Clemson Baseball Team to Play Host to College of Charleston Saturday-Monday

May 4, 2012

Clemson vs. College of Charleston Game Notes

Clemson vs. College of Charleston Clemson (26-19) will host College of Charleston (31-13) in a three-game series at Doug Kingsmore Stadium starting Saturday. Game times are 6:30 PM (Saturday), 6:30 PM (Sunday), and 4:00 PM (Monday). The series will mark the Tigers’ first weekend series against a Southern Conference opponent since the 2000 season, when Clemson hosted The Citadel in a three-game series at Doug Kingsmore Stadium from March 24-26.

All three games will be available live via webcast on TigerCast. All three games will also be broadcast live on the radio by WCCP (104.9 FM) out of Clemson and can be heard live on the internet at ClemsonTigers.com for all three games as well.

Watch Live on TigerCast: Saturday | Sunday | Monday

Series Promotions All current members of the Tiger Letterwinner’s Association are invited to attend the College of Charleston series from May 5-7. Each member will receive free admission by presenting their current membership card at the ticket gate next to the left-field foul pole. Additional tickets for family members can be purchased on gameday for all three games for $6.

Clemson is also hosting Little League and Clemson Baseball Camper Nights for the entire College of Charleston series. Any Little Leaguer who wears their team baseball jersey or their team hat will receive a free general admission ticket, as well as any camper who wears their Clemson Baseball t-shirt. Tickets can be redeemed at the ticket booths at either the left-field entrance or the entrance behind home plate beginning 90 minutes before the scheduled first pitch.

The Series Clemson and College of Charleston have met 21 times on the diamond. The Tigers have won all 21 games, including the last meeting in 2009 by a score of 5-2 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The Tigers also won 7-6 in Mount Pleasant on February 29, 2008, then Clemson won 12-6 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on May 13, 2008. The Tigers and Cougars have never played more than two games in a season.

The Tigers also registered victories over College of Charleston in 2007 (1), 2006 (2), 2005 (2), 2004 (2), 2003 (2), 2002 (2), and 2001 (1). Prior to the matchup in the 2001 season, the two teams had not played since 1912.

The Tigers hold a 14-0 lead over the Cougars in games played at Clemson and a 10-0 advantage at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

The Starting Pitchers In game-one, College of Charleston will start junior righthander Christian Powell (8-2, 2.37 ERA) on the mound. The Greenwood, SC native has made 11 starts and one relief appearance for a total of 68.1 innings pitched. He has allowed 58 hits (.230 opponents’ batting average) and 17 walks with 56 strikeouts.

The Tigers will counter with junior righty Dominic Leone (6-3, 5.53 ERA) on Saturday. The Norwich, CT native has made 11 starts for a total of 57.0 innings pitched. He has surrendered 62 hits (.291 opponents’ batting average) and 28 walks with 44 strikeouts.

In game-two, the Cougars will send out senior lefty Josh Renfro (6-4, 3.68 ERA) on the mound. The Bradenton, FL native has made 11 starts and one relief appearance for a total of 63.2 innings pitched. He has given up 64 hits (.258 opponents’ batting average) and 10 walks with 58 strikeouts.

Clemson will counter with sophomore righty Kevin Pohle (4-2, 3.31 ERA) on Sunday. The Saint Louis, MO native has made nine starts and two relief appearances for a total of 51.2 innings pitched. He has given up 53 hits (.275 opponents’ batting average) and 23 walks with 29 strikeouts.

In game-three, College of Charleston will start junior righthander Matt Pegler (7-2, 2.83 ERA) on the mound. The Greenville, SC native has made 11 starts for a total of 63.2 innings pitched. He has yielded 54 hits (.228 opponents’ batting average) and 16 walks with 46 strikeouts.

Clemson’s starting pitcher for game-three on Monday has yet to be determined.

The Cougars College of Charleston, led by fourth-year Head Coach Monte Lee, enters the series at Clemson with a 31-13 overall record and 19-8 SoCon mark after winning two of three games at Western Carolina last weekend. The Cougars, who have won 10 of their last 12 games, are 13-7 on the road and 5-2 in one-run games in 2012.

College of Charleston is averaging 6.1 runs per game and hitting .265 with a .433 slugging percentage and .358 on-base percentage thanks to 175 walks and 49 hit-by-pitches against 376 strikeouts. The team has also totaled 80 doubles, 14 triples, 47 home runs, and 53 stolen bases in 66 attempts.

Daniel Aldrich is batting .262 with eight doubles, five triples, six homers, and 31 RBIs. He won the 2011 TD Ameritrade College Home Run Derby in Omaha, NE, beating out, among others, Clemson’s Richie Shaffer.

Marty Gantt leads the Cougars with a .394 batting average, 18 doubles, two triples, 33 RBIs, 49 runs, a .495 on-base percentage thanks to 30 walks, and 24 stolen bases. Bradley Goodson is batting .294 with seven homers and 36 RBIs, while Brandon Murray is hitting .288 with 10 home runs and 25 RBIs.

