Tigers to Face #7 South Carolina Friday-Sunday

Clemson vs. South CarolinaClemson (5-2) will face #7 South Carolina (6-1) in a three-game series at three different sites this weekend. Game times are 6:30 PM on Friday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson, SC, 2:00 PM on Saturday at Fluor Field in Greenville, SC, and 3:00 PM on Sunday at Carolina Stadium in Columbia, SC. On Saturday, Clemson will be the designated visiting team and occupy the third-base dugout.

Friday’s game will be available live via webcast on TigerCast at ClemsonTigers.com. Saturday’s game will be televised live by WMYA (My40) in the Upstate of South Carolina and Western North Carolina. Saturday’s game will also be televised by FOX affiliates WTAT (Charleston, SC), WFXB (Myrtle Beach/Florence, SC), and WJCL (Savannah, GA). Fans in Columbia, SC and Augusta, GA can tune into Saturday’s telecast on their local MeTV affiliate. Saturday’s game will be available live via webcast on ESPN3 as well.

All three games will be broadcast live on the radio by Clemson Tiger Sports Network. However, Sunday’s game will be broadcast on the radio by CTSN only after the Clemson women’s basketball game (2:00 PM start) broadcast is complete.

Live stats will be available at ClemsonTigers.com for all three games as well.

The SeriesClemson and South Carolina have met 300 times on the diamond, with the Tigers holding a 169-129-2 lead in the series dating to the 1899 season. South Carolina is Clemson’s most-played rival in history.

In 2012, the Gamecocks won two of three games during the regular season, as the Tigers’ only win came at Doug Kingsmore Stadium by a score of 6-5. Then in the Columbia Regional, the Gamecocks defeated the Tigers twice by scores of 5-4 and 4-3. Five of the last six meetings in the series have been decided by one run.

In 2011, the Gamecocks won two of three games, including a 5-4 win at Fluor Field in Greenville, SC. The Tigers won two of three games in the 2010 regular season before South Carolina downed Clemson twice in the College World Series.

The rivalry moved to the three-game format (with games at each team’s home stadium and a neutral-site game) for the first time in 2010.

The Tigers hold a 96-42 advantage in the series in games played at Clemson and a 49-25 mark at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, including four wins in a row in the series in Tigertown.

South Carolina leads 8-7 in neutral-site contests, including a 2-0 advantage at Fluor Field. The Gamecocks hold a 79-66-2 lead in the series in Columbia. South Carolina has won four games in a row at Carolina Stadium and eight games in a row in the series away from Tigertown.

Jack Leggett is 34-38 against South Carolina as Clemson’s head coach, including 18-13 in games played at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, 16-18 in Columbia, and 0-7 in neutral-site contests. Leggett was also 3-8 against the Gamecocks as Western Carolina’s head coach, meaning he is 37-46 all-time against South Carolina.

The Starting PitchersIn game-one, South Carolina will start sophomore lefthander Jordan Montgomery (2-0, 1.64 ERA) on the mound. The Sumter, SC native has made two starts for a total of 11.0 innings pitched. He has allowed 10 hits (.233 opponents’ batting average) and five walks with 10 strikeouts.

The Tigers will counter with sophomore righty Daniel Gossett (1-0, 0.77 ERA) on Friday. The Lyman, SC native has made two starts for a total of 11.2 innings pitched. He has surrendered 10 hits (.233 opponents’ batting average) and three walks with 12 strikeouts.

In game-two, the Gamecocks will start senior righty Colby Holmes (1-0, 1.46 ERA) on the mound. The Conway, SC native has made two starts for a total of 12.1 innings pitched. He has given up three hits (.077 opponents’ batting average) and three walks with seven strikeouts.

Clemson will counter with freshman righthander Clate Schmidt (1-0, 0.00 ERA) on Saturday. The Acworth, GA native has made one start and one relief appearance for a total of 6.2 innings pitched. He has given up eight hits (.296 opponents’ batting average) and one walk with five strikeouts.

In game-three, South Carolina will start senior lefthander Nolan Belcher (1-1, 3.86 ERA) on the mound. The Augusta, GA native has made two starts for a total of 11.2 innings pitched. He has yielded 12 hits (.250 opponents’ batting average) and one walk with 16 strikeouts.

