Clemson opens ACC play hosting Georgia Tech |
The Tigers being ACC play with a three-game series against Georgia Tech at Doug Kingsmore Stadium this weekend.
SERIES SETUP • Who - Georgia Tech (9-3, 0-0 ACC) vs. Clemson (12-1, 0-0 ACC) • Best Rankings - GAT - NR; CU - No. 6 CB • When - Friday (4 p.m.), Saturday (4 p.m.)*, Sunday (1 p.m.)* • Where - Clemson, S.C. (Doug Kingsmore Stadium) • Watch - ACC Network Extra • Video Announcers - Kyle Parker, Pete Yanity • Listen - TigerCast, Clemson Tigers Network • Live Stats - ClemsonTigers.com • Social Media - ClemsonBaseball • Tickets - ClemsonTigers.com, 1-800-CLEMSON • Promotion (Friday) - The first 1,000 fans receive trading cards of Tiger players and coaches. • Promotion (Saturday) - Young fans can stand on the field during the national anthem and run the bases after the game. • Promotion (Sunday) - The first 500 fans receive a free Clemson watch on the first day of daylight saving time. *Saturday doubleheader possible due to weather. SERIES HISTORY • Overall Record - Clemson leads 111-109-3 (1902-20) • Record at Clemson - Clemson leads 48-26-1 (1904- 2016) STARTING PITCHERS • Friday - RHP Xzavion Curry (GAT - 3-0, 1.00 ERA) vs. LHP Jacob Hennessy (CU - 1-0, 1.69) • Saturday - LHP Brant Hurter (GAT - 0-0, 5.40) vs. RHP Brooks Crawford (CU - 1-0, 1.98) • Sunday - LHP Connor Thomas (GAT - 2-0, 1.42) vs. LHP Jake Higginbotham (CU - 2-0, 2.08) CLEMSON OVERVIEW • Clemson won both its midweek games, a 6-3 home win over Wofford and a 9-7 win over Michigan State at Greenville, S.C. • The Tigers are averaging 6.8 runs per game and hitting .261 with a .401 on-base percentage and seven steals. • The pitching staff has a 2.96 ERA, .228 opponents’ batting average and 2.52 strikeout-to-walk ratio and Clemson is fielding .978. GEORGIA TECH OVERVIEW • Georgia Tech is led by 25th-year head coach Danny Hall. • The Yellow Jackets won at Georgia State 12-6 on Wednesday. They are hitting .333 and have a 3.55 ERA and .966 fielding percentage. • Chase Murray is hitting .458 with two homers and 11 RBIs, while Tristin English is batting .327 with three homers and 15 RBIs. QUICK HITS • Clemson and Georgia Tech have played at least one game every year since 1974. • The opponent has outhit the Tigers in eight games in 2018. Clemson is 7-1 in those eight games. • Seth Beer (RF), Logan Davidson (SS) and Kyle Wilkie (C) are the only Tigers to start every game at the same position in 2018. ATTENDANCE • Clemson is averaging 5,098 fans per home date (9), the sixth-highest figure in the nation and first in the ACC (through games of March 7). • Entering 2018, Clemson had a top-20 national figure in average attendance 24 straight seasons and a top-15 figure 16 years in a row. SENIOR LEADERS • Clemson has relied on four seniors in the heart of the lineup to achieve its 12-1 record this season. • Patrick Cromwell, Chris Williams, Robert Jolly and Drew Wharton have been Clemson's 3-6 hitters most of the season. • They have the team's three-best batting averages and have combined to hit .307 with 12 doubles, a triple, nine homers and 52 RBIs. • Cromwell is batting a team-high .350, Williams is hitting .340, Jolly is hitting .310 and Wharton is batting .233. CROMWELL GETTING ON BASE • Senior Patrick Cromwell has emerged as one of Clemson's top offensive threats in 2018. • He is hitting a team-high .350 with two homers, two doubles, nine RBIs, 14 runs and a team-high .526 on-base percentage in 13 games. • He has 19 putouts and 17 assists without committing an error. • He hit the game-tying, solo homer in the ninth against Winthrop on Feb. 27, a game the Tigers went on to win. • In his career, he is hitting .257 with two doubles, four homers, 14 RBIs, a .401 on-base percentage and a steal in 46 games (33 starts). HIGGINBOTHAM BACK ON THE MOUND • Sophomore lefthander Jake Higginbotham was a midweek starter as a freshman in 2016, but suffered an arm injury and missed all of 2017. • He is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA, a .206 opponents' batting average and 13 strikeouts against two walks in 17.1 innings pitched over three starts. • He is holding opponents to 0-for-17 with two outs. • He returned to action against William & Mary on Feb. 18 and earned the win in 5.1 strong innings pitched, allowing just one run on two hits. • He earned the win against No. 10 Dallas Baptist by allowing just five hits and no earned runs with seven strikeouts in 7.0 innings pitched. • In his career, he is 5-0 with a 3.73 ERA and 41 strikeouts against 23 walks in 50.2 innings pitched over 11 appearances (10 starts). JOLLY HAPPY AS A SENIOR • Robert Jolly is enjoying his best season as a senior in 2018. After being a catcher from 2015-17, he has moved to the outfield. • He is hitting .310 with three doubles, nine RBIs, 12 walks and a .463 on-base percentage in 13 games. • He is hitting .444 with runners on base and .455 with runners in scoring position. • In his career, he is hitting .279 with 18 doubles, a homer, 44 RBIs, a .384 on-base percentage and three steals in 129 games (71 starts). WHARTON EMERGING IN FINAL SEASON • Senior Drew Wharton entered the season with a career 220 batting average, no homers and 20 RBIs in 74 games (22 starts) over three years. • With the departure of two outfielders from last year's team, he has made the most of his chance to contribute in 2018. • He is hitting .233 with two doubles, a triple, four homers, 17 RBIs and a .340 on-base percentage in 13 games (12 starts) this season. • He hit three long balls, the first three of his career, in the series against No. 10 Dallas Baptist in February. • He hit a walkoff triple in Clemson's 8-7 win over No. 23 South Carolina on March 4. • In his career, he is hitting .224 with five doubles, a triple, four homers, 37 RBIs, 15 runs and three steals in 87 games (34 starts). WILLIAMS POWERING TIGERS • Chris Williams was drafted in the 31st round in 2017, but chose to return for his senior season. • The utility player is one of the team's best power hitters and has seen all of his action at first base in 2018. • He was named to the Johnny Bench Award Watch List in March. • He is hitting .340 with five doubles, three homers, 17 RBIs, 15 runs and a .620 slugging percentage in 13 games in 2018. • He leads the team or is tied for the team lead in doubles, RBIs and runs. • He is hitting .429 with runners on base and .389 with runners in scoring position. • In his three-year career, he is hitting .263 with 24 doubles, 25 homers, 106 RBIs, 78 runs and four steals in 119 games (107 starts).
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