This weekend, there will be a three-game series between Clemson vs Notre Dame at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina. Both teams will be looking to improve their records in what should be a highly competitive ACC matchup.
Clemson, who has a 20-14 record overall and a 4-8 record in the ACC, will be looking to bounce back after a tough start to conference play. The Tigers are coming off an impressive 8-1 road win against Georgia, where Billy Amick had a standout performance with two doubles and a three-run homer. Clemson has a 14-8 home record and is averaging 6.9 runs per game, hitting .291 with a .438 slugging percentage, .389 on-base percentage, and 59 steals. Their pitching staff has a 4.58 ERA, a .260 opponents’ batting average, and a 2.49 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Clemson has also been fielding well with a .974 fielding percentage.
Notre Dame, led by first-year Head Coach Shawn Stiffler, will be looking to improve their record of 17-13 overall and 7-8 in the ACC. The Fighting Irish fell at home to Michigan State 7-6 on Tuesday, but they have a solid road record of 9-9. They are averaging 5.8 runs per game and have a batting average of .228, with a 4.59 ERA and a .977 fielding percentage. Carter Putz is leading the team with a .289 batting average, five homers, and 22 RBIs, while Aidan Tyrell has a 6-1 record and 1.62 ERA in nine relief appearances.
The starting pitchers for Friday’s matchup will be Notre Dame’s Jackson Dennies, a right-handed pitcher, versus Clemson’s Ethan Darden, a left-handed pitcher. On Saturday, Notre Dame’s Jack Findlay, a left-handed pitcher, will face off against Clemson’s Austin Gordon, a right-handed pitcher. Sunday’s game will feature Notre Dame’s Blake Hely, a right-handed pitcher, against Clemson’s Caden Grice, a left-handed pitcher.
On Saturday, there will be a pregame ceremony at Clemson University to retire the #7 jersey of former Head Coach Jack Leggett. Leggett spent 22 seasons as the head coach of the Clemson Tigers baseball team, during which he guided the team to six appearances in the College World Series. This is a significant honor for Leggett, as retiring a jersey number is a special recognition in sports reserved for players and coaches who have made an exceptional contribution to the team or sport. The ceremony is likely to be a memorable event for both Leggett and Clemson baseball fans.
Clemson has been hitting well with the bases loaded, with a .348 batting average, while their opponents have struggled, hitting just .188 with the bases loaded. Clemson’s bullpen has been solid with a 14-8 record, six saves, a 4.35 ERA, a .270 opponents’ batting average, and 172 strikeouts in 165.1 innings pitched.
One of Clemson’s strengths this season has been their fielding, with a .974 fielding percentage in 2023. If the season ended today, that mark would be the second-highest in Tiger history. Clemson has committed just 32 errors in 34 games, with no player committing more than five errors. They have a .980 fielding percentage in ACC regular-season games, committing only nine errors in 12 games. The everyday infielders, third baseman Blake Wright, shortstop Benjamin Blackwell, and second baseman Riley Bertram, have combined for 13 errors.
This series promises to be a highly competitive one, with both teams looking to improve their records in the ACC. Clemson will be looking to continue their solid hitting and fielding, while Notre Dame will be looking to improve their batting average and record on the road. With each team boasting solid pitching and hitting, this series is sure to be a thrilling one for fans and players alike.
The first game of the series will be broadcasted on the ACC Network on Friday, followed by ACC Network Extra on Saturday and Sunday. The video announcers for Friday’s game will be Gaby Sanchez and Dani Wexelman.
