CLEMSON, S.C. – L.J. DeMaino’s two-run single highlighted a three-run, sixth-inning rally Saturday as second-ranked Clemson came from behind to post an 8-3 baseball victory over the University of Maine at Kingsmore Stadium.

The Tigers improved to 18-1 while completing a sweep of their three-game series with the Black Bears. UMaine returns home with a 9-5 record after dropping three straight.

DeMaino paced Clemson’s 14-hit attack with the key single and added two singles and another RBI. Ace righthander Steve Reba won for the sixth time in as many starts and the Tigers did not allow an earned run while outscoring UMaine 29-3 in the series.

Kyle Frank rapped three singles with an RBI while Jeff Baker doubled and singled for the Tigers.

The Bears did not have any repeat hitters and the top four batters in the order went a combined 0-for-14.

Mike MacDonald of Camden surrendered nine hits and five runs in six innings of work.

UMaine had broken a 2-2 tie with a run in the top of the sixth inning off Reba, who issued a leadoff walk to Pat Tobin and hit Mark Reichley with a pitch. The runners advanced on a passed ball.

Reba struck out Aaron Izaryk and induced Jesse Carlton to ground out before freshman Mike Ferriggi grounded a run-scoring single to left. However, Aaron Young grounded into an inning-ending fielder’s choice.

The Tigers answered with three in the home half of the sixth. Michael Johnson tied it with a leadoff home run to left, his 11th in 19 games this season.

Jarrod Schmidt and Jeff Hourigan kept the rally going with back-to-back singles and both moved up on a passed ball. MacDonald retired the next two batters, but DeMaino delivered a single to right-center, pushing two runs across.

Clemson added an unearned run in the seventh off reliever Paul Bruder after Khalil Greene led off with a single. The Tigers tacked on two runs in the eighth on DeMaino’s RBI single and a sacrifice fly by Greene.

Clemson jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first when DeMaino singled, took second on Kyle Frank’s single, moved to third on a balk and scored on Greene’s groundout.

UMaine tied it in the second when Tobin reached on an error with one out, moved to second on Reichley’s single, and scored on a single by Izaryk.

The Bears made it 2-1 in the third. Mike Ross reached on a two-out error, stole second, and scored on Tobin’s single to center.

Clemson tied it back up in the fifth when Russell Triplett got aboard and reached second on a throwing error by Reichley at shortstop. He scored on Frank’s RBI single to right field.

TIGERS 8, BLACK BEARS 3

Maine (9-5) Clemson (18-1)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Young, cf 4 0 0 0 DeMaino, lf 4 2 3

c-Houston 1 0 0 0 Frank, cf 5 0 1

Williams, lf 4 0 0 0 Greene, ss 3 1 2

Saunders, lf 0 0 0 0 Baker, 3b 5 0 0

Ross, rf 3 1 0 0 Johnson, 1b 4 1 1

Drapeau, 3b 3 0 0 0 Schmidt, rf 4 1 0

Tobin, 1b 2 2 1 1 Hourigan, dh 3 1 0

b-Reynolds 1 0 1 0 Triplett, 2b 4 1 0

Reichley, ss 3 0 1 0 Miller, c 2 0 0

Izaryk, c 4 0 1 1 a-Green 1 0 0 0

Carlton, dh-1b 4 0 1 0 Pyzik, c 1 0

Ferriggi, 2b 4 0 1 1

Totals 33 3 6 3 Totals 36 8 14 7

a-popped up for Miller in the sixth; b-singled for Tobin in the eighth; c-grounded out for Young in the ninth

Maine 011 001 000 ? 3

Clemson 100 013 12x ? 8

E?Reichley, Izaryk, Ferriggi; Greene, Triplett; LOB?Maine 7, Clemson 8; 2B?Baker, Pyzik; HR?Johnson (11); DP?Reichley-Tobin; Baker-Triplett-Johnson 2; SF?Greene; SB?Ross 2 (9); DeMaino (6), Johnson (4)

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

MacDonald (L,2-1) 6 9 5 3 2 2

Bruder 2 5 3 2 1 0

Clemson IP H R ER BB SO

Reba (W,6-0) 7 5 3 0 3 8

Boozer 1 1 0 0 0 0

Lumsden 1 0 0 0 0 1

HBP?Reichley by Reba; BK?MacDonald 2; PB?Izaryk; Miller; T?2:27; ATT?2,860