Momentum shows up in different ways over the course of a long college baseball season. Sometimes it comes from surviving a tough weekend series. Other times it comes from one big swing that gets everybody in the dugout smiling.
Clemson baseball got that moment Tuesday night in Greenville. A 12-1 victory over Michigan State.
With the Tigers already holding a comfortable lead over the Spartans, local product Jay Dillard gave the night a memorable finish. The redshirt junior launched a walk-off two run home run that pushed Clemson to the 10 run rule victory. The swing brought Fluor Field to its feet and added a little extra energy to a team that continues to find its rhythm early in the season.
Now the Tigers turn their attention to something a little different. A four game series with La Salle, a program returning to the field with both a fresh start and a very familiar name in the opposing dugout.
For the first time in six years, La Salle baseball is back. The Explorers shut down the program at the end of the 2021 season, leaving a long pause for a school with a proud athletic history. This season marks the return, and so far it has been anything but quiet. La Salle has opened the year 8 wins and 2 losses, showing early that the restart is more than ceremonial.
There is also a Clemson connection that makes this series feel a little more personal.
La Salle is led by Clemson legend David Miller, a name that still carries plenty of weight around Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Miller helped define an era of Tiger baseball in the early 90s and now finds himself guiding a program through the challenge of building something back from the ground up.
Rebuilding a program is never easy. Rosters are young, systems are new, and expectations take time to form. But early wins can create belief, and La Salle arrives in Clemson with confidence that the return of its program can turn into something sustainable.
For Clemson, the approach has not changed.
Control the strike zone. Find the clutch hit. Continue building depth on the mound. A four game series presents a different kind of challenge than a typical weekend set. Pitching plans stretch and bullpens get used in different ways. Clemson will not start ace Aidan Knaak, which means other arms will need to step forward. Lineups rotate as coaches continue searching for the right combinations.
Coach Erik Bakich often talks about the rhythm of a long season. Momentum matters, but consistency matters even more. That idea becomes especially important against an opponent that arrives with something to prove and a head coach who knows exactly what Clemson baseball is all about.
La Salle brings a story into the weekend.
Clemson’s job is simply to play its game.
Four games. A returning program. A familiar Tiger name in the opposing dugout.
Another opportunity for Clemson to keep building its season one series at a time.
Clemson Briefly
Only the Friday starters have been announced for both teams but the other days will be updated as names become available.
Clemson will start freshman righty Dylan Harrison on Friday night. Michael Sharman is expected to go in Game 1 on Saturday.
UPDATED: Coach Bakich announced that Redshirt Freshman Dane Moehler will get the ball first in Game 2, making his debut, but will be “more of an opener role” with Drew Titsworth likely to be the next man up. Bakich did say that Talan Bell will then close out the weekend on Sunday.
Offensively, the Tigers enjoyed a productive night in Greenville on Tuesday, but the biggest swing belonged to Jay Dillard. The Clemson redshirt junior patiently waited for his opportunity and made the most of his first start of the season in the field, going 2-3 with 4 RBIs out of the nine hole. After a performance like that, it will be difficult for Coach Bakich to keep him out of the lineup this weekend.
Tryston McCladdie, Jacob Jarrell, and Ty Dalley also recorded two hits on Tuesday night.
Five Clemson regulars are currently hitting over .300 on the season, led by Nate Savoie (.391) and Luke Gaffney (.381). Jarrell leads the team with five home runs. Savoie leads the team with 15 RBIs, while McCladdie leads the Tigers with five stolen bases.
Through twelve games, Clemson is hitting .306 as a team (T-43rd nationally) and has tallied 20 doubles (T-126th) and 18 home runs (T-28th) while scoring 81 runs, good for an average of 6.8 runs per game (T-113th).
On the mound, Clemson received some unfortunate news this week as highly regarded freshman Dan Margolies will miss the remainder of the season with an elbow issue. Margolies has already undergone Tommy John surgery in the past, so his situation will be something to watch moving forward.
Here is a look at the LaSalle Explorers:
LaSalle Explorers
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Head Coach – David Miller (5th Season Overall)
2026 Record: 8-2 (0-0 B1G)
Wins: Maryland-Eastern Shore (x3), Delaware State (x2), Coppin State (x3)
Losses: Delaware (x2)
The LaSalle Explorers enter the rare four game weekend series at 8-2 overall.
