Omaha Notebook: It'll Be All Business Friday

by Dan Scott - Correspondent - Thu Jun 20 20:15:57 GMT-04:00 2002

OMAHA, Neb. - Both Clemson's Khalil Greene and South Carolina's Drew Meyer expect no further incidents between the teams during today's game.

Greene was the target - intentionally or unintentionally - of a high, inside pitch from Blake Taylor one pitch after teammate Zane Green led off Wednesday's game with a home run. The ball glanced off Greene's bat as he fell away from the pitch.

Consequently, Steve Reba's first pitch in the bottom of the first inning sailed over Meyer's head in retaliation.

Both benches were warned, and there were no further incidents the rest of the game.

"I don't even think he was throwing at me. I don't know," Greene said. "I can't really see anything else happening. We just need to focus on the game. There's a lot at stake."

Meyer agreed.

"It's a new game," he said. "This is not one of those games where you can just put somebody on base. This is a chance to be in a national championship game. It's kind of forgotten about, and we're going to go on from there."

BUT JUST IN CASE

South Carolina head coach Ray Tanner, on the possibility of further gamesmanship between the teams:

"If we get thrown at I hope we get hit. That's a free base."

PITCHING PROSPECTS

No surprise that Clemson is going with Matt Henrie today.

Henrie, who already has a win and a save in the College World Series, has been the Tigers' most effective pitcher in the postseason. Included in his 13 wins is a 4-1 victory over the Gamecocks earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Tanner said he was leaning toward either Steven Bondurant or Chris Spigner as his starter, but said a decision wouldn't be made until later Thursday night or this morning.

The only pitchers not available for bullpen work, Tanner said, would be freshmen Aaron Rawl and Matt Campbell. Rawl pitched the complete-game victory over Georgia Tech Tuesday, and Campbell threw 5 1/3 innings vs. Clemson Wednesday.

Clemson coach Jack Leggett said "everyone will be available" in the Tigers bullpen.

"There is no Sunday," he said.