Clemson baseball up to No. 5 in USA TODAY Sports coaches poll

Clemson moved up four spots to No. 5 in the new USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll, released Monday, March 18.

Clemson moved up four spots to No. 5 in the new USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll, released Monday, March 18.

Coach Erik Bakich’s Tigers are 17-2 overall and went 4-1 last week after taking two of three from Duke at Jack Coombs Field in Durham over the weekend. It’s the team’s highest ranking this season in the coaches poll after having been ranked ninth the past two weeks.

Arkansas (17-2) remained No. 1 after outscoring Missouri by a combined 23-1 margin in a three-game sweep. Oregon State (17-2) moved up one spot to No. 2.

Vanderbilt (18-3) made one of the biggest leaps in this week’s poll, jumping seven spots to land at No. 3 after sweeping Auburn on Sunday.

Reigning national champion LSU (17-4) fell from No. 2 to No. 4 after dropping two of three to Mississippi State over the weekend.

Texas A&M fell two spots to No. 6. Tennessee, Florida, Duke and Alabama rounded out the top 10.

Unbeaten Florida State (18-0), which visits Clemson for a three-game weekend series beginning Friday, moved up 10 spots to No. 12 in the coaches poll.

The Tigers will host Winthrop Tuesday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in midweek action. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. EDT. The game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.

Clemson up to No. 3 in Baseball America rankings; No. 4 in D1Baseball

By sweeping Manhattan in midweek play and winning two out of three games against No. 6 Duke in its ACC series opener, Clemson moved to No. 3 in Baseball America’s latest Top 25 rankings and No. 4 in D1Baseball’s new Top 25.

A shakeup at the top of this week’s Baseball America and D1Baseball Top 25 rankings has seen Clemson soar into the top 5.

By sweeping Manhattan in midweek play and winning two of three against Duke in its ACC series opener, Clemson moved to No. 3 in Baseball America’s latest Top 25 rankings and No. 4 in D1Baseball’s new Top 25.

Powered by home runs from Jimmy Obertop and Jacob Hinderleider, the Tigers (17-2 overall, 2-1 conference) used a three-run 10th inning Sunday to earn a wild 8-6 win and series victory in Durham. They also defeated Manhattan by a combined score of 18-2 in a pair of midweek contests.

Clemson’s 4-1 week saw them move six spots in the rankings for both Baseball America and D1Baseball.

The Tigers will host undefeated Florida State (18-0, 3-0) at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in ACC play Friday. The Seminoles were a big mover in this week’s rankings, jumping 14 spots to No. 7 in Baseball America and going from unranked to No. 12 in D1Baseball.

Duke (15-5) fell from No. 3 to No. 6 in Baseball America and from No. 6 to No. 9 in D1Baseball.

Arkansas (17-2) remained at No. 1 in both rankings after a 4-0 week while LSU (17-4) fell to No. 5. The reigning national champions were No. 2 in last week’s rankings.

Oregon State (17-2) moved up to No. 2 in D1Baseball’s rankings while staying at No. 4 in Baseball America’s rankings.

Besides Clemson and Florida State, Vanderbilt (18-3) and Alabama (17-3) were big movers in this week’s rankings. The Crimson Tide took two of three from previously fifth-ranked Tennessee over the weekend to climb nine spots and land at No. 9 in Baseball America’s rankings.

The Commodores moved six spots to No. 2 in Baseball America after a weekend sweep of Auburn.

Wake Forest (13-6), which had been No. 1 for weeks until last week, fell nine spots to No. 16 in D1Baseball’s rankings, and eight spots to No. 15 in Baseball America’s rankings. The Demon Deacons lost two of three to Virginia over the weekend, plus a midweek game to Coastal Carolina.

Virginia (15-4), Virginia Tech (14-4), and North Carolina (17-4) were the other ACC schools to make D1Baseball’s rankings.

Clemson rallies past Duke in 10th inning, earns series win

No. 9 Clemson earned a hard-fought 8-6 win and series victory over No. 7 Duke Sunday at Jack Coombs Field in Durham.

