If it feels like this weekend series is garnering more attention than in years past, then you would be correct. Clemson in my opinion is Omaha bound barring some kind of catastrophe. There are so many story lines, there's almost not enough time to cover it all. Let me get into you and get you ready for tonight's game.

Let's start off with the coaches. Erik Bakich is in his 3rd season as the Tigers head coach and had to start the season in the hotel room due to a suspension from an ejection in the Super Regional against Florida. Remember in his interview a few days after the ejection where he said that if inciting the crowd was worth an ejection that he was going to get ejected a lot this coming season? What do you think is going to happen tonight if the officials get it wrong tonight. Doug Kingsmore is going to be electric just because the Gamecocks are in town and if you have paid attention to his interviews this week, you notice he has some extra energy, so that will be something to keep a eye on.

South Carolina went out and hired a personality in his own right in  former LSU icon Paul Mainieri. The Gamecocks already have 2 National Championships in their trophy case for baseball and lets be honest, they should really have 3. Then you add Mainieri who did nothing but win National Championships at LSU, and you have a recipe for a hot heated rivalry baseball game tonight that should be a lot of fun. 

This next one really puzzles me. I don't have a lot of background on this one I will admit but for the 2nd time in 3 seasons, the Tigers have had players transfer out of the program to go play for the Gamecocks in Nathan Hall and Nolan Nawrocki.

I know things have changed over the years and I am old school but transferring to a rival school has never made any sense to me and never will. Is it money? Is it playing time? Nawrocki really surprised me transferring after playing in 36 games as a Freshman. Nawrocki was the one that collided with Jac Caglianone in the Super Regional that led to both benches clearing and eventually having Bakich ejected because the umpires screwed up the call. 

Nathan Hall was a starter his Freshman year and played in a reserve roll his sophomore season. Hall was a .240 hitter with a.327 on base percentage in 51 games with 4 home runs and 15 rbi's. I am not sure what roll this weekend he will play but you can bet that both Nawrocki and Hall will have some type of impact. Mainieri will have no problem putting transfers in position to stick it  to their former team, especially on the opposing teams turf. 

So what can we expect tonight in Clemson. The first thing is obvious, the crowd is going to be raucous. You can bet Erik Bakich is going to be on high alert for anything to get the crowd even more involved. I look for Mainieri to do anything he can to delay the game and kill any momentum the Tigers have. Kevin O Sullivan was a master at it in the Super Regional but Florida also benefitted from the mishandling of the collision between Nawrocki and Caglianone. Mainieri will manipulate anything he can to effect the game without actually being involved in the game.

As I stated in my opener, Clemson is poised for Omaha barring a disaster. Cam Cannarella with the catch of the year against Florida and who is my pick for Player of the Year, in my opinion is going to own this series. Yes, he started off slow but he has started to make contact with the baseball and I think he has been quietly building for this weekend. Aiden Knaak was phenonomal last year. He was your ACC Freshman of the year in the ACC and the one thing I got to see him in a scrimmage, he looked as good if not better and is already in mid season form. I know it's hard to fathom but if he is on his game, he very well could pitch a complete game and why not. 

South Carolina fans have high hopes with the Mainieri hire and talks went from Kingston had to go, to the Gamecocks being National Championship contenders and why wouldn't you think that. The programs are right now on the opposite end of the spectrums. It's not that South Carolina is that bad of a program but it takes a while to build back and get the program to where it was when Tanner took the program to back to back National Championships. 

This is going to be a fun series and if there is any negative to this, it's the fact that it isn't on National Television. That would be cherry on top of what is the greatest rivalry in college baseball. Yes, I said it and will say it again. The greatest rivalry in college baseball. There is not another one like it in the country. With all this said, here is my prediction

Tonight

Clemson 8

South Carolina 2

Greenville 

Clemson 5

South Carolina 3

Columbia

South Carolina 4

Clemson 2