Clemson Baseball preview vs. #17 Pittsburgh |
The Tigers return home to host Pittsburgh for the first time in a three-game series at Doug Kingsmore Stadium this weekend.
SERIES SETUP • Who - Pittsburgh (12-9, 4-5 ACC) vs. Clemson (19-6, 5-4 ACC) • Rankings - PIT - NR; CU - No. 17 CB, No. 22 USA • When - Friday (6:30 p.m.), Saturday (4 p.m.), Sunday (1 p.m.) • Where - Clemson, S.C. (Doug Kingsmore Stadium) • Watch - TigerCast • Listen - TigerCast, Clemson Tiger Sports Network • Live Stats - ClemsonTigers.com • Social Media - Twitter/Instagram (@ClemsonBaseball) • Tickets - ClemsonTigers.com, 1-800-CLEMSON • Promotion (all three games) - Family Four Pack - Purchase four tickets and a $10 concession voucher for only $30. • Promotion (Friday) - Emoji Day - The first 500 fans receive a Clemson baseball emoji. • Promotion (Saturday) - Spring Family Picnic - Celebrate spring with the entire family and receive trading card set No. 2. • Promotion (Sunday) - Greek Life Day - Clemson fraternities and sororities compete for bragging rights and a good cause. SERIES HISTORY • Overall Record - Clemson leads 2-1 (2014) • Record at Clemson - 0-0 STARTING PITCHERS • Friday - RHP Josh Falk (PIT) vs. RHP Clate Schmidt (CU) • Saturday - RHP T.J. Zeuch (PIT) vs. LHP Charlie Barnes (CU) • Sunday - RHP Aaron Sandefur (PIT) vs. TBA (CU) CLEMSON OVERVIEW • Clemson won both midweek games on the road over Furman (9-7) and Western Carolina (10-8). • The Tigers are averaging 7.1 runs per game and hitting .283 with a .395 on-base percentage and 23 stolen bases. • The pitching staff has a 3.14 ERA, .236 opponents’ batting average and 2.44 strikeout-to-walk ratio and Clemson is fielding .961. PITTSBURGH OVERVIEW • Pittsburgh is led by 19th-year head coach Joe Jordano. • The Panthers defeated Kent State 13-5 on Wednesday at home. They are hitting .292 and have a 4.65 ERA and .950 fielding percentage. • Charles LeBlanc is hitting .395, while Alex Kowalczyk is batting .351 with seven homers, eight doubles, one triple and 26 RBIs. QUICK HITS • Clemson’s current 12-game home winning streak is its longest since its 18-game home winning streak from May 31, 2009 to March 20, 2010. • Tiger batters have reached base 47.9 percent of the time when leading off an inning. • K.J. Bryant, who filled in for Seth Beer, had five RBIs in the two midweek games earlier this week. No other Tiger had more than two RBIs. POWERS NUMBERS UP • Clemson has hit 31 homers this season, already approaching or surpassing previous season totals. • The Tigers hit 35 in 2015, 28 in 2014, 22 in 2013, 44 in 2012 and 48 in 2011, the first year with the new bat standards. • Clemson’s .455 slugging percentage is its best mark since 2011, when it had a .460 slugging percentage. • Clemson hit nine home runs in the first 11 games, but has hit 22 home runs in the last 14 games. • Seth Beer leads the team with 11 home runs and a .936 slugging percentage, while Chase Pinder is second with eight long balls. • The Tigers have hit 19 home runs in their nine ACC games. No other ACC team has hit double-digit homers in ACC contests. • Beer has slugged eight home runs in nine ACC games.
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