Clemson got home runs from Jimmy Obertop and Jacob Hinderleider in the 10th inning and held on in the bottom half for a hard-fought 8-6 victory over No. 7 Duke Sunday at Jack Coombs Field in Durham.

The win gave the Tigers (17-2 overall, 2-1 ACC) an impressive series victory to open conference play.

Getting there wasn’t easy as Duke (15-5, 3-3) seemingly answered each Tigers rally with one of its own.

Clemson, ranked No. 9 in the latest USA TODAY Sports coaches poll, got out to a 2-0 lead in the first when Blake Wright launched his team-leading seventh home run to the opposite field in right off Duke starter Tim Noone.

The Tigers carried a 3-2 lead into the eighth inning despite having only one hit through seven innings. Then, both teams’ offenses began to erupt.

Alden Mathes led off with a sharp single to right and had advanced to third with two out when Hinderleider lined a ground-rule double to the warning track in left-center for a 4-2 lead.

Jarren Purify followed with a run-scoring double that brought in Hinderleider and made it 5-2.

Duke answered right away with four consecutive hits to open the eighth. A.J. Gracia’s two-run home run off Mark Clayton cut the Tigers’ lead to 5-4.

A deep fly to left from Wallace Clark off Reed Garris later that inning allowed Devin Obee to tag from third and score the tying run.

After Clemson was retired in order in the ninth, Rob Hughes took over in the bottom half. When Gracia lined a triple down the right field line, Alex Stone tried to score all the way from first to end the game but was thrown out at home by Purify following a terrific relay from Mathes.

Clemson went ahead for good in extra innings.

Obertop unloaded on a 2-0 pitch that cleared the wall in right to put the Tigers ahead, 6-5. It was a no-doubt shot that was Obertop’s fourth homer of the year and his second in as many days.

After Tristan Bissetta reached on an infield single, Hinderleider followed with a two-run homer down the right field line for an 8-5 Clemson lead.

Matthew Marchal pitched the 10th inning and allowed back to back singles with one away to bring the tying run to the plate. But Bissetta made a sensational diving catch to keep Clark from emptying the bases. A run scored on the play but it robbed Clark of at least a double and possibly a triple.

Marchal then got Zac Morris to ground to third for the final out.

Duke outhit the Tigers, 17-7. Morris (3-for-6) had three hits for the Blue Devils, and Gracia and Ben Miller each had two hits, including home runs. Five Duke players finished with two hits or more.

Hinderleider (2-for-3) was the only Tigers player to finish with two hits in a three-RBI performance.

Purify (1-for-3) drove in two runs. His RBI sac fly in the sixth broke a 2-2 tie and gave Clemson the lead.

Freshman Aidan Knaak started for Clemson and received a no-decision. The right-hander scattered nine hits but finished with nine strikeouts and didn’t allow a walk. Knaak pitched out of trouble by striking out Andrew Yu to end a Duke threat in the sixth. Knaak finished with 86 pitches in the seventh.

The Tigers used six pitchers total, including Marchal who earned his first save. Hughes (1-0) earned the win in relief. Duke also used six pitchers with Charlie Beilenson (0-1) suffering the loss after allowing Obertop’s go-ahead home run.

NEXT UP: Clemson has a pair of midweek contests beginning Tuesday when the Tigers host Winthrop in a scheduled 6 p.m. EDT start at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The Tigers will then travel to Greenville Wednesday for a 6 p.m. start against Presbyterian. The game against Winthrop will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX). Clemson will then welcome Florida State to Doug Kingsmore Stadium next weekend.

Bissetta, Obertop home runs help Clemson even series with Duke

No. 9 Clemson edged No. 7 Duke, 8-7, Saturday afternoon at Jack Coombs Field in Durham.

Tristan Smith struck out a career-high 10 batters in six solid innings, Tristan Bissetta hit a clutch grand slam, and No. 9 Clemson edged No. 7 Duke, 8-7, Saturday afternoon at Jack Coombs Field in Durham.

The Tigers (16-2 overall, 1-1 ACC) needed all the offense it could get.

Jimmy Obertop’s three-run home run in the fifth inning off Blue Devils reliever Edward Hart gave Clemson a 4-2 lead midway through.

