Clemson Baseball Preview vs. Furman & Winthrop & Notes

Jack Leggett coaching against Eastern Michigan earlier in the year.

by CU Athletic Communications - Mon Mar 31 20:20:19 GMT-04:00 2014

CLEMSON, S.C. - The Tigers return home to play Furman and Winthrop in midweek games.

GAMES SETUP

• Who - Furman (11-17) & Winthrop (14-15 entering Tuesday’s game at Davidson) vs. Clemson (17-9)

• Rankings - FUR - NR; WIN - NR; CU - No. 16 BA, No. 23 CB, No. 15 USA

• When - Tuesday (6:30 p.m.), Wednesday (6:30 p.m.)

• Where - Clemson, S.C. (Doug Kingsmore Stadium)

• Watch - TigerCast

• Listen - TigerCast

• Live Stats - ClemsonTigers.com

• Social Media - Twitter/Instagram (@ClemsonBaseball)

• Tickets - ClemsonTigers.com, 1-800-CLEMSON

• Promotion (Tuesday) - Two For Tuesday - All tickets are buy one, get one free.

• Promotion (Wednesday) - Get a Family Four Pack of tickets (two adults, two youth) for only $20 online at ClemsonTigers.com or at the gate.

SERIES HISTORY (FURMAN)

• Overall Record - Clemson leads 142-57-4 (1896-2013)

• Record at Clemson - Clemson leads 77-26-1 (1896-2012)

SERIES HISTORY (WINTHROP)

• Overall Record - Clemson leads 18-5 (1981-13)

• Record at Clemson - Clemson leads 14-4 (1981-13)

STARTING PITCHERS

• Tuesday - LHP Billy Greenfield (FUR) vs. RHP Jake LongJake Long
RS Jr. RH Pitcher
#39 5-10, 180
Anderson, SC
View Full Profile (CU)

• Wednesday - TBA (WIN) vs. TBA (CU)

CLEMSON OVERVIEW

• Clemson is coming off two victories in two games in a rain-shortened series at No. 25 Maryland over the weekend.

• The Tigers are averaging 6.9 runs per game and hitting .300 with a .369 on-base percentage and 48 steals.

• The pitching staff has a 4.32 ERA, .250 opponents’ batting average, 2.21 strikeout-to-walk ratio and .962 fielding percentage.

FURMAN OVERVIEW

• Furman is led by 21st-year Head Coach Ron Smith.

• The Paladins won one of three games at Samford last weekend. They are hitting .289 and have a 5.76 ERA and .963 fielding percentage.

• Hunter Burton is hitting a team-high .336 with a .427 on-base percentage and 23 steals.

WINTHROP OVERVIEW

• Winthrop is led by fourth-year Head Coach Tom Riginos.

• The Eagles won two games at home over UNC Asheville last weekend. They are hitting .235 and have a 3.46 ERA and .966 fielding percentage.

• TJ Olesczuk is hitting a team-high .414 with 11 doubles, one triple, 15 RBIs, a .469 on-base percentage and five steals.

QUICK HITS

• All nine of Clemson’s starters are hitting .280 or better. Seven of the nine are hitting .312 or better.

• In the last five ACC games, Tiger starters have combined to allow just four earned runs in 33.0 innings pitched. (1.09 ERA).

• Clemson hit 17 extra-base hits in its three games, all on the road, last week.

• Winthrop Head Coach Tom Riginos served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Clemson for eight seasons (2003-10).

ACC STANDINGS

• Clemson is in second place in the ACC Atlantic Division standings with an 8-3 league record behind first-place Florida State (10-2).

• In the overall ACC standings, Clemson is in third place behind Florida State and Virginia (10-2).

KENNEDY MAKES SPLASH WITH RETURN

• Senior utility player Shane KennedyShane Kennedy
Sr. Infielder
#11 6-2, 190
Orlando, FL
View Full Profile tore his ACL on October 20, 2013, but made a quick recovery and only missed the first 18 games.

• He has taken over the starting job at first base and is hitting .346 with one double, one triple, one homer, five RBIs and three steals.

• In the first game of a doubleheader at Maryland on March 28, he went 4-for-4 with a homer and the go-ahead, run-scoring triple in the ninth.

TWO FORMER TIGERS ON MLB ROSTERS

• Former Tiger infielder Jeff BakerJeff Baker
1st Base
# 6-2, 210
Clemson, SC
View Full Profile (2000-02) and former Tiger shortstop Brad MillerBrad Miller
Infielder (2009 - 2011)
#13 6-1, 185
Windermere, FL
View Full Profile (2009-11) are both on major league rosters in 2014.