Tigers hope to continue two-out magic against Volunteers

Caden Grice kept up his torrid hitting against Lipscomb and will take the mound in the winner's bracket game against Tennessee. (Photo: Jim Dedmon / USATODAY)

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sat Jun 03 07:00:19 GMT-04:00 2023

CLEMSON – The Clemson baseball team hopes to take their two-out mentality into tonight’s game against Tennessee (6 p.m./ESPN2).

Caden Grice hit a two-out, two-run homer in the first inning of Friday’s 12-5 victory over Lipscomb in the first round of the Clemson Regional at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. It marked the fourth time in the last eight games that Grice has hit a two-out homer in the first inning in the last eight games.

On Friday, nine of the Tigers’ 12 runs came with two out, and Grice said that two-out mentality goes back to the fall.

“It all comes back to our training and what we’ve been preparing for since Day 1 in the fall when this new coaching staff came in and just really buying into the idea of never out of the fight,” Grice said. “We have a 1-9 punch and we’re squared away from all sides. It’s really freeing to hit in our lineup like that so I think that’s a really big key for us.”

Grice said he didn’t know about the first-inning numbers.

“I didn’t know that. Shoutout to everybody getting on base and DKS for bringing out a good atmosphere today,” Grice said

Lipscomb starter Logan Van Treeck had his moments against the Tigers, but he said the Tigers are simply too good throughout the entire lineup.

“They hit the ball really well,” Van Treeck said. “They are obviously an offensive squad. Facing them, they are tough outs. Every out is tough. You have to have your stuff ready. You have to be able to locate. They did their thing today.”

Head coach Erik Bakich smiled when asked about his two-out offense.

“Credit to our offense for sticking with it and being really tough with two outs,” Bakich said. “We were really tough with two outs. I don’t know what the final stat line was, I think it was 7-for-15 with two outs. We got a bunch of two-out RBIs.”

Tennessee defeated Charlotte 8-1 in the nightcap and the Volunteer pitching staff is one of the best in the SEC. How will Grice prepare for the Vols?

“Maybe come back and watch a few innings. Just put some food in my body, drink some water, stay hydrated and whoever we play, come out tomorrow ready to compete,” Grice said after the game Saturday.