Tigers face Top 10 battle at Duke |
The No. 8 Tigers travel to No. 3 Duke to open their ACC slate in a three-game series this weekend.
SERIES SETUP • Who – Clemson (15-1, 0-0 ACC) vs. Duke (14-3, 2-1 ACC) • Best Ranking – CU – No. 8 NCBWA; DUK – No. 3 Baseball America • When – Friday (4 p.m.), Saturday (3 p.m.), Sunday (1 p.m.) • Where – Durham, N.C. (Jack Coombs Field) • Watch – ACC Network Extra • Video Announcers – Art Chase, Chris Edwards • Listen (Radio) – Clemson Athletic Network (locally on WCCP (105.5 FM)) • Listen (Internet) – ClemsonTigers.com • Live Stats – ClemsonTigers.com • Social Media – ClemsonBaseball SERIES HISTORY • Overall Record – Clemson leads 131-77-2 (1904-2023) • Record at Duke – Clemson leads 51-30-1 (1916-2016) STARTING PITCHERS • Friday – RHP Austin Gordon (CU: 0-0, 6.75 ERA) vs. LHP Jonathan Santucci (DUK: 3-0, 2.29) • Saturday – LHP Tristan Smith (CU: 1-0, 2.89) vs. LHP Andrew Healy (DUK: 1-1, 5.62) • Sunday – RHP Aidan Knaak (CU: 1-0, 4.05) vs. TBA (DUK) CLEMSON OVERVIEW • Clemson, which has yet to play a road game, defeated Manhattan in two midweek home games and has won 11 games in a row. • The Tigers are averaging 8.3 runs per game and hitting .316 with a .538 slugging percentage, .429 on-base percentage and 22 steals. • The pitching staff has a 3.79 ERA, .218 opponents’ batting average and 2.27 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and Clemson is fielding .960. DUKE OVERVIEW • Duke, which has a 9-2 home record and is averaging 10.0 runs per game, is led by 12th-year Head Coach Chris Pollard. • The Blue Devils split two midweek home games against Rider. They are hitting .338 and have a 3.30 ERA and .984 fielding percentage. • Ben Miller is hitting .448 with seven homers and 22 RBIs, David Obee is batting .383 with five homers and Charlie Beilenson has seven saves. QUICK HITS • Each of the last nine games in the series have been played at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The last meetings at Duke were in 2016. • Clemson’s 15-1 start is its best through 16 games since 2018, when it also started 15-1. The 2018 team also started 16-1. • Clemson’s bullpen has a 10-0 record, three saves, a 3.86 ERA, .196 opponents’ batting average and 80 strikeouts in 77.0 innings pitched. COMEBACK TIGERS • Clemson has 10 come-from-behind wins among its 15 overall victories in 2024. • Clemson has scored first in only seven of its 16 games. • Clemson has trailed at the start of the third inning six times and is 5-1 in those six games. • Clemson has scored five or more runs in all 15 of its wins. • Clemson trailed Kennesaw State 6-5 in the eighth inning before rallying for an 8-6 win on Feb. 24.
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