In the seventh, Bissetta notched his first career grand slam — the only hit in the Tigers’ half of the inning — with one out off Josh Allen, who’d previously loaded the bases with two walks and a hit batsman.

The Blue Devils (15-4, 3-2) answered with five runs of their own against left-hander Ethan Darden in the seventh to pull to within a run. Lucas Mahlstedt took over for Darden and closed out the seventh with back to back strikeouts of Devin Obee and Mason Winslow.

Mahlstedt struck out three of the four batters he faced in the seventh after the first six Duke hitters reached base against Darden. The junior right-hander then worked a scoreless eighth inning before Rob Hughes closed out the game in ninth.

Hughes pitched out of trouble to strand the potential tying and winning runs on base for his second save. Hughes has yet to allow a run in six appearances this season.

Duke out-hit the Tigers, 11-7. Blake Wright drove in Clemson’s only other run with an RBI fielder’s choice in the first inning off starter Andrew Healy. Healy pitched just one inning as the Blue Devils used nine different pitchers in Saturday’s game.

Gabriel Nard (0-1) suffered the loss for Duke after allowing two men to reach base in the fifth before Obertop’s home run — his third of the season.

Smith (2-0) was sensational in his fifth start for Clemson. In addition to his 10 strikeouts, the southpaw yielded only one earned run on four hits. He walked two and threw 102 pitches.

The rubber match of the series is scheduled for 1 p.m. EDT Sunday. Freshman right-hander Aiden Knaak (1-0, 4.05 ERA) will make his fifth start for Clemson. Duke has yet to announce its Sunday starter. The game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.

Preview and Where to Watch/Stream/Listen: No. 9 Clemson vs. No. 3 Duke

Here’s where Clemson fans can watch, stream, and listen to this weekend’s series against No. 3 Duke.

No. 9 Clemson travels to Durham this weekend to take on No. 3 Duke at Jack Coombs Field in the Tigers’ opening series in ACC play.

Clemson (15-1 overall) won its 11th straight game earlier this week when the Tigers swept Manhattan in midweek play by a combined score of 18-2.

The Tigers have averaged over eight runs per game this season and their only loss was a weekend series opener to Kennesaw State three weeks ago. As a unit, Clemson is batting .318 with a slugging percentage of .538. They have a collective on-base percentage of .429.

Alden Mathes leads the team with a .388 average (19-for-49) in 15 games. Sophomore Cam Cannarella has been the pulse at the top of the Tigers’ lineup and is batting .385 with a team-best six doubles and 17 RBIS. Second baseman Blake Wright has driven in 14 runs and is tied for the team lead in home runs with Will Taylor with five.

Tristan Bissetta has played his way into the lineup of late, totaling six hits in his last 12 at-bats entering Friday’s series.

On the mound for Clemson, sophomore southpaw Tristan Smith has been the Tigers’ best starter this season. He’s held opponents to a .180 average in four starts and is 1-0 with a 2.89 ERA in 18 2/3 innings.

Right-handers Rob Hughes and Drew Titsworth have each thrown six-plus innings in relief without a run being charged to them.

Duke (14-3 overall, 2-1 ACC) is ranked No. 7 in the latest USA TODAY Sports coaches poll, but they’re No. 3 in Baseball America’s Top 25 rankings and ranked No. 6 by D1Baseball.com. The Blue Devils took two of three from previously No. 1-ranked Wake Forest last weekend.

The team is averaging 10 runs per game and batting .338 with a staff ERA of 3.30 ERA. Third baseman Ben Miller leads Duke with a .449 average in 17 games. Miller had a 4-for-5 performance against Wake Forest on March 8 that included two doubles. He finished with six hits in that weekend’s series.

Miller and second baseman Zac Morris lead Duke with seven home runs apiece. Miller’s 22 RBIs is tied for the team lead with outfielder A.J. Garcia.

The Blue Devils split a pair of midweek contests with Rider earlier this week, including an 18-4 victory on Wednesday.

Duke is is scheduled to start left-hander Jonathan Santucci (3-0, 2.29 ERA) Friday, followed by left-hander Andrew Healy (1-1, 5.63) Saturday. The Blue Devils’ Sunday’s starter has yet to be announced.

