homer – his third – in the seventh and an RBI single in the eighth to account for the final runs.

Clemson added a run in the eighth on an RBI single by Teodosio.

Clemson hosts Charleston Southern Tuesday night at 6:30 before N.C. State comes to town for a three-game weekend series beginning Friday night at 6:30.