Clemson Baseball Earns Preseason Top-10 Rankings

Jan. 3, 2001

CLEMSON, SC – The Clemson Tigers have earned preseason mention as a top-10 team by Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America.

The Tigers are ranked fifth in the Collegiate Baseball poll behind top-ranked Georgia Tech, Southern California, LSU and Nebraska. In the Baseball America poll, Clemson is ranked 10th. Georgia Tech has been picked as the top team in the preseason in that poll as well, followed by Southern California, LSU, Miami (FL), Nebraska, Arizona State, Florida State, South Carolina and Notre Dame.

Clemson finished seventh in the nation after earning a trip to the College World Series last spring. The Tigers finished 51-18 in the 2000 campaign, extending the streak of 40-win seasons to 15. The appearance in the NCAA Tournament was the Tigers’ 14th straight.

Clemson returns five position starters, including shortstop Jeff Baker, third baseman Khalil Greene, second baseman Ryan Riley and left fielder Casey Stone along with center fielder Patrick Boyd, who returns to Clemson after being drafted in the fourth round of baseball’s amateur draft. All five players have made significant contributions in recent years. The Tigers lost Ryan Mottl and Scott Berney, who combined for 19 wins, but return almost every other pitcher off the staff that recorded a 3.99 ERA in 2000.

The Tigers open the season Feb. 16-18 when they host Richmond in a three-game series at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.