Baseball Hosts Furman Wednesday Night

April 4, 2000

Clemson (25-6) will play host to Southern Conference rival Furman Wednesday night at 7:15 PM. The game will not be broadcast on College Sports Southeast as previously scheduled.

Furman (13-17-1), who played an exhibition game against the Greenville Braves Tuesday, is led by seventh-year Head Coach Ron Smith. The Paladins have won seven of their last eight games. Furman is 5-7 on the road, which includes an 0-3 record at Auburn and a loss at South Carolina.

Furman is led at the plate by Ryan Richetti, who is hitting .361 with two homers and 16 RBIs. Chris Valdes is hitting .302 with a team-best six homers and 28 RBIs. Tommy John, III, son of the former Major Leaguer who has the same name, is hitting .274 with three homers and 22 RBIs as the starting first baseman. Will Daugs, the starting third baseman, is in his first season at Furman after transferring from Edmonds Community College in Lynnwood, WA. Daugs played under current Tiger coach Hank King and was a teammate of Tigers Ryan Riley and Nick Glaser. Furman has a .287 team batting average.

Furman will start sophomore righthander Corey Etheridge on the mound. Etheridge is 3-4 with a 7.99 ERA in nine starts and one relief appearance. Rob Purvis has a team-best 3.20 ERA and five saves in 16 appearances this season. Furman has a 7.19 team ERA.

Clemson will start freshman righthander Paul Harrelson (2-0, 3.68 ERA). Harrelson will be making his second career start. Michael Johnson will look to continue his 10-game hitting streak against the Paladins.

Clemson leads the all-time series 126-53-4 dating back to Clemson’s first ever game back in 1896. Furman handed the Tigers losses in its two games that season. Clemson downed the Paladins 12-9 last year at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.