Clemson Baseball (19-12) keeps getting pieces of what it needs. Just not all of it at once.
Coach Bakich said in his postgame of the series ending loss, “losing sucks.” Truer words have never been spoken. It really does suck. I love writing these previews, but they come easier when the team is stringing wins together, winning series, et cetera.
They dropped two of three at home to a good Miami Hurricanes squad, but one they should have beaten this weekend, and if you watched the weekend, it felt familiar. There were good swings in big spots. There were innings where the pitching looked sharp and in control. There were stretches defensively that were clean and quick. It just rotated. One part would show up, another would slip.
That is the gap right now.
This is not a team getting run off the field. It is a team that is right there and not finishing the job. A missed play here. A walk that extends an inning there. A couple of empty at bats when a hit changes the game. It adds up over a weekend.
The encouraging part is they have already shown what it looks like when it clicks. That version is still in there. It just has not shown up for nine full innings lately.
Now they head to Charlotte for a matchup with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in a non conference game that will not feel like one. Wake Forest is steady. They throw strikes. They make you earn everything.
It is a good spot for Clemson. Quick turnaround. New setting. A chance to put together a complete game without having to wait long.
The task is simple. Be clean. Be consistent. Put all three phases on the field at the same time.
They have it. Now they need to show it
Clemson Briefly
Jacob Jarrell continues to lead the team in home runs with 12, most coming in big spots for this offense. I would like to see more gap to gap power from the lineup, but Jarrell continues to shine for this offense.
Bryce Clavon is starting to get going as well, adding another home run (2) on the season and playing a good centerfield. A couple of weeks watching has seemingly brought out the hunger in the Georgia transfer and it’s translating on the field.
The Bullpen. Starting pitching has been somewhat of a struggle of late, but the bullpen has been solid outside of a few moments. This has been a notable strength this season
Through 29 games, Clemson is hitting .293 as a team and has tallied 42 doubles, 2 triple and 39 home runs while scoring 198 runs, good for an average of 6.8 runs per game.
Dylan Harrison will get the ball to start the mid-week game. The freshman righty is 1-0 with a 1.47 ERA in 5 appearances and 3 starts and 18 ⅓ innings pitched. He throws strikes, 14 Ks and only 4 walks. Opponents are hitting .206 against the tall right hander.
Clemson pitchers have a 3.70 ERA with 293 strikeouts and 86 walks. Opponents are hitting a paltry .212 against.
Here is a look at the Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Head Coach – Tom Walter (17th Season)
2026 Record: 20-9 (6-6 ACC)
Wins: Washington, Indiana State, High Point, Siena (x3), UNC-Greensboro, Loyola Marymount (x2), Davidson (x2), Appalachian State, Stanford (x3), Liberty, Virginia, Elon, Cal (x2)
Losses: Houston, Coastal Carolina, Florida State (x3), Virginia (x2), Cal, High Point
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons enter the non-conference neutral site game in Charlotte at 20-9 overall and 6-6 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The Deacons are hitting .295 as a team and have collected 54 doubles, 5 triples and 34 home runs in their first 29 games. They average 7.8 runs per game. Wake Forest has 44 stolen bases on the season in 49 attempts.
The Deacs are led offensively by Junior CF and leadoff hitter Javar Williams who leads the team with a .363 average with 6 doubles, 5 home runs and has 20 stolen bases in 22 attempts. Sophomore 1st Baseman Luke Costello leads the team with 9 home runs and 34 RBIs. Sophomore 2nd Baseman Dalton Wentz is hitting .321 with 10 doubles, 7 home runs and 27 runs batted in.
On the mound, Wake Forest will start Sophomore lefty Rhys Bowie.
The Wake Forest pitching staff carries a 4.84 ERA through 29 games. The staff has struck out 346 batters and has issued only 129 walks, allowing opponents to hit .226
Here are the probable starting lineup for Wake Forest and their 2026 season stats:
Position Players
| Name (#) | Year | Position | 2026 Stats |
| Javar Williams (14) | Junior | CF | .363; 6 2B, 5 HR, 18 RBI; 20-22 SB |
| Kade Lewis (6) | Junior | 3B | .342; 9 2B, 5 HR, 22 RBI; 6-6 SB |
| Dalton Wentz (1) | Sophomore | 2B | .321; 10 2B, 3B, 7 HR, 27 RBI; 1-2 SB |
| Luke Costello (11) | Sophomore | 1B | .299; 9 HR, 34 RBI; 2-2 SB |
| Matt Conte (8) | Sophomore | DH/C | .298; 5 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 19 RBI; 1-2 SB |
| Boston Torres (25) | Junior | OF/DH | .333; 2 2B, 2 RBI; 3-3 SB |
| Jackson Miller (21) – Ole Miss | Sophomore | LF | .357; 5 2B, 3B, HR, 19 RBI; 1-1 SB |
| Andrew Costello (26) | Freshman | RF | .270; 2B, 3B, 7 RBI; 1-1 SB |
| JD Stein (3) | Freshman | SS | .214; 5 2B, HR, 19 RBI; 4-5 SB |
| POSSIBLES | |||
| Blake Schaaf (7) – Georgetown | Junior | IF | .273; 5 2B, 3B, 10 RBI; 5-5 SB |
| Jimmy Keenan (34) | Senior | C | .227; 4 2B, HR, 16 RBI |
Starting Pitcher
| NAME (#) | Year | Hand | 2026 Stats |
| Rhys Bowie | Sophomore | LHP | 1-1; 5.40 ERA, 10 app, 1 start, 16.2 IP, 27 K, 13 BB; OppBA: .259 |
Final Thought/Game Time
I said it last week. “Baseball does not wait around for you to figure it out.” Clemson has lost 8 of their last 14 games. That’s not great for such a talented roster. Baseball happens, we all know that.
Coach Bakich hates losing. This team hates losing. The schedule does not relent at all going forward.
Clemson had a chance to win the series against Miami and squandered the opportunities that were there. This team is too good to let this continue to happen.
This is not a conference game, yet it’s a midweek game against a conference foe. Let the fun begin!
Gametime is 6:30 on Wednesday at Truist Field in Charlotte, NC.
Go Tigers!
