CLEMSON, S.C. – The Clemson Tigers extended their winning streak to 11 games with an 8-6 win over Maine Thursday night before a crowd of 2,152 at Doug Kingsmore Field.

The Black Bears got to Clemson starter Jeff Hahn for three runs in the top of the fourth inning to break up a scoreless game.

Senior Mike Livulpi started things off for 9-4 Maine with a home run off Hahn. It was the first home run a Clemson pitcher has given up at home this season.

Freshman Steve Gambale reached second on a Clemson error and then scored on a double by Alain Picard.

Picard then scored on an RBI groundout by senior Brett Ouellette.

The 14th-ranked Tigers (14-3) came back to tie the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth and followed that by scoring two more in the fifth and another pair of runs in the seventh to take a 7-3 lead.

But the Black Bears bounced back in the eighth, scoring three times off reliever Aaron Trolia, who came on to start the inning.

Senior Aaron Young led off the inning with a single up the middle. After Livulpi flied out to right, Gambale reached on an infield hit. Picard then singled to score Young.

Gambale came around to score when Aaron Izaryk’s liner to third was handled but then thrown away attempting to double Picard off at first. Picard moved to third and scored on an infield hit by Jesse Carlton to pull Maine to within one at 7-6.

But the Black Bears were unable to score the tying run and Clemson went on to add a run in the bottom of the eighth for the final score.

Mike MacDonald worked six innings for the Black Bears, allowing eight hits and five earned runs while walking three and striking out three.

Greg Creek pitched two innings, giving up two hits, two earned runs, three walks, and a pair of strikeouts.

The teams meet again tonight at 7:15 in the second game of the three-game series.

TIGERS 8, BLACK BEARS 6

Maine (9-4) Clemson (14-3)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Livulpi, cf 5 1 1 1 Green, rf 4 3 0

Gambale, ss 4 2 1 0 Hub, lf 4 2 1 0

Picard 3 2 2 2 Johnson, 1b 3 2 2

Izaryk, c 3 0 0 0 McCann, 3b 4 0 2

Carlton, 1b 3 0 1 1 Frank, cf 2 0 2

Ouellette, 2b 4 0 0 1 Triplett, ss 3 0

Drapeau, 3b 4 0 1 0 Harvey, dh 3 0 1

Williams, lf 2 0 0 0 Everett, c 3 0 0

Quintal, lf 2 0 1 0 a-Evans 0 1 0 0

Young, rf 4 1 1 0 Pyzik, c 0 0 0

Slevin, 3b 3 0 0 0

Totals 34 6 8 5 Totals 29 8 10 7

a-ran for Everett in the 9th

Maine 000 300 030 ? 6 8 1

Clemson 000 320 21x ? 8 10 2

E?Izaryk (1); McCann 2 (4); LOB?Maine 4 Clemson 6; 2B?Picard; Green, McCann, Frank; HR?Livulpi (2); DP?Gambale-Ouellette-Carlton, Drapeau-Ouellette-Carlton; S?Carlton; SF?Harvey; SB?Evans (2)

Maine IP H R ER BB SO

MacDonald (L,1-2) 6 8 5 5 3 2

Creek 2 2 3 2 3 2

Clemson IP H R ER BB SO

Hahn (W,3-2) 7 3 3 1 2 6

Trolia 1/3 3 3 1 0 0

Rohrbaugh 1/3 0 0 0 0 0

Harrelson (S,2) 1 1/3 2 0 0 0 2

WP?Hahn; BK?Creek; ATT?2,152

USM sweeps St. Norbert’s

At Fort Myers, Fla., Andy Lang banged out a double and four singles as the Huskies swept their season-opening series, winning the first game 2-1 and taking the second 9-4.

In the first game, Brian Marshall stole home and Brandon Brewer scored on an Adam Lemieux groundout in the fourth to lead Southern Maine. Marc Cahill pitched a two-hitter with no walks and seven strikeouts. Brian Lesandrini had an RBI for the Green Knights.

In the second game, Drew Palmer had an RBI sacrifice fly and Lang had an RBI single in the Huskies’ three-run second. Lang and Brewer each had an RBI in the four-run fourth. Jason Thibodeau allowed two hits and had four strikeouts in five innings for the win. Lesandrini added an RBI for St. Norbert’s.

(First Game)

Southern Maine 000 200 0 – 2 9 2

St. Norbert’s 100 000 0 – 1 9 1

Cahill, Adams (7) and McDonough; Norgren and Lesandrini

(Second Game)

St. Norbert’s (2-6) 000 010 3 – 4 3 3

Southern Maine (2-0) 130 401 x – 9 9 4

Voss, Rice (4) and Koehl; Thibodeau, Handy (6), Fairchild (7) and Melanson

Softball

So. Florida sweeps UMaine

At Tampa, Fla., South Florida pitchers allowed the Black Bears just five total hits in their 1-0 and 4-0 wins.

In the first game, Leigh Ann Ellis fired a one, giving up just a single to junior Sara Asadoorian. Maine’s Sarah Bennis of Pownal allowed four hits and four walks in taking the loss.

In the second game, the Black Bears faired little better picking up just four hits.

Jess Brady of Jackman, Nikki Taylor of Chelsea, and Brittany Cheney and Asadoorian all singled for Maine.

Jenna Merchant allowed six hits and two walks in taking the loss for 9-6 Maine.

(First game)

Maine 000 000 0 – 0 1 2

South Florida 000 000 1 – 1 4 1

Bennis and Tibbetts; Ellis and Lewellan

(Second game)

Maine 000 000 0 – 0 4 0

South Florida 201 100 x – 4 6 1

Merchant and Stevens; Christensen, Callinan (6) and Watson