Tigers, Gamecocks set for rivalry series |
The Tigers play their annual rivalry series with South Carolina at three different sites this weekend.
SERIES SETUP • Who – Clemson (7-1) vs. South Carolina (6-2) • Best Ranking – CU – NR; USC – NR • When – Friday (7 p.m.), Saturday (3 p.m.), Sunday (2 p.m.) • Where – Columbia, S.C. (Founders Park) Friday; Columbia, S.C. (Segra Park) Saturday; Clemson, S.C. (Doug Kingsmore Stadium) Sunday • Watch – SECN+ (Friday), ACCNX (Saturday, Sunday) • Video Announcers (Friday) – Burch Antley, Kip Bouknight • Video Announcers (Saturday) – Bob Mahony, William Qualkinbush • Video Announcers (Sunday) – Tim Bourret, Don Munson • Listen (Radio) – WCCP (105.5 FM), ESPN Upstate • Listen (Internet) – ClemsonTigers.com, TuneIn (Friday, Sunday) • Live Stats – ClemsonTigers.com • Tickets – ClemsonTigers.com, 1-800-CLEMSON • Promotion (Sunday) – Game Highlight – Kids run the bases SERIES HISTORY • Overall Record – Clemson leads 179-140-2 (1899-2019) • Record at South Carolina – South Carolina leads 84-68-2 (1900-2019) • Record at Neutral – Clemson leads 12-10 (1899-2019) • Record at Clemson – Clemson leads 99-46 (1907-2019) STORIED RIVALRY • South Carolina is Clemson’s most-common opponent in history, as the two have played 321 times dating to 1899. • The two have met at least one time every year since 1945, with the exception of 1984. • South Carolina leads the series 10-4 at Founders Park (opened in 2009). • The season matchups went to a three-game, weekend-series format in 2010 after the two teams played four midweek games for decades. • Clemson is 5-4 against the Gamecocks in regular-season, neutral-site contests since 2010. • Saturday’s game marks the first time the teams play a neutral-site contest in Columbia. • Clemson leads the series 52-29 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium (opened in 1970). STARTING PITCHERS • Friday – LHP Sam Weatherly (CU - 1-0, 0.90 ERA) vs. RHP Carmen Mlodzinski (USC - 1-0, 0.64) • Saturday – RHP Thomas Farr (USC - 1-0, 3.86) vs. RHP Davis Sharpe (CU - 1-0, 0.00) • Sunday – RHP Brannon Jordan (USC - 1-0, 1.64) vs. RHP Spencer Strider (CU - 0-0, 0.00)
CLEMSON OVERVIEW
• Clemson, who has played all eight games at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in 2020, fell to East Tennessee 5-3 on Tuesday.
• The Tigers are averaging 3.0 runs per game and hitting .243 with a .357 on-base percentage, .326 slugging percentage and 15 steals.
• The pitching staff has a 1.23 ERA, .189 opponents’ batting average and 2.68 strikeout-to-walk ratio and Clemson is fielding .954.
SOUTH CAROLINA OVERVIEW
• South Carolina is led by third-year Head Coach Mark Kingston.
• The Gamecocks defeated North Florida 6-5 at home on Tuesday. They are hitting .288 and have a 2.83 ERA and .974 fielding percentage.
• Andrew Eyster is batting .379 with two homers, Noah Campbell is hitting .348 with eight steals and Wes Clarke has four homers and 14 RBIs.
QUICK HITS
• Clemson is the designated home team and occupies the third-base dugout at Segra Park on Saturday.
• Clemson defeated College of Charleston 4-1 on March 20, 2019, the Tigers’ only previous game at Segra Park (opened in 2016).
• Seven of Clemson’s eight games have been decided by two runs or less.
BOB BRADLEY AWARD PRESENTED SUNDAY
• Clemson’s MVP of the South Carolina series is presented the Bob Bradley Award. The Gamecocks’ MVP receives the Tom Price Award.
• The two late athletic communications directors served as baseball contacts for their respective schools for decades.
MEREDITH GETTING ON BASE
• Sophomore outfielder Kier Meredith is doing what he has always done best…finding a way to get on base.
• He has a .571 on-base percentage thanks in large part to four walks and four hit-by-pitches against only four strikeouts.
• He has reached base via a hit or walk in all eight games.
• He is hitting .444 with a double, two RBIs, five runs and two steals in eight games (eight starts).
• He is hitting .643 with runners on base and .714 with runners in scoring position.
• He went 4-for-5 with with a double, RBI and run against East Tennessee State on Feb. 25.
• In his career, he is hitting .300 with four doubles, a triple, homer, eight RBIs, a .475 on-base percentage and eight steals in 30 games.
• He was hampered by injury in each of his first two seasons (2018,19), playing a total of only 22 games (20 starts) those two years.
CLEMSON PROJECTED LINEUP
Pos. # Player B-T Cl. G-S Avg. HR RBI Notes
C 17 Adam Hackenberg R-R So. 8-8 .276 0 7 Has thrown out five of 11 basestealers
1B 3 Dylan Brewer L-L Fr. 7-6 .150 0 0 Has a team-tying-high three steals
2B 24 Mac Starbuck R-R *Fr. 8-7 .190 0 0 Has two steals & a 1.000 fielding percentage
SS 4 Pierce Gallo R-R Fr. 4-2 .167 0 0 Has a steal
3B 10 Bryar Hawkins R-R So. 6-4 .077 0 1 Has a 1.000 fielding percentage
LF 6 Elijah Henderson R-R *So. 8-8 .407 0 4 Has a .528 on-base percentage & three steals
CF 13 Bryce Teodosio R-L Jr. 7-6 .176 0 1 Has a .364 on-base percentage & two steals
RF 16 Bo Majkowski L-R Jr. 7-3 .000 0 0 Has a .367 career on-base percentage
DH 1 Kier Meredith L-L *So. 8-8 .444 0 2 Has a .571 on-base percentage & two steals
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