The pitching staff has a 2.83 ERA and .227 opponents’ batting average along with 354 strikeouts against 112 walks in 391.0 innings pitched. Senior righthander David Peterson has 10 of the team’s 12 saves along with a 2.73 ERA and .193 opponents’ batting average in 29.2 innings pitched over 25 relief appearances. College of Charleston, who has allowed 42 steals in 52 attempts, is fielding at a .965 clip as well.

The Tigers Clemson enters the series against College of Charleston with a 26-19 overall record and 14-10 ACC mark after winning two of three games at Georgia Tech last weekend. The Tigers, who are coming off final exams this past week, are 15-12 at home in 2012.

The Tigers are averaging 5.8 runs per game and hitting .280 with a .396 slugging percentage and .365 on-base percentage thanks to 192 walks and 34 hit-by-pitches against 283 strikeouts. Clemson has also totaled 71 doubles, 12 triples, 30 homers, and 41 stolen bases in 57 attempts.

Richie Shaffer leads the team with a .347 batting average along with 14 doubles, two triples, eight homers, 38 RBIs, 45 walks, five steals, and a .481 on-base percentage. Thomas Brittle, who played two seasons (2009,10) at College of Charleston and was 21-for-77 (.273) with 16 steals in 76 games (15 starts), is hitting .327 with six doubles, six triples, two homers, 29 RBIs, and a team-high eight steals. Brittle is riding an 18-game hitting streak as well.

The pitching staff has a 3.82 ERA and .268 opponents’ batting average in 412.0 innings pitched. The staff has allowed 170 walks against 344 strikeouts, good for a 2.02 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Sophomore righty Mike Kent has two saves and a team-best 2.20 ERA in 32.2 innings pitched over 15 relief appearances. The Tigers are fielding at a .972 clip as well.

ACC Standings The Tigers are in third place in the ACC Atlantic Division standings with a 14-10 league record. In the division, Florida State is in first place with a 19-2 record, while N.C. State is second at 16-8. The Seminoles also hold the overall ACC lead at 19-2. In the overall ACC standings, Clemson is tied for fourth place with Virginia. Miami (FL) is sixth at 12-12, while Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech are tied for seventh at 10-14. The top-eight teams in the overall ACC standings will play in the 2012 ACC Tournament.

Brady, Campbell Suffer Injuries Righthanders Kevin Brady and Matt Campbell both suffered injuries in the Tigers’ 6-5 loss in 13 innings at Georgia Tech on April 27. Brady, a junior who was Clemson’s Friday starter each of the first 11 weeks of the season, suffered a hamstring strain while covering first base in the sixth inning. Campbell, a sophomore who was one of the team’s top relievers in 2012, suffered a Latissimus Dorsi (“Lat”) strain in the ninth inning. Brady will be out of action until at least mid-May, while Campbell will be out of action indefinitely.

Leggett #14 on All-Time NCAA Wins ListJack Leggett has 1,215 career wins in 33 seasons as a head coach. That victory total is #14 on the all-time NCAA Division I list. In Clemson’s 11-8 win at Georgia Tech on April 29, he moved ahead of Richard Jones, who had 1,214 career wins, into 14th place. Leggett also reached the 1,200 win mark in Clemson’s 4-2 win over Elon at Fluor Field in Greenville, SC on March 21.

Leggett passed the late Bill Wilhelm, who is tied for 18th with 1,161 wins in 36 seasons (1958-93) as Clemson’s head coach, on April 6, 2011 in the Tigers’ 12-3 win over Western Carolina. Leggett is also sixth in wins among active coaches.

Kieboom Named to ACC Player-of-the-Week Junior catcher Spencer Kieboom (Marietta, GA) was named ACC Player-of-the-Week on April 30 for his performances in four games from April 24-29. He went 11-for-20 (.550) with a homer, double, eight RBIs, and five runs. Playing near his hometown against Georgia Tech from April 27-29, he went 10-for-15 (.667) with a grand slam, double, seven RBIs, and four runs to lead Clemson to a series win. He totaled at least two hits in all three games and raised his batting average 47 points (.230 to .277) in the series.

In game-two of the series, he was 3-for-5 with a grand slam, double, and five RBIs in Clemson’s 13-7 victory. Then on Sunday, he went 5-for-5 with two RBIs and a run in the Tigers’ 11-8 win.

Kieboom was also named to the Johnny Bench Award Watch List in March. It was the second year in a row he was named to the list. The award goes the nation’s best catcher.

In 41 games (39 starts) in 2012, he is hitting .277 with two homers, five doubles, and 22 RBIs. He has 17 walks and has only struck out 10 times in 141 at-bats. He has also committed just two errors and has not allowed a passed ball in 2012. Kieboom leads the team with a .337 batting average in ACC regular-season games as well.