Search Shop
Announce
Clemson Baseball Team to Face Georgia Tech in Atlanta This Weekend

Clemson Baseball Team to Face Georgia Tech in Atlanta This Weekend

April 26, 2012

Clemson vs. Georgia Tech Game Notes

Clemson vs. Georgia Tech Clemson (24-18, 12-9 ACC) will travel to Atlanta, GA to take on Georgia Tech (25-17, 9-12 ACC) in a three-game series at Russ Chandler Stadium this weekend. Game times are 7:00 PM (Friday), 4:00 PM (Saturday), and 1:00 PM (Sunday). The games on Friday and Saturday will be televised live by CSS, while Sunday’s game will be available live via webcast at ESPN3. All three games will be broadcast live on the radio by Clemson Tiger Sports Network. Live stats will also be available at ClemsonTigers.com for all three games.

Watch Live on ESPN3: Friday* | Saturday* | Sunday*Note: Friday and Saturday’s broadcasts are subject to blackout in the CSS viewing area.

The Series Clemson and Georgia Tech have met 206 times on the diamond, with the Tigers holding a 103-100-3 lead in the series dating back to the 1902 season. The two teams have faced each other at least one time every year since 1974. Georgia Tech has won each of the last seven series against Clemson at Russ Chandler Stadium, as the Tigers’ last series win in Atlanta came in 1996.

Last season at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, the Tigers won the first (4-2) and last (3-1) games of the series, while Georgia Tech won game-two 5-1. Then in the ACC Tournament in Durham, NC, Clemson blanked the Yellow Jackets 9-0. In 2010 in Atlanta, the Yellow Jackets swept the Tigers by scores of 8-6, 4-3, and 11-3. Then in the ACC Tourney in Greensboro, NC, Clemson topped Georgia Tech 9-3.

The Yellow Jackets hold a 70-39-2 lead in games played at Georgia Tech, while the Tigers own a 46-41 advantage in ACC regular-season games. Jack Leggett has a 38-31 record against Georgia Tech as Clemson’s head coach, including an 8-19 mark at Russ Chandler Stadium. Leggett was 3-5 against the Yellow Jackets as Western Carolina’s head coach, meaning he is 41-36 all-time against Georgia Tech.

The Starting Pitchers In game-one, Georgia Tech will start junior righthander Buck Farmer (6-3, 3.26 ERA) on the mound. The Conyers, GA native has made 10 starts for a total of 66.1 innings pitched. He has allowed 66 hits (.252 opponents’ batting average) and 21 walks with 75 strikeouts.

The Tigers will counter with junior righthander Kevin Brady (1-2, 2.58 ERA) on Friday. The Gaithersburg, MD native has made 10 starts for a total of 52.1 innings pitched. He has allowed 43 hits (.229 opponents’ batting average) and 21 walks with 52 strikeouts.

In game-two, the Yellow Jackets will send out sophomore righty Dusty Isaacs (5-2, 6.75 ERA) on the mound. THe Lebanon, OH native has made 10 starts and one relief appearance for a total of 46.2 innings pitched. He has given up 49 hits (.275 opponents’ batting average) and 33 walks with 34 strikeouts.

Clemson will counter with junior righty Dominic Leone (6-3, 4.92 ERA) on Saturday. The Norwich, CT native has made 10 starts for a total of 53.0 innings pitched. He has surrendered 54 hits (.278 opponents’ batting average) and 26 walks with 44 strikeouts.

In game-three, Georgia Tech will start freshman righthander Cole Pitts (4-3, 4.38 ERA) on the mound. The Moultrie, GA native has made seven starts and six relief appearances for a total of 49.1 innings pitched. He has yielded 58 hits (.291 opponents’ batting average) and 23 walks with 49 strikeouts.

The Tigers will counter with sophomore righty Kevin Pohle (4-2, 3.00 ERA) on Sunday. The Saint Louis, MO native has made eight starts and two relief appearances for a total of 48.0 innings pitched. He has given up 47 hits (.267 opponents’ batting average) and 20 walks with 28 strikeouts.

The Yellow Jackets Georgia Tech, led by 19th-year Head Coach Danny Hall, enters the series against Clemson with a 25-17 overall record and 9-12 ACC mark after defeating Georgia 4-3 at Turner Field in Atlanta, GA on Tuesday night. The Yellow Jackets, who also won two of three games at #6 North Carolina last weekend, are 14-7 at home and 4-4 in one-run games in 2012.

