Tag: Benjamin Blackwell

Clemson infielder returning for final season

Blackwell was one of three Tigers to start every game last season and the only Tiger to start every game at the same position.

Starting shortstop Benjamin Blackwell will be returning to Clemson for one final season. Blackwell shared his decision to return next season for his final year of eligibility on Thursday via social media.

“This past year at Clemson has been a dream come true. It has been an honor to put on the Orange & Purple every day and it’s something that I never take lightly,” the shortstop said. “So much goes into making Clemson special, including the coaches, the support staff and our fans. There is no better environment in college baseball than Doug Kingsmore Stadium. I’m very proud to be a Tiger forever. To my coaches and teammates… thank you for believing in me from the start and pushing me to be better day in and day out. It has been a privilege to compete with each one of you.”

“With that being said, 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”

In his lone season at Clemson, Blackwell hit .327 with three home runs, 33 RBIs and 52 runs while sporting a .428 on-base percentage. The Fairfax, Va. native was one of just three Tigers to start all 58 games last spring and the only Tiger to start every game at the same position.

Prior to his time at Clemson, Blackwell spent three seasons with the Dayton Flyers, hitting .309 with six homers, 62 RBIs, 96 runs and 30 steals in 114 games (114 starts).

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Good news for Clemson baseball

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 …

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.

–Information from Clemson Athletic Communications contributed to this article

Come out to support Clemson baseball at Dear Old Clemson’s event which is set for September 30 at the Owen Pavilion.  New head coach Erik Bakich will be on hand as will next year’s baseball team.  If you sign up for certain club levels you get free access to all Dear Old Clemson events or purchase your tickets today at Dear Old Clemson.

Bats come alive as Clemson crushes Miami to end skid

Clemson (15-4, 1-2 ACC) was able to put its offensive woes to bed Sunday as the Tigers earned their first conference win of the season. Behind the offensive prowess of Benjamin Blackwell, who Clemson manager Monte Lee placed in the leadoff spot for …

Clemson (15-4, 1-2 ACC) was able to put its offensive woes to bed Sunday as the Tigers earned their first conference win of the season.

Behind the offensive prowess of Benjamin Blackwell, who Clemson manager Monte Lee placed in the leadoff spot for the weekend series, the Tigers pounded out 20 hits in a 20-5 victory over Miami.

During a recent four-game skid, Clemson was outscored 26-9 by its opponents. While the Tigers were finally able to bat the baseball around the yard during Sunday’s win, they got all the offense they needed out of the University of Dayton transfer.

After taking an 0-for in Saturday’s 4-1 loss, Blackwell drilled the first pitch he saw in the home half of the first into the Chapman Grandstands (395-feet). His second home run of the season was 103 mph off the bat.

Blackwell later punched a two-run single into right-field, which helped cap off a six-run third inning. He finished Sunday’s contest 4-for-6 with five RBIs.

Clemson also out got a solid outing out Sunday’s starter, Nick Clayton, who settled in after a shaky first inning, in which he issued two walks.

The sophomore right-hander out of York (S.C.) had his best start to date, as he pitched into the fifth inning for the first time this season. Clayton pitched in and out jams — only managing two clean innings — but pitched well enough to place his team in a position to win.

In his sixth career start, Clayton allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits with two strikeouts and three walks in 4 2/3 innings pitched.

Clayton ran into trouble in the top of the fourth, as Miami was threatening with runners on the corners and one out. After a meeting with Clemson pitching coach Andrew See, Clayton surrendered an RBI groundout and got out of the jam.

He faced the same trouble in the next inning, as the Hurricanes again had runners on the corners. After giving up an RBI groundout and issuing the third walk of his outing, Ryan Lindley was summoned out of the bullpen to replace Clayton and put Miami’s rally to rest.

Lindley pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings and was relieved for freshman Rocco Reid, who surrendered a three-run home run to Hurricanes’ third baseman Yohandy Morales.

Max Wagner (5) and Tyler Corbitt (2) each added two-run home runs of their own to left field in back-to-back-innings to help continue Clemson’s offensive explosion.

Wagner and Corbitt combined for 8 RBIs and had four apiece.

Those runs were necessary to provide some cushion, but the Tigers didn’t stop there. Clemson continued to pile on runs as it cruised to a much-needed victory in the later innings, behind a couple of errors, an RBI groundout, Dylan Brewer’s (2) two-run home run and Corbitt’s second home run of the game.

After a shaky outing from Reid, Ty Olenchuk and Ryan Ammons combined for two scoreless innings out of the pen to but the bow on Clemson’s blowout win.

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