Entering Easter Weekend, Clemson has been the best team in the ACC — if not the best team in the country.
The Tigers’ 22-2 start is the program’s best mark since 2002 when that year’s club began the year 23-1 and ended the season one win shy of the championship game of the College World Series.
Clemson moved to No. 2 in the nation in this week’s Baseball America’s Top 25 rankings. Coach Erik Bakich’s team also moved up two spots to No. 3 in the USA TODAY Sports coaches poll following a dramatic three-game sweep of previously unbeaten Florida State that produced two incredible come-from-behind victories.
The threat of inclement weather postponed a scheduled Top 25 midweek matchup between Clemson and No. 20 Coastal Carolina earlier this week.
As a team, the Tigers are batting .303 with an OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging) of .964. Opponents are batting .238 against Clemson pitching, which boasts a 4.29 staff ERA that ranks fifth in the ACC.
Blake Wright hit six home runs and drove in 21 runs in five games last week to take home ACC Player of the Week honors. Wright was also tabbed as the Dick Howser Trophy National Player of the Week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).
Next up for the Tigers is Miami (14-10 overall, 5-4 conference) in Coral Gables. The Hurricanes took two out of three games in series against nationally-ranked programs Virginia (No. 8) and North Carolina (No. 11) before dropping two games at Notre Dame last weekend. Miami defeated FIU, 14-7, in midweek play on Tuesday.
The ‘Canes have averaged 8.5 runs per game this season while batting .306 as a team. They’ve struggled on the bump with a staff ERA of 5.75.
Clemson will go with a different rotation for this weekend’s series due to an ankle injury to left-hander Tristan Smith. Smith (2-0, 2.55 ERA) has been the team’s best starter this season but missed his usual Saturday start against Florida State and will be out at least one more week, Bakich said.
In Smith’s place, the Tigers will go with left-hander Ethan Darden. Darden (4-0, 5.09 ERA) pitched a career-high 6 1/3 innings against FSU, allowing four earned runs and seven hits.
Matthew Marchal will make his first start of the season in Thursday’s series opener. In eight relief appearances this season, Marchal is 4-0 with a 3.55 ERA. Freshman right-hander Aidan Knaak (1-0, 4.60 ERA) is scheduled to make his seventh start in Saturday’s finale.
Series History
Miami leads the all-time head to head series with Clemson, 45-32-1. The two programs first met in 1977. Clemson defeated Miami, 11-5, in the championship game of last season’s ACC Tournament in Durham.
Where to Watch/Stream/Listen
Here’s s a look at where Clemson fans can watch, stream, and listen to this weekend’s series at Miami’s Mark Light Field.
Start Times (ET)
Thursday, 7 p.m.
Friday, 7 p.m.
Saturday: 1 p.m.
Broadcast Info
TV: ACC Network (Thursday only)
Live Stream: ACC Network Extra, ESPN+ (Friday, Saturday)
Radio: Clemson Athletic Network | ClemsonTigers.com