Clemson needs help to make ACC fieldBy Larry Williams (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Thursday, May 15, 2008
CLEMSON — The bitterness hasn't gone away. Not even close. If anything, it's more pronounced as Clemson hopes for an ACC Tournament appearance that, but for a strange and controversial situation that unfolded April 20 at Duke, might already be locked up. The Tigers still feel like they were robbed that day, when an 8-6 lead in the top of the 11th inning was wiped out after the threat of inclement weather and an unplayable field resulted in a 6-6 tie. Instead of preparing for a trip to Jacksonville, Fla., for the ACC Tournament, Clemson (27-25-1, 11-18-1 ACC) now has to hope Duke (34-17-1, 8-17-1) loses once in a three-game series at Virginia Tech to punch the Tigers' ticket. "Hopefully Virginia Tech wins a couple," said Tigers shortstop Stan Widmann. "Because Duke really doesn't deserve it after what they've done to get there." The Tigers, who close the regular season with a three-game series at Central Florida (31-22) starting tonight at 6:30, are still gnashing their teeth about what happened almost a month ago. After snapping an 11-game losing streak two days earlier, Clemson was poised to take two of three from Duke in Durham, N.C., after Kyle Parker bashed a two-run homer to put the Tigers up 8-6 with no outs in the top of the 11th. Seconds after Parker crossed the plate, a Duke official trudged onto the field and told the home-plate umpire that the school had received a warning of lightning in the area. A 30-minute delay was issued and, to Clemson's shock, the Blue Devils made no effort to cover the field in preparation for the coming storm. Duke's grounds crew was already gone, and Blue Devils coach Sean McNally refused to order his players to cover the field under a lightning warning. Rain and hail commenced soon thereafter, and the game was called after a 1 1/2-hour delay. It was all too dubious to the Tigers, who find themselves in eighth place in the ACC standings. Duke is one spot behind, and the top eight teams advance to the conference tournament. If the Blue Devils sweep the Hokies in Blacksburg, Va., Clemson's ACC Tournament hopes would hinge on Wake Forest getting swept at Boston College. To reach the NCAA Tournament for the 22nd straight year, the Tigers might have to not only get into the ACC Tournament, but win it. It's all sort of surreal for 15th-year coach Jack Leggett, who is accustomed to the postseason being as automatic as 40-win seasons have been in Clemson over the years. "It seems a little bit strange, but it is what it is," he said. "It is where we are. We just have to deal with it." Reach Larry Williams at lwilliams@postandcourier.com and check out the new Clemson blog at www.charleston.net/blogs/tiger_tracks/>
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Comments
This article has 9 comment(s)
Posted by Rooster07 on May 15, 2008 at 8:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Virginia Tech is one of the worst teams in college baseball. Hopefully they can rally and win at least one against Duke so the Tigers can play. I disagree with Widman's statement 'Because Duke really doesn't deserve it after what they've done to get there.' He makes it sound like Duke cheated or something. In my opinion, both teams were cheated out of a possible win. Who ever heard of a tie in baseball. Thats ridiculous. There is no reason they couldn't finish the game the next day or later in the season.
Posted by theronce on May 15, 2008 at 8:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
At worst, it was a bad decision to release the ground crew. Clemson could have offered to help the Duke players spread the tarps.
Posted by Rooster07 on May 15, 2008 at 9:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
There was a similar situation in the SEC this year. The Friday night game between Vandy and Ark. was rained out. The first game of a doubleheader on Sat. was delayed. They finally played 12 innings Sat. night and it was suspended for curfew tied at 5-5. It was finished the next day and then a 7 inning game was played.
Bottom line they only played 2 games, which could be a disadvantage for those teams or for other teams that they may beat out for a final spot in the tourney.
I know you can't control the weather, but in the end it makes it unfair to the rest of the conference because Vandy and Ark. played one less game.
Posted by waterbug on May 15, 2008 at 12:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
yes and these same people in support of clemsons' side of the coin would be the first ones to get a lawyer to sue for damages or loss of life had a tradgedy struck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! more whinin by Burger(PC) and Clemson whiners.
Posted by charleston_grown on May 15, 2008 at 1:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
actually, the clemson players were on the field pleading with the Duke players to help tarp the field, but they just kept sitting in the dugout refusing to cover up the field. The clemson team was willing to and would have tarped the field if the dookies had given them a chance. There was actually no thunder heard or lightning spotted in the area, the game was called because someone on the dook staff received a txt msg from a source in chapel hill, stating that their was incliment weather in the area. The ground crew was mysteriously dismissed at some point during the game, and the dook baseball team refused to tarp the field even in spite of the fact there was no immediate danger. There is a lot more to this story that Burger didn't write, and well if we don't make the tourney, it's not because of this one game. But atleast get your facts straight, Dook acted like they had no class on this day.
Posted by charleston_grown on May 15, 2008 at 1:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
for more info, see story below
http://clemson.scout.com/2/748116.html
Posted by sbs920 on May 15, 2008 at 2:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
who cares . . .
clemson baseball teams sucks. . .
even if they make the tourney, they play Miami, FSU or UNC. All 3 have swept the sh*tty kitties this year.
it will be a quick exit reguardless. . .
just like basketball. . . one and done. . .
if its 2 game elimination then its 2 and barbeque !
Posted by ashleyriver on May 15, 2008 at 2:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
sbs920---I can see you're working hard on your doctoral thesis, Einstein. Firstly, Clemson basketball was NOT one and done in the ACC Tournament (the conference tournament is whats being discussed), they played in the championship game. Secondly, there was a sports editorial column in the P&C a few days ago bemoaning the fact that both Clemson and usc might not make their respective conference tournaments......and that still holds. And unless one the two actually wins their conference tournament (certainly, IMO, usc has a much better chance of doing that), probably neither one will host a regional and at this point there's NO chance either team will host a super regional.
Hard season for two storied programs.
BTW---investigate the spell check feature on your computer. It's "regardless", not reguardless.
Posted by charleston_grown on May 15, 2008 at 5:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
sbs, you obviously seem to care.