Clemson’s baseball team hasn’t exactly been snacking on a bunch of cupcakes during its strong start to the season, but the Tigers are about to take a step up in level of competition – and environment – against their in-state rival this weekend.
Clemson will put its unblemished record on the line against South Carolina in a series starting Friday at Carolina’s Founders Park. The Tigers will stay in Columbia on Saturday for the middle game at Segra Park before the series wraps up Sunday at Clemson’s Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
The Tigers will take an 8-0 record into the weekend, matching their best start since the 2018 season. And despite playing opponents with a combined record of 15-11 so far, not many of those wins have been close. Clemson has ridden improved pitching (2.59 earned run average) and consistent hitting (.329 average) to a whopping plus-59 run differential (80-21) on the season.
But Indiana, Hartford, College of Charleston and USC Upstate aren’t South Carolina, which has won seven of its first eight games, including six straight. The Tigers dropped a one-run decision in its most recent visit to Founders Park a season ago.
“This is big-boy baseball, and it’s a rivalry series. So we’re excited about it,” Clemson coach Monte Lee said. “Couldn’t ask for being in a better position than we’re in right now. We go in there undefeated. We feel good about what we’re going as a club.”
It’s also been two years since Clemson has played in a true road environment. The Tigers have played all of their games inside the friendly confines of Doug Kingsmore Stadium so far, making Friday’s trip to Founders Park Clemson’s first road game since playing at Florida State last May (not counting the ACC Tournament and other neutral-site games).
Attendance for that series was limited in response to the coronavirus pandemic, so this weekend’s series opener will also be the first time the Tigers have played in front of a capacity crowd on another team’s campus since they beat South Carolina in the same park on Feb. 28, 2020.
“You come here to play in front of big crowds in big-time, pressure-packed environments,” Lee said. “That’s what it’s all about. The message to our guys is going to be let’s go enjoy this thing. This is what you signed up for. We’ll be loose and ready to go.”
As for that environment, junior utility player Bryar Hawkins was in the lineup the last time Clemson played in front of a packed house at Founders Park, which has a seating capacity of 8,424 fans – roughly 2,000 more than the Tigers’ ballpark. It won’t exactly be the chummiest setting for he or his teammates, but Hawkins said he doesn’t necessarily see that as a bad thing.
“It’s definitely intense there, but it’s something we’re all excited for, especially the guys that have been there before and are used to it,” said Hawkins, who has a team-high 15 RBIs and is tied for the team lead with three home runs. “Their fans, you’ve got to let it go in one ear and out the other. But it’s going to be awesome.
“It kind of gets your adrenaline going. For me, it’s what makes baseball fun is having the fans chirping at you.”
On the field, Clemson’s arms will be tested against a Carolina offense with one of the SEC’s hottest hitters in Andrew Eyster, who’s batting .514 with three homers and 17 RBIs. Clemson will counter with a lineup with six players hitting .333 or better against a Carolina team with the highest ERA in the SEC (4.34).
Carolina will be without one of its starting pitchers this weekend. Right-hander James Hicks recently sustained a season-ending injury after making just two starts. The Gamecocks’ best starter to this point has been Will Sanders, who’s allowed four earned runs in 12 innings.
Clemson is sticking with its rotation of right-handers Mack Anglin, Nick Clayton and Nick Hoffman, though the Tigers are moving Hoffman up to Saturday and bumping Clayton to Sunday. Anglin, who’s yet to allow an earned run in 10 innings this season, will oppose Sanders in his usual Friday night slot.
“We’ve got our guys. They’ve got their guys,” Lee said. “It’s going to come down to which pitchers execute pitches to the middle of their order better and which hitters step up with runners on base and deliver the big blow in crucial situations.”
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