Clemson (28-20 overall; 8-16 ACC) finally secured an ACC weekend series win, snapping a tough stretch with a hard-fought series against No. 20 Boston College. Coach Bakich caught some attention by mixing up the pitching rotation, moving Aidan Knaak to Sunday. A spot the junior has not been since his outstanding freshman season. A move that paid off as the Tigers got solid efforts on the mound Saturday and Sunday.
The return of emotional leader Jarren Purify to the lineup gave Clemson a much needed lift across the weekend. His presence seemed to steady the lineup and spark a team that has struggled at times to find consistent footing in conference play, even coming back from a 3-1 deficit on Sunday afternoon.
Boston College arrived as a strong, ranked opponent, a team that plays a very aggressive game offensively, but Clemson played with sharp focus. The pitching was key, but the renewed energy from Purify and some timely hitting helped push Clemson across the finish line in this one.
This series win doesn’t erase the challenges still ahead, but it’s a step in the right direction. With confidence boosted and the rotation looking more settled, Clemson can build from here for the remaining games. For a team that’s shown flashes of potential all season, this weekend was a chance to prove they can close out a series the right way. Coach Bakich’s willingness to adjust the rotation was a big part of that, and the Tigers took full advantage.
Now the Tigers travel to Conway, South Carolina to face #7 (Perfect Game) Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in a rematch from a game on March 24th in Doug Kingsmore where the Tigers blew a late lead to lose to the Chants and start a string of bad luck series losses.
If the Tigers can flip the script from that March collapse and play like they did this weekend, this could be the kind of win that changes the tone of the season’s final stretch. If not, it risks becoming just another “almost” in a year that’s had too many of them.
Clemson Briefly
Luke Gaffney put down a successful bunt when the team needed it most. His first sacrifice bunt of his Clemson career.
Jarren Purify returned to the lineup over the weekend and added 4 hits, 2 runs scored and 2 runs batted in. A much needed return to the lineup for a team that missed his presence.
Michael Sharman and Aidan Knaak were fantastic in their starts this weekend. Knaak had a slightly elevated pitch count, but gave his offense a chance to win the game. Giving up 3 earned runs and striking out 8 Eagle hitters. Sharman went 6 strong innings striking out 3.
Nate Savoie was Nate Savoie. I hope he sticks around for another season. He’s been a heck of a get for the Tigers.
Through 48 games, Clemson is hitting .286 as a team and has tallied 80 doubles, 3 triples and 65 home runs while scoring 322 runs, good for an average of 6.7 runs per game.
Clemson will start Freshman Danny Nelson. It’ll be the righty’s first start of the season, but has seen action in 15 games out of the bullpen for the Tigers. He has a 4.79 ERA in those 15 outings and a 1-3 record. 20.2 Innings pitched with 33 strikeouts and only 6 free passes. Opponents are hitting .262 off of him. An interesting choice for “opener” for the Tigers.
Clemson pitchers have a 4.48 ERA with 469 strikeouts and 159 walks. Opponents are hitting .238 against Tiger pitching.
Here is a look at the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
Location: Conway, South Carolina
Head Coach – Kevin Schnall (2nd Season)
2026 Record: 33-14 (19-5 Sun Belt Conference)
Latest Result: Won series (2-1) on the road at Georgia Southern
Wins: Fairfield (x3), VCU (x2), Campbell, Ole Miss, East Carolina (x2), Wake Forest (x2), Appalachian State (3), James Madison (x3), CLEMSON, Marshall (x3), Citadel, South Alabama (x2), Arkansas State (x2), Georgia State (x2), Texas State (x2), North Carolina, Georgia Southern (x2)
Losses: College of Charleston, Illinois, Texas, UTSA, NC State, East Carolina, Campbell, South Alabama, Arkansas State, Wake Forest, Georgia State, UNC-Wilmington, Texas State, Georgia Southern
The Coastal Carolina Chants enter the mid-week home game at 33-14 overall and 19-5 in the Sun Belt Conference.
