Clemson tops Michigan State, 6-1

Mike Freeman totaled a career-high four hits and led No. 22 Clemson to a 6-1 victory over Michigan State in front of 5,058 fans at Fluor Field on Wednesday night.

Clemson improved to 8-4, while Michigan State fell to 1-11. Clemson also improved to 4-0 all-time at Fluor Field and swept the two-game, midweek series with the Spartans.

Freeman, who went 4-for-4, led Clemson's 10-hit attack. Ben Paulsen and Wilson Boyd also had two hits apiece for the Tigers, while Boyd had a game-high three RBIs. Paulsen improved to 11-for-17 (.647) with four doubles, one homer, eight runs, and eight RBIs in four career games at Fluor Field.

Graham Stoneburner (1-2) earned the win in relief for Clemson. He pitched 3.1 innings and allowed three hits and no walks with six strikeouts. Six Tiger pitchers combined for a season-high 14 strikeouts and held the Spartans hitless in 13 at-bats with runners on base, while the Tiger hitters were 6-for-12 in that situation. Spartan starter Kyle Corcoran (0-1) took the loss, as he allowed five runs on seven hits in 6.2 innings pitched.

Clemson jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Freeman hit a one-out single on an 0-2 pitch and Paulsen followed with a double off the left-field wall. Boyd then drove both runners in with another double to left field.

Jeff Schaus hit his team-leading third home run of the year to right field in the fourth inning to extend Clemson's lead to 3-0.

Jason Stolz led off the fifth inning with a double, his first career extra-base hit. After a sacrifice bunt by Phil Pohl, Addison Johnson laid down a suicide squeeze bunt that scored Stolz. Follwing a Brad Miller walk and Freeman single, Paulsen and Boyd hit back-to-back run-scoring singles to give Clemson a 6-0 lead.

Michigan State put a run on the board in the ninth inning. Jeff Holm hit a one-out single, moved to second on a groundout, and scored on a wild pitch.

Four different Spartans accounted for the team's four hits.

Clemson will return to action when it plays host to Wake Forest in a three-game series this weekend beginning Friday at 4:00 PM.