Austin Gordon (0-0, 6.75 ERA) will start Friday’s opener for Clemson, followed by Smith on Saturday and freshman right-hander Aiden Knaak (1-0, 4.05 ERA) on Sunday.

Series History

Clemson leads the all-time head to head series with Duke, 131-77-2. The series dates back to 1904. Duke took two of three in last season’s series at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

Where to Watch/Stream/Listen

Here’s a look at where Clemson fans can watch, stream, and listen to this weekend’s series.

Dates: March 15-17

Start Times (ET):

Friday, 6 p.m.

Saturday: 3 p.m.

Sunday: 1 p.m.

Where: Jack Coombs Field

Broadcast Info

Video: ACC Network Extra (ACCNX), ESPN+

Radio: Clemson Athletic Network | ClemsonTigers.com

Clemson sweeps Manhattan in midweek finale

No. 9 Clemson plated five runs in the first inning en route to a 5-1 victory over Manhattan at Doug Kingsmore Stadium Wednesday.

No. 9 Clemson plated five runs in the first inning en route to a 5-1 victory and two-game series sweep over Manhattan at Doug Kingsmore Stadium Wednesday.

The win was the 11th in a row for head coach Erik Bakich’s team.

Cam Cannarella stayed hot when he doubled down the right field line to lead off the first for Clemson, his sixth double of the season. After a wild pitch, Cannarella scored on a base hit up the middle from Blake Wright for a 1-0 lead.

The Tigers (15-1) followed with three straight run-scoring hits and four straight singles.

Tristan Bissetta singled to the opposite field to score Wright and extend the lead to 2-0. It was Bissetta’s sixth hit in his last four games. Nathan Hall followed with another single for a 3-0 lead.

Jarren Purify snuck a two-run single just past the infield to make it 5-0. Jack Crighton reached on an infield single into the hole at short before Ty Marshall, making his first career start behind the plate in place of Jimmy Obertop, grounded into a double play to close the inning.

Wright (2-for-4) and Crighton (2-for-2) had two hits for Clemson. Crighton also drew a pair of walks to reach base all four times he batted. The Tigers out-hit the Jaspers, 9-5.

Billy Barlow (3-1) made his fifth start for Clemson and pitched five shutout innings, limiting Manhattan to two hits while striking out a career-high nine batters to earn the win.

Matthew Marchal gave up a long home run to Drew Wyers to lead off the sixth inning for the Jaspers’ only run of the game. Marchal pitched two inning in relief. Nick Clayton pitched a scoreless eighth inning, and Lucas Mahlstedt retired the side in order in the ninth .

Garret Garbinski (0-2) started and suffered the loss for Manhattan, allowing all five runs (four earned).

UP NEXT: Clemson travels to No. 7 Duke to open conference play Friday. The Blue Devils (14-3) took two of three from then-No. 1 Wake Forest last weekend. Friday’s first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. EDT at Jack Coombs Field. The series will be streamed on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX).

Clemson baseball stays at No. 9 in new USA TODAY Sports coaches poll

Clemson stayed at No. 9 in the new USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll released Monday, March 11.

Clemson stayed at No. 9 in the new USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll released Monday, March 11.

The Tigers are 13-1 overall and won all four games they played last week, including a three-game series sweep of UNC Greensboro at Doug Kingsmore Stadium over the weekend.

Wake Forest (12-3 overall), which lost two of three to Duke, dropped out of the top spot and fell to No. 5. Arkansas (13-2) jumped two spots to No. 1 in the new coaches poll. The Razorbacks have now moved up four spots over the past two weeks.

LSU (14-2) remained at No. 2. Oregon State (15-1) climbed two spots to No. 3. Unbeaten Texas A&M (16-0) also climbed two spots to No. 4.

Tennessee (16-1) moved up two spots as well, to No. 6. Duke jumped four spots in the coaches poll to No. 7 after its big weekend in Winston-Salem. Clemson will travel to Duke for the Tigers’ first series in ACC play this weekend.

