Tiger's hammered by beer showers in 6-1 loss

Oxford, Miss.--For the fourth season in a row, the Clemson Tiger baseball team won their opening game of regional play only to fall in the winner's bracket game.

The Tigers, whose red-hot offense put up eight runs in their opening game win over Illinois, was held down by the arm of Ole Miss Rebel's pitcher Doug Nikhazy, as the Rebels sent the Tigers to the losers bracket with a resounding 6-1 victory Saturday night at Swayze Field.

After both teams went down in order in the top of the first inning, the Rebels jumped out in front of the Tigers in the top of the second inning.

Back-to-back home runs by Cole Zabowski and Cooper Johnson started the beer showers going in the right field stands--a tradition where the fans throw their beer up in the air following a home run--and were followed by an RBI groundout by Anthony Servideo that gave the Rebels a quick 3-0 lead.

For the second straight game the Tigers starting pitcher struggled, as Mat Clark--nine days removed from nearly throwing a perfect game against the then seventh-ranked Louisville Cardinals--was pulled in the top of the fourth inning after throwing 80 pitches, allowing five hits and four runs.

In the top of the fourth inning, the Rebels added to their lead.

With runners at first and second base, Tiger head coach Monte Lee made the call to his bullpen. Sam Weatherly entered the game and struck out the final two outs of the inning, but not before two wild pitches allowed the Rebels to plate their fourth run of the game.

The Tigers finally broke through and plated their first run of the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. After Grayson Byrd doubled to leadoff the inning and was moved to third on Kyle Wilkie's single, Bryar Hawkins hit into a 6-4-3 double play that plated Byrd and cut the lead to 5-1.

The Rebels got the run back quickly in the top of the eighth inning, as Kevin Graham connected for the Rebels third home run of the game and extended the lead to 6-1.

Clark took his third loss of the season for the Tigers. Nikhazy earned the win for the rebels as he went eight innings, allowed one run and only four hits.

Tiger Tracks:

• Clemson is 7-9 against Mississippi, with the last meeting, before Saturday's contest, coming in 1984. All 16 games have been on the road, with just one neutral-site contest.

• Clemson has never played Jacksonville State. Both were in the 2010 Auburn Regional, but they never met.

Up Next:

The Tigers will take on the Jacksonville State Gamecocks in an elimination game Sunday (3 p.m.).