Georgia Tech is averaging 6.6 runs per game and hitting .299 with a .428 slugging percentage and .373 on-base percentage thanks to 154 walks and 32 hit-by-pitches against 298 strikeouts. The team has also totaled 83 doubles, 14 triples, 27 home runs, and 55 stolen bases in 75 attempts.

Brandon Thomas is batting .363 with 12 doubles, five triples, two homers, 30 RBIs, a .474 on-base percentage, and 11 stolen bases. Sam Dove is hitting .361 with eight steals. Jake Davies is batting .348 with five homers and 46 RBIs, while Daniel Palka has added nine homers and 32 RBIs.

The pitching staff has a 4.22 ERA and .253 opponents’ batting average along with 328 strikeouts against 169 walks in 370.2 innings pitched. Sophomore righthander Zane Evans has a team-high three saves, while sophomore righty Alex Cruz is 5-1 with a 1.27 ERA and .155 opponents’ batting average in 42.2 innings pitched over 20 relief appearances. Georgia Tech, who has allowed 45 steals in 60 attempts, is fielding at a .956 clip as well.

The Tigers Clemson enters the series at Georgia Tech with a 24-18 overall record and 12-9 ACC mark after falling at home to Coastal Carolina 10-7 on Tuesday night. The Tigers, who are also coming off three wins in three games at Maryland last weekend, are 7-5 on opponents’ home fields in 2012. Clemson has won its last eight games away from home as well.

The Tigers are averaging 5.5 runs per game and hitting .274 with a .387 slugging percentage and .362 on-base percentage thanks to 180 walks and 33 hit-by-pitches against 258 strikeouts. Clemson has also totaled 67 doubles, 11 triples, 25 homers, and 40 stolen bases in 55 attempts.

Richie Shaffer leads the team with a .371 batting average along with 14 doubles, two triples, eight homers, 38 RBIs, 43 walks, five steals, and a .505 on-base percentage. He has also reached base via a hit or walk in 20 straight games. Thomas Brittle is hitting .338 with five doubles, five triples, one homer, 26 RBIs, and a team-high eight steals. Brittle is riding a 15-game hitting streak as well. Steve Wilkerson is hitting .324, while Phil Pohl is batting .309 with six homers and a team-high 41 RBIs.

The pitching staff has a 3.65 ERA and .268 opponents’ batting average in 382.0 innings pitched. The staff has allowed 155 walks against 325 strikeouts, good for a 2.10 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Junior righty Scott Firth has a 4-0 record, a 1.73 ERA, and .221 opponents’ batting average in 36.1 innings pitched over 16 relief appearances. The Tigers are fielding at a .971 clip as well.

Nine Tigers on the 2012 roster hail from the state of Georgia, which is tied with South Carolina for Clemson’s most players by state. A total of seven players are on this weekend’s travel roster. Those players are Jay Baum (Alpharetta), Matt Campbell (Alpharetta), Kevin Caughman (Martinez), Spencer Kieboom (Marietta), Tyler Slaton (Cumming), Jason Stolz (Marietta), and Wilkerson (Roswell).

Worth Noting • A total of 376.1 of Clemson’s 382.0 innings pitched (98.5 percent) in 2012 have been by righthanders.

Kent Super in 2012 Sophomore righthander Mike Kent (Springfield, VA) has emerged as one of Clemson’s best relievers in 2012. In his first two seasons in a Tiger uniform, he had an 8.80 ERA in 15.1 innings pitched over seven appearances (two starts). Only one of those seven outings came in 2011, when he received a medical red-shirt.

His performance in 2012 has certainly given Clemson a boost. In 27.2 innings pitched over 14 relief appearances, he is 0-1 with a 2.28 ERA and a team-tying-high two saves. He has given up 29 hits (.261 opponents’ batting average) and just seven walks with 18 strikeouts.

Kent recorded his first career save by tossing 4.0 strong innings against Furman at Fluor Field in Greenville, SC on April 10. Then in the first game of a doubleheader on April 21 at Maryland, he pitched 3.1 scoreless innings of three-hit ball with two strikeouts to register his second save in Clemson’s 5-3 win. It was even more special for Kent that day, as he was pitching near his hometown of Springfield, VA.

News