The Chants are hitting .269 as a team and have collected 79 doubles, 7 triples and 49 home runs in their first 47 games. They average 7.3 runs per game. The Chants will stress a defense on the basepaths. They have 103 stolen bases on the season in 120 attempts, an 86% success rate.
Coastal is led offensively by Sophomore RF Rex Watson. He leads the team with 11 home runs and 51 runs batted in, as well as being perfect in stolen bases (10-10). Senior CF Dean Mihos leads the team in average (.325) and doubles (14). Junior 3B Walker Mitchell has 10 doubles and 40 RBI, both good enough for second on the team in both categories.
On the mound, Coastal Carolina will again start Freshman right hander Jackson Smallets. The 6’4″ Smallets started against the Tigers in March, but only went one inning and faced five Tiger hitters. A small sample size.
The Chants pitching staff carries a 5.07 ERA through 47 games. The staff has struck out 388 batters and has issued 178 walks, allowing opponents to hit .256
Here are the probable players for Coastal that we’ll see on Tuesday night and their 2026 season stats:
Position Players
| Name (#) | Year | Position | 2026 Stats |
| Dean Mihos (8) | Senior | CF | .325; 14 2B, 5 HR, 37 RBI; 12-17 SB |
| Blake Barthol (7) | Senior | 2B | .299; 7 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 33 RBI; 11-13 SB |
| Walker Mitchell (5) | Junior | 3B | .298; 10 2B, 40 RBI; 10-12 SB |
| Rex Watson (12) | Sophomore | RF | .275; 10 2B, 3B, 11 HR, 51 RBI; 10-10 SB |
| Jackson Winer (16) | Freshman | DH | .240; 3 2B, 4 HR, 14 RBI |
| Brice Estep (24) | Junior | C | .278; 3 2B, 7 HR, 23 RBI; 4-5 SB |
| Blagen Pado (22) | Junior | LF | .198; 7 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 16 RBI; 12-14 SB |
| Colby Thorndyke (11) | RS Junior | 1B | .236; 6 2B, 3 HR, 14 RBI; 12-14 SB |
| Ty Barrango (10) | RS Senior | SS | .274; 3 2B, HR, 21 RBI; 6-6 SB |
| Reserves To Know: | |||
| Domenico Tozzi (13) | Sophomore | C | .176; 3 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBI; 1-2 SB |
Announced Starter
| NAME (#) | Year | Hand | 2026 Stats |
| Jackson Smallets (38) | Freshman | RHP | 0-1; 3.86 ERA, 12 app. 8 starts, 28 IP, 19 K, 15 BB; OppBA: .240 |
Final Thought
There’s been a lot of frustration as a fan over the course of this season, but this past weekend gave Clemson something real to build on.
The series win over the No. 20 Boston College Eagles baseball was not perfect, but it was steady. The Tigers got enough pitching, made enough plays, and found a way to finish a weekend. That has not happened often enough in conference play, which is why this one mattered.
Now the focus shifts to a new opportunity against the No. 7 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. This is a team that has been consistent, confident, and difficult to put away all season. It is also a team that Clemson has already seen once, in a game that slipped away late.
On paper, Coastal is not impressive at all as they have been in previous seasons. But they’ve been able to win over 70% of their games and ranked in the top 10 in the country, so they’re doing something right.
Erik Bakich continues to push buttons to try to find things that work. The move to shift roles on the mound paid off. The challenge now is carrying that momentum into another tough matchup and proving that last weekend was not a one-off.
Coastal Carolina will test that immediately. They do not give away at-bats, and they apply pressure throughout a game. Clemson will need to match that approach from the first inning through the last.
This is a chance to build something. Not just another game, but a chance to string together quality baseball against a strong opponent and start to reshape how this season is viewed.
There is still time for this group to make a push based on where the Tigers stand in the RPI. It starts with showing that the progress from last weekend can carry over. It’s going to be a tough environment, but the Tigers have what it takes to take this one headed into the weekend.
6pm at Springs Brooks Stadium on the campus of Coastal Carolina on Tuesday night.
Go Tigers.