The Explorers are hitting .272 as a team (131st) and have collected 23 doubles (T-84th), 4 triples (T-32nd) and 13 home runs (T-79th) in their first ten games. They average 10.5 runs per game (10th).
The Explorers are led offensively by Senior First Baseman Alec Welshand, who’s hitting .290 who has 9 hits on the season but 5 of which have gone over the fence. He’s third on the team with 13 RBI. Redshirt Senior Chase Swain leads the Explores in average at .349 to go along with 14 RBI. Redshirt Senior Daniel Perez has 6 stolen bases and is perfect in swiping bags so far this season.
On the mound, the LaSalle pitching staff carries a 5.08 ERA through ten games. The staff has struck out 91 batters but has also issued 47 walks, allowing opponents to hit .220.
Here are the probable starting lineup for LaSalle and their early season stats:
Probable Position Players
| Name (#) | Year | Position | 2026 Stats |
| Ryan Perez (28) | RS Sophomore | DH | .250; 2 2B, 3B, HR, 7 RBI; 1-1 SB |
| Chase Swain (42) | RS Senior | CF | .349; 4 2B, 2 3B, HR, 14 RBI; 4-4 SB |
| Carter Groen (17) | RS Sophomore | RF | .333; 3 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 18 RBI; 4-4 SB |
| Reuben Livingston (3) | RS Junior | 3B | .278; 4 2B, 3 HR, 12 RBI; 3-4 SB |
| Justin Szestowicki (26) | Graduate | SS | .257; 3 2B, 7 RBI; 2-4 SB |
| Jayden Novak (14) | RS Freshman | C | .182; 4 2B, 5 RBI; 3-3 SB |
| Ryan Albin (2) | RS Junior | LF | .200; 2 2B, 5 RBI; 4-4 SB |
| Alec Welshans (6) | Senior | 1B | .290; 5 HR, 13 RBI; 2-2 SB |
| Daniel Perez (13) | RS Senior | 2B | .344; HR, 5 RBI; 6-6 SB |
| ***OTHER POSSIBLE*** | |||
| AJ Guiliana (1) | Junior | OF | .143; 2B, 2 RBI; 3-3 SB |
| Michael Olender (9) | Freshman | OF | 333; 2 RBI; 1-1 SB |
Announced Starters for LaSalle :
| NAME (#) | Year | Hand | 2026 Stats |
| Owen McDonnell (34) | Graduate | LHP | 2-0; 3.71 ERA; 17 IP, 19 K, 8 BB; OppBA: .200 |
| Jace Terry (7) | Freshman | RHP | 0-0; 7.50 ERA; 6 IP, 5 K, 3 BB; OppBA: .250 |
| Emilio Rodriguez (0) | RS Junior | RHP | 0-0; 27.00 ERA; 1 IP, K, 2 BB; OppBA: 250 |
| Ryan Brown (29) | Sophomore | RHP | 0-0; 4.70 ERA; 7.2 IP, 8 K, 6 BB; OppBA: .280 |
Final Thoughts and Gametimes
Clemson enters the four game series with La Salle at 11-1 and playing confident baseball early in the season. The Tigers have shown they can win in different ways, and this weekend will present another opportunity to keep building that consistency.
Game times are scheduled for Friday at 4PM, Saturday at Noon and 4PM, and Sunday at 1PM.
Series like this often test a roster’s depth and focus. Pitching staffs stretch across multiple games, lineups rotate, and new contributors often emerge as the weekend unfolds.
LaSalle also faces a clear step up in competition after its early schedule, now squaring off with the 10th ranked Tigers.
For Clemson, the approach remains simple. Throw strikes, play clean defense, and capitalize when scoring opportunities appear.
With the weather improving by the day, it is also the perfect time for fans to make their way out to Doug Kingsmore Stadium. There are few better ways to spend a spring afternoon in Clemson than watching college baseball, and this four game set gives the Tiger faithful several chances to enjoy the ballpark while the team looks to keep its early season momentum rolling.