TCU, Clemson, and Vanderbilt rounded out the top 10 in the coaches poll.

In other polls, the Tigers moved up one spot to No. 9 in this week’s Baseball America Top 25 rankings. They stayed at No. 10 in D1Baseball.com’s rankings.

Clemson will host Manhattan in midweek action Tuesday and Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. EDT for both games at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

Where Clemson ranks in new Top 25 college baseball rankings

Clemson moved one spot to No. 9 in the new Baseball America Top 25 rankings released Monday and stayed at No. 10 in D1Baseball’s Top 25.

Clemson moved one spot to No. 9 in the new Baseball America Top 25 rankings released Monday and stayed at No. 10 in D1Baseball.com’s latest Top 25.

The Tigers are 13-1 overall and won all four games they played last week, including a three-game weekend series sweep of UNC Greensboro at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

Wake Forest (12-3 overall)), which had been No. 1 all season, fell to No. 7 after dropping two of three against Duke in a weekend series in Winston-Salem. That allowed Arkansas (13-2), which went 4-0 last week, to jump to No. 1 in both Baseball America’s and D1Baseball’s rankings.

Defending national champion LSU (14-2) stayed at No. 2. The Tigers and Razorbacks both begin conference play this week in the SEC against Mississippi State and Missouri, respectively.

Duke (13-2) jumped to No. 3 in Baseball America’s rankings after its weekend series victory over the Demon Deacons, as well as a 28-2 midweek walloping of Appalachian State on Tuesday.

The Blue Devils placed No. 6 in D1Baseball’s rankings, six spots ahead of where they sat last week. Clemson will travel to Duke on Friday for the Tigers’ first series in conference play.

Undefeated Texas A&M (16-0) jumped into the top five in both rankings. The Aggies went 5-0 last week to move six spots to No. 5 in Baseball America’s poll. They moved three spots to No. 4 in D1Baseball’s poll.

Oregon State (15-1) moved ahead three spots to No. 3 in D1Baseball’s rankings and stayed at No. 4 in Baseball America’s top 25.

Tennessee (16-1) went 5-0 last week to move ahead one spot to No. 6 in Baseball America’s rankings. Wake Forest, Vanderbilt (13-1), Clemson, and Florida (10-5) rounded out the top 10 in those rankings.

TCU (14-2) fell out of the top 10 in both Baseball America and D1Baseball’s rankings after dropping two of three to Kansas over the weekend. TCU placed 11th in Baseball America’s rankings, and 12th in D1Baseball’s. They had been ranked No. 5 in both rankings a week ago.

Clemson was ranked No. 9 in the most recent USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll, released Monday, March 4.

Jarren Purify helps Clemson complete sweep of UNC Greensboro

Freshman Jarren Purify had two hits and drove in four runs, and the ninth-ranked Tigers (13-1) rallied for a 6-3 victory to complete a three-game sweep of UNC Greensboro (8-7) Sunday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

For the third straight day, Clemson fell behind early. But much as they’ve done all season to this point, the Tigers’ bats bailed them out.

Freshman Jarren Purify had two hits and drove in four runs, and the ninth-ranked Tigers (13-1) rallied for a 6-3 victory to complete a three-game series sweep of UNC Greensboro Sunday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

After falling behind 2-0 and being held scoreless through five innings, the Tigers’ offense finally awoke in the sixth after leaving the bases loaded an inning earlier.

Jimmy Obertop walked to lead off the inning and force Spartans starter Rob Ready from the game. Andrew Ciufo then dropped a soft single into shallow right off reliever Luke Thomas. A passed ball advanced the runners to second and third.

After Tristan Bissetta was walked intentionally to load the bases, Purify made one of the best plays of the young season.

Purify, the 2023 Detroit Prep Player of the Year, laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to score Overtop from third. Ciufo, who never stopped running from second, also raced home, and the game was tied at 2-2.

When Cam Cannarella followed with an RBI double down the line that just missed the glove of G.C. Jarman in left field, Clemson had its first lead of the day at 3-2.

The Spartans wasted no time striking back in the seventh when Mitchell Smith launched a game-tying home run off reliever Matthew Marchal.

