Media Day Highlights: Clemson Baseball Under Coach Bakich
CLEMSON – The Clemson Tigers baseball team recently held its annual Media Day, and there’s a new face leading the program this year – head coach Erik Bakich. Bakich comes to Clemson from the University of Michigan, where he spent 10 seasons leading the Wolverines baseball program.
Bakich has an impressive track record, including leading Michigan to the College World Series in 2022, the program’s first trip to Omaha in over 30 years. He also has a strong reputation for recruiting and player development, something that he’ll need to continue to build on as he takes over the Tigers program.
At Media Day, Bakich talked about his excitement for the upcoming season and the opportunity to lead the Clemson program. He emphasized the importance of building a winning culture and establishing a clear vision for the program.
Bakich inherits a Clemson Tigers baseball team that is coming off a solid season in 2022, finishing with an overall record of 35 – 23 and a conference record of 13 – 16. The Tigers have a deep and talented pitching staff, led by Jackson Lindley, and a number of key offensive players returning, including junior outfielder Caden Grice.
Bakich spoke about the strengths of the team and the importance of building on that foundation, but also acknowledged that there’s plenty of work to be done. He highlighted the need for the team to improve its consistency and execution, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.
In addition to the highly-touted freshmen class, Coach Bakich has also brought in some key players from his previous program at Michigan. One of those players is Senior pitcher Willie Weiss, who was 9-6 with 17 saves, a 3.67 ERA, a .196 opponents’ batting average, and 127 strikeouts in 100.2 innings pitched over 70 appearances (one start) in three seasons (2019, 21, 22) at Michigan under Head Coach Erik Bakich. Weiss is expected to be a key contributor to the Tigers’ pitching staff this year. Bakich’s ability to recruit top talent and develop players has been a key factor in his past successes, and it will be interesting to see how he continues to build the Clemson program in the coming years.
Of course, there are always challenges and obstacles to overcome in any season. The Tigers will have to navigate a tough ACC schedule that includes a series against powerhouse programs like Duke, Florida State, and North Carolina. They’ll also have to deal with the usual ups and downs that come with any baseball season, from injuries to slumps to bad bounces.
But with a strong coaching staff, talented players, and a winning mindset, the Clemson Tigers are poised to make a run at greatness this year under the leadership of Coach Bakich. Fans will be eagerly watching to see how the team performs and whether they can live up to their lofty expectations. The season is just around the corner, and the excitement is building.
The opening weekend series will begin on Friday, February 17th, vs Binghamton Bearcats with the first pitch scheduled for 4 pm at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina. This will be an exciting opening day for the Tigers, as they look to start the season off on the right foot and give their fans a reason to cheer.