The Tigers will counter with senior righty Scott Firth (2-0, 0.60 ERA) on Sunday. The Buffalo Grove, IL native has made two starts for a total of 15.0 innings pitched. He has allowed seven hits (.149 opponents’ batting average) and three walks with nine strikeouts.

The GamecocksSouth Carolina, led by first-year Head Coach Chad Holbrook and ranked as high as #7 in the nation, enters the series against Clemson with a 6-1 overall record after defeating Furman 5-2 on Tuesday. The Gamecocks are also coming off a sweep of Albany at home over the weekend. All seven of their games have taken place at Carolina Stadium.

South Carolina is averaging 6.7 runs per game and hitting .288 with a .416 slugging percentage and .399 on-base percentage thanks to 39 walks and seven hit-by-pitches against 41 strikeouts. The team has also totaled 12 doubles, two triples, four home runs, and eight stolen bases in 10 attempts.

South Carolina is led at the plate by LB Dantzler, who is hitting .542 with two doubles, three homers, 13 RBIs, eight runs, and a .625 on-base percentage. Chase Vergason is hitting .412 with one homer and four RBIs, while Max Schrock has a team-high three steals.

The pitching staff has a 2.51 ERA and .209 opponents’ batting average along with 57 strikeouts against 20 walks in 61.0 innings pitched. Senior lefthander Tyler Webb has three of the team’s four saves and has not allowed a run in 3.2 innings pitched over four relief appearances. South Carolina, who has allowed no steals in one attempt, is fielding at a .973 clip as well.

The TigersClemson enters the series against #7 South Carolina with a 5-2 overall record after falling to Winthrop 3-2 in 11 innings at home on Wednesday. The Tigers, who have played all seven of their games at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, also swept Wright State last weekend.

The Tigers are averaging 5.1 runs per game and hitting .269 with a .359 slugging percentage and .337 on-base percentage thanks to 22 walks and three hit-by-pitches against 37 strikeouts. Clemson has also totaled 15 doubles, two homers, and 10 stolen bases in 14 attempts.

Steve Wilkerson leads the team with a .429 batting average along with two doubles, one homer, seven RBIs, and a team-high four steals. Garrett Boulware is hitting .375, while freshman Steven Duggar is batting .320. Shane Kennedy has a team-high nine RBIs as well.

The pitching staff has a 2.22 ERA and .232 opponents’ batting average in 65.0 innings pitched. The staff has allowed 21 walks against 55 strikeouts, good for a 2.62 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Junior righty Matt Campbell has both of the team’s saves. The Tigers are fielding at a .983 clip as well.

Tigers 11-3 All-Time at Fluor FieldFluor Field, the home of the Boston Red Sox A affiliate Greenville Drive since 2006, is modeled after Fenway Park, with identical field dimensions and a “Green Monster.” The Tigers have played 14 games at the ballpark since 2007 and are 11-3.

In 2007, Clemson downed Wofford 12-3 in its first-ever game at Fluor Field. In 2012 at Fluor Field, Clemson downed Elon 4-2 in a game that saw Head Coach Jack Leggett win his 1,200th game as a head coach, then defeated Furman 12-5 on April 10. The Tigers have outscored the opposition 112-48 in their 14 games at Fluor Field.

Bradley & Price Awards to Be Presented SundayAfter Sunday’s game at Carolina Stadium, Clemson’s MVP of the three-game series will be given the Bob Bradley Award in a ceremony at home plate. Also, South Carolina’s MVP will be given the Tom Price Award. Both Bradley and Price served as Baseball SIDs at their respective schools for decades. Bradley passed away in 2000, while Price passed away in 2008.

The awards have been presented every year since 2001. Third-baseman Richie Shaffer won the Bob Bradley Award in 2012.

Kennedy Cleaning Up in First Year at ClemsonJunior infielder Shane Kennedy (Orlando, FL) has made an immediate impact in his first season as a Tiger. He has been the everyday cleanup hitter and is hitting .250 with one homer, nine RBIs, and two steals. He has at least one RBI in all seven of Clemson’s games in 2013 as well.