Some good news for the Clemson baseball team came Thursday night.
Clemson shortstop Benjamin Blackwell announced via social media that he is coming back for one more season with the Tigers next year.
“I am not ready to leave paradise quite yet and am beyond excited to announce that I’m returning to Clemson for my final season in 2023! #UnfinishedBusiness,” Blackwell said in a Twitter post.
A graduate transfer from Dayton, Blackwell was the No. 9 hitter in the lineup for the first quarter of the 2022 season, but batted in the leadoff spot for the rest of the year. He hit .327 with 52 runs, 10 doubles, a triple, three homers, 33 RBIs, a .422 slugging percentage, .428 on-base percentage, 32 walks, 10 hit-by-pitches and four steals in 58 games (58 starts at shortstop) and led the team in hit-by-pitches.
One of three Tigers to start every game and the only Tiger to start every game at the same position, Blackwell had 20 multiple-hit games and had a .951 fielding percentage, committing only 11 errors in 224 chances. He committed only five errors in the last 43 games and four errors in the last 34 games.
The Fairfax, Va., native hit a team-high .391 with runners on base and team-high .429 with runners in scoring position and had a 10-game hitting streak from March to April.
One final year! Let’s run it back! pic.twitter.com/KZX8yLaweb
— Benjamin Blackwell (@BennBlackwell) July 29, 2022
–Information from Clemson Athletic Communications contributed to this article