Clemson went right back to work later that inning, though. Overtop and Ciufo singled to put two men on with no one out. After Jacob Hinderleider just missed a home run to deep right-center, Bissetta drew a walk on four pitches to load the bases.

Purify came through again when he lined a two-run single to center. His second hit of the day gave Clemson a 5-3 lead the Tigers wouldn’t relinquish.

Will Taylor sent his fifth home run of the season out to deep left-center in the eighth to give Clemson an insurance run and cap the scoring at 6-3.

Cannarella (2-for-5), Ciufo (2-for-4), and Purify (2-for-3) all had multi-hit games for the Tigers, who outhit UNC Greensboro, 10-7.

Lucas Mahlstedt worked a perfect 1-2-3 ninth inning to earn his first save. Mahlstedt threw two scoreless innings in his fifth relief appearance of the season.

The Tigers got six innings from starter Aidan Knaak, who limited the Spartans to two runs (one earned) on four hits and four walks. Knaak struck out six and finished at 101 pitches, his deepest start of the season.

Marchal got the win in relief to go to 3-0 on the season. Thomas (1-1) suffered the loss for UNC Greensboro (8-7) after starter Rob Ready had thrown five shutout innings to start Sunday’s game. Ready began the sixth inning but was removed after the leadoff walk to Obertop.

With Sunday’s win, Clemson finished 10-1 in non-conference weekend action. The Tigers have now won nine games in a row.

Clemson will host Manhattan College (N.Y.) Tuesday and Wednesday in midweek action before opening ACC play next Friday with a three-game weekend series at Duke.

Tristan Bissetta’s two home runs carry Clemson over UNC Greensboro

Sophomore Tristan Bissetta made his first start of the season a memorable one. Batting ninth and playing right field, the local product out of Greenville’s JL Mann High School hit his first collegiate home runs in a 9-5 Clemson victory over UNC Greensboro Saturday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

Sophomore Tristan Bissetta made his first start a memorable one.

Batting ninth and playing right field, the local product out of Greenville’s JL Mann High School hit his first collegiate home runs in a 9-5 Clemson victory over UNC Greensboro Saturday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

The Tigers, ranked ninth in this week’s USA TODAY Sports’ baseball coaches poll, improved to 12-1 this season.

Bissetta hit his first home run in the fourth inning off reliever Hunter Shuey to give the Tigers a 4-2 lead.

In the sixth, Bissetta went deep again, launching another opposite field home run off Shuey that just cleared the wall in left to extend the Tigers’ lead to 5-2.

Jimmy Overtop (3-for-4) had three hits, including a two-run single with two out in the sixth to make it 7-2.

The Tigers added some insurance in the eighth when Blake Wright launched a long home run to left. It was Wright’s fourth home run and put the Clemson lead back to five at 9-4.

Clemson totaled 14 hits in Saturday’s game. Cam Cannarella was 3-for-5 atop the order, and Bissetta, Wright and Alden Mathes each had two hits apiece.

Freshman Nolan Nawrocki, who’s earned the starting job at third base, also had two hits to extend his hitting streak to 11 games to open the season.

For the second straight day, Clemson fell behind early. The Spartans (8-6) jumped out to a 2-0 lead before Mathes tied the game with a two-run double to the gap in right-center in the third inning.

UNC Greensboro starter Jay Miller (0-1) lasted only 3 1/3 innings. He allowed three runs on six hits, walking one and striking out one in the loss.

Sophomore Tristan Smith made his fourth straight Saturday start and earned his first collegiate win. Smith (1-0) pitched five innings, throwing right at 100 pitches. He allowed two runs on one hit and four walks with six strikeouts.

Rob Hughes closed out a shaky ninth inning in relief of Ty Olenchuk, who opened the frame by hitting the first two batters he faced. Hughes allowed one hit and struck out two of the four batters he faced in his fifth appearance of the season.

Game 3 of the series is scheduled for Sunday at 2 p.m. EDT. Freshman right-hander Aidan Knaak (1-0, 5.14 ERA) will start for Clemson against UNC Greensboro’s Rob Ready (1-0, 3.77). The game will be streamed on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX).