It’s officially the home stretch of the regular season for No. 4 Clemson as it heads into this weekend’s conference series against Georgia Tech.
The Tigers (34-9 overall, 15-6 ACC) have just three remaining weekend series left, beginning with Friday’s series opener against the Yellow Jackets (27-15, 11-10).
Due to inclement weather forecasts, the two teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader Friday beginning at noon EDT at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Game 2 will begin approximately 60 minutes after the conclusion of Game 1. Sunday’s series finale is still scheduled for 1 p.m. EDT.
Clemson is in the driver’s seat for a top national seed for the 2024 NCAA Tournament. For the second straight week, coach Erik Bakich’s club is projected as a No. 3 national seed in the latest Field of 64 projections from On3, Baseball America and D1Baseball. Only No. 1 Texas A&M and No. 2 Arkansas are projected higher.
The Tigers will be facing a Georgia Tech team that’s been hot at the plate over the past month. The Yellow Jackets led the ACC in runs per game (9.3) and on-base percentage (.436) in April. Those numbers allowed Georgia Tech to win every series during the month (against Pitt, Virginia Tech, Virginia, and most recently Miami).
Trey Yunger leads the Yellow Jackets in hitting with a .381 average in 39 games. Drew Burress is the team’s biggest power threat with 18 home runs and 50 RBIs. He has a slash line of .368/.486/.798 and has played in all 42 games this season. Georgia Tech is batting .315 as a team, good for fourth in the ACC.
For its part, Clemson sits atop the ACC standings and is two full games ahead of Florida State. The Tigers swept the Seminoles in a memorable head-to-head series earlier this year and are coming off a 2-2 week that saw them take two of three at Louisville. They’ve lost only one weekend series this season.
Freshman sensation Aidan Knaak (4-0, 2.59 ERA) will return to the rotation this weekend after being held back a start last week. Bakich said on ACC PM Wednesday that he’d wanted to give Knaak a weekend off against Louisville. Tristan Smith (2-0, 3.26) will start Game 1 of Friday’s doubleheader with Ethan Darden (5-2, 4.06) scheduled to start Game 2. The Tigers’ collective 4.08 team ERA is just a nick behind North Carolina’s 4.02 mak for best in the ACC.
Georgia Tech will counter with right-hander Aeden Finateri (5-1, 4.40 ERA) and southpaw Cam Jones (3-1, 4.07) in Friday’s doubleheader. Tate McKee (4-3, 6.39) is scheduled to face Knaak in Sunday’s finale.
Alden Mathes leads Clemson in hitting (.344) and on-base percentage (.469). Blake Wright and Jimmy Obertop have combined for 31 home runs as the main power threats in the Tigers’ lineup. Cam Cannarella, meanwhile, is coming off his best week of the season. The sophomore center fielder was named ACC Player of the Week on Monday.
Per Clemson Sports Information:
“Cannarella was 9-for-20 (.450) with two homers, two doubles, six RBIs, four runs, an .850 slugging percentage, two walks and a .500 on-base percentage in four games on the road, including a series win at Louisville over the weekend.
He had at least two hits in each of the four games, including a homer at No. 17 Georgia on Tuesday. He went 7-for-14 with a homer, two doubles and five RBIs in the three-game series at Louisville.”
The Tigers are averaging 8.0 runs per game and are batting .294 as a team.
SERIES HISTORY
Clemson leads the all-time head to head series, 120-116-3. The two schools first met in baseball in 1902. The Tigers dropped two of three at Georgia Tech in their last meeting in March of 2023.
Where to Watch/Stream/Listen
Here’s a look at how Clemsons fans can watch, stream, and listen to this weekend’s series against Georgia Tech.
When: May 3-5
Where: Doug Kingsmore Stadium
Start Times (ET)
Friday (Game 1), noon EDT
Friday (Game 2), approximately 60 minutes after the conclusion of Game 1
Sunday, 1 p.m.
Broadcast Info
Live Video Stream: ACC Network Extra, ESPN+
Radio: Clemson Athletic Network | TuneIn App
Clemson Radio:
ACC Network Extra: William Qualkinbush, Bobby Moranda
Clemson Athletic Network: Don Munson, Bob Mahony