CLEMSON, S.C. –The No. 10 Tigers play their annual rivalry series with No. 12 South Carolina at three different sites this weekend.
SERIES SETUP
• Who – Clemson (7-1) vs. South Carolina (8-1)
• Best Ranking – CU – No. 10 Baseball America, D1Baseball; USC – No. 12 Baseball America
• When – Friday (7 p.m.), Saturday (4 p.m.), Sunday (2 p.m.)
• Where – Columbia, S.C. (Founders Park) Friday; Greenville, S.C. (Fluor Field) Saturday; Clemson, S.C. (Doug Kingsmore Stadium) Sunday
• Watch – SEC Network+ (Friday), ACC Network Extra (Saturday, Sunday)
• Video Announcers (Friday) – Kip Bouknight, Dave Weinstein
• Video Announcers (Saturday) – Bob Mahony, William Qualkinbush
• Video Announcers (Sunday) – Jeff Morris, William Qualkinbush
• Listen (Radio) – Clemson Athletic Network (locally on WCCP (105.5 FM))
• Listen (Internet) – ClemsonTigers.com
• Live Stats – ClemsonTigers.com
• Social Media – ClemsonBaseball
• Tickets (Sunday) – ClemsonTigers.com, 1-800-CLEMSON
SERIES HISTORY
• Overall Record – Clemson leads 186-145-2 (1899-2023)
• Record at South Carolina – South Carolina leads 86-70-2 (1900-2023)
• Record at Neutral – Tied 13-13 (1899-2023)
• Record at Clemson – Clemson leads 103-46 (1907-2023)
STARTING PITCHERS
• Friday – RHP Billy Barlow (CU) vs. RHP Eli Jones (USC)
• Saturday – RHP Dylan Eskew (USC) vs. LHP Tristan Smith (CU)
• Sunday – RHP Roman Kimball (USC) vs. RHP Aidan Knaak (CU)
CLEMSON OVERVIEW
• Clemson, which has played all of its games at home, defeated USC Upstate 12-6 on Tuesday behind five homers, its most since 2022.
• The Tigers are averaging 8.6 runs per game and hitting .330 with a .570 slugging percentage, .441 on-base percentage and six steals.
• The pitching staff has a 4.62 ERA, .236 opponents’ batting average and 2.20 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and Clemson is fielding .950.
SOUTH CAROLINA OVERVIEW
• South Carolina, which has played all its games at home and is averaging 9.3 runs per game, is led by seventh-year Head Coach Mark Kingston.
• The Gameco*cks defeated Gardner-Webb 7-1 on Tuesday. They are hitting .285 and have a 2.40 ERA and .968 fielding percentage.
• Former Tiger Dylan Brewer is hitting .519, Ethan Petry is batting .357 with three homers and Garrett Gainey has the team’s lone save.
STORIED RIVALRY
• South Carolina is Clemson’s most-common opponent in history, as the two have played 333 times dating to 1899.
• The two have met at least once every year since 1945, with the exception of 1984. Therefore, the two have met each of the last 39 years.
• The season matchups went to a three-game, weekend-series format in 2010 after the two teams played four midweek games for decades.
• South Carolina leads the series 8-6 in regular-season, neutral-site contests since 2010.
• South Carolina leads the series 12-6 at Founders Park (opened in 2009).
• The series is tied 1-1 at Segra Park (the first meeting there was in 2020).
• Clemson leads the series 56-29 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium (opened in 1970).
QUICK HITS
• Clemson is the designated home team and occupies the third-base dugout at Segra Park on Saturday.
• Clemson has won six of the last nine season series against South Carolina from 2015-23.
• Former Tiger Head Coach Monte Lee (2016-22) is the associate head coach at South Carolina.
TIGERS AT SEGRA PARK
• Clemson has a 3-2 all-time record in five games at Segra Park in Columbia, S.C.
• The Tigers have outscored the opposition 34-21 at Segra Park, an average score of 6.8-4.2.
• Clemson is 1-1 against South Carolina at Segra Park.
• Clemson is 1-0 under Head Coach Erik Bakich at Segra Park.
BOB BRADLEY AWARD PRESENTED SUNDAY
• Clemson’s MVP of the South Carolina series is presented the Bob Bradley Award. The Gameco*cks’ MVP receives the Tom Price Award.
• The 2024 series marks the 24th year the awards are presented.
• The two late athletic communications directors served as baseball contacts for their respective schools for decades.
DARDEN PITCHING EFFECTIVELY AGAIN
• Sophom*ore lefthander Ethan Darden emerged as a freshman in 2023 as a dependable weekend starter.
• He has picked up where he left off with consistent outings in 2024.
• He is 2-0 with an 0.00 ERA, .111 opponents’ batting average and six strikeouts in 5.1 innings pitched over three relief appearances.
• He has only allowed one walk.
• He pitched 3.0 scoreless innings in relief of one-hit ball with four strikeouts to earn the win against USC Upstate on Feb. 27.
• In his career, he is 5-2 with a 5.04 ERA, .257 opponents’ batting average and 51 strikeouts in 60.2 innings pitched over 22 appearances.
