COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Clemson's Phil Pohl had a grand slam and drove in five runs as the Tigers opened the NCAA tournament's Columbia Regional with a 11-3 victory over Coastal Carolina on Friday.
The No. 2 seeded Tigers (34-26) took the lead for good on Pohl's run-scoring single off Chanticleers starter Austin Wallace (5-1) in the first. They put the game away an inning later, the big blow coming with Pohl's ninth homer of the year to left with the bases loaded.
Clemson starter Kevin Pohle (7-4) gave up four hits and two runs in five innings of work. He did not come back out after a rain delay of 1 hour, 37 minutes.
The Tigers will face either two-time defending national champion South Carolina or Manhattan on Saturday.
Coastal Carolina (41-18) had won seven straight coming into the NCAA tournament. They'll face the South Carolina-Manhattan loser in an elimination game Saturday.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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