BASEBALL PREVIEW: NO.8 CLEMSON at No.3 Duke

CUTrevor 2024-03-15 16:50:11


CLEMSON, S.C. - The No. 8 Tigers travel to No. 3 Duke to open their ACC slate in a three-game series this weekend.

SERIES SETUP
• Who - Clemson (15-1, 0-0 ACC) vs. Duke (14-3, 2-1 ACC)
• Best Ranking - CU - No. 8 NCBWA; DUK - No. 3 Baseball America
• When - Friday (4 p.m.), Saturday (3 p.m.), Sunday (1 p.m.)
• Where - Durham, N.C. (Jack Coombs Field)
• Watch - ACC Network Extra
• Video Announcers - Art Chase, Chris Edwards
• Listen (Radio) - Clemson Athletic Network (locally on WCCP (105.5 FM))
• Listen (Internet) - ClemsonTigers.com
• Live Stats - ClemsonTigers.com
• Social Media - ClemsonBaseball

SERIES HISTORY
• Overall Record - Clemson leads 131-77-2 (1904-2023)
• Record at Duke - Clemson leads 51-30-1 (1916-2016)

STARTING PITCHERS
• Friday - RHP Austin Gordon (CU) vs. LHP Jonathan Santucci (DUK)
• Saturday - LHP Tristan Smith (CU) vs. LHP Andrew Healy (DUK)
• Sunday - RHP Aidan Knaak (CU) vs. TBA (DUK)

CLEMSON OVERVIEW
• Clemson, which has yet to play a road game, defeated Manhattan in two midweek home games and has won 11 games in a row.
• The Tigers are averaging 8.3 runs per game and hitting .316 with a .538 slugging percentage, .429 on-base percentage and 22 steals.
• The pitching staff has a 3.79 ERA, .218 opponents’ batting average and 2.27 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and Clemson is fielding .960.

DUKE OVERVIEW
• Duke, which has a 9-2 home record and is averaging 10.0 runs per game, is led by 12th-year Head Coach Chris Pollard.
• The Blue Devils split two midweek home games against Rider. They are hitting .338 and have a 3.30 ERA and .984 fielding percentage.
• Ben Miller is hitting .448 with seven homers and 22 RBIs, David Obee is batting .383 with five homers and Charlie Beilenson has seven saves.

QUICK HITS
• Each of the last nine games in the series have been played at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The last meetings at Duke were in 2016.
• Clemson's 15-1 start is its best through 16 games since 2018, when it also started 15-1. The 2018 team also started 16-1.
• Clemson's bullpen has a 10-0 record, three saves, a 3.86 ERA, .196 opponents' batting average and 80 strikeouts in 77.0 innings pitched.

COMEBACK TIGERS
• Clemson has 10 come-from-behind wins among its 15 overall victories in 2024.
• Clemson has scored first in only seven of its 16 games.
• Clemson has trailed at the start of the third inning six times and is 5-1 in those six games.
• Clemson has scored five or more runs in all 15 of its wins.
• Clemson trailed Kennesaw State 6-5 in the eighth inning before rallying for an 8-6 win on Feb. 24.


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