Countdown to First Pitch – Morehead State
By: rmacrae@bellsouth.net March 19, 2013

By Trey McCurry.

By Trey McCurry

Clemson (11-7) hosts Morehead State (7-12) in a two-game series on Tuesday and Wednesday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Tuesday’s contest will start at 6:30PM while Wednesday’s matchup is slated for a 4:00PM start.

 

 

 

The Series

Clemson and Morehead State have met three times on the diamond, with the Tigers holding a 3-0 lead in the series. The team’s only previous meetings came at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on February 15,16, 1997. Clemson won all three games (6-2, 9-1, & 1-0) as current Tiger Assistant Head Coach Bradley LeCroy saw his first action in a Clemson uniform in game-two of the series. Jack Leggett is also 3-0 all-time against the Eagles, with the three meetings taking place during that 1997 series. 

The Eagles

Morehead State, led by first-year Head Coach Mike McGuire, is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference. The Eagles are 7-12 on the season with all of their games taking place away from home due to seven games being moved to neutral sites due to unplayable field conditions in Morehead. Morehead State is 2-7 on opponents’ home fields and 5-5 at neutral sites and enters the series off a road sweep at the hands of Tennessee Tech. The Eagles were picked to finish ninth in the 11-team OVC by league coaches and are coming off a 28-27 (13-14 OVC) season in 2012. 

The Eagles are hitting .261 as a team in 2013 with 25 doubles, five triples, five homers, 16 stolen bases (in 32 chances), 61 walks, 19 hit-by-pitches, and 166 strikeouts while averaging 4.5 runs per game. Morehead State’s pitching staff has a 5.29 ERA this season, allowing 174 hits (.270 opponents’ batting average) and 100 walks against 113 strikeouts in 166.2 innings. The Eagles are fielding at a .958 clip, committing 31 errors in 702 chances. 

The Tigers

Clemson enters the game 11-7 after dropping two of three games to #12 Virginia at Doug Kingsmore Stadium last weekend. The Tigers are 8-5 at home this season, including 7-3 against non-conference opponents. Clemson was picked to finish third in the Atlantic Division in 2013 by ACC coaches and is coming off a 35-28 (16-14) season in 2012 that included an appearance in the Columbia Regional. 

The Tigers are hitting .260 as a team in 2013 with 29 doubles, three triples, seven homers, 24 stolen bases (in 35 chances), 53 walks, 11 hit-by-pitches, and 128 strikeouts while averaging 4.9 runs per game. Clemson’s pitching staff has a 2.91 ERA this season, allowing 156 hits (.251 opponents’ batting average) and 53 walks against 127 strikeouts in 164.0 innings. The Tigers are fielding at a .968 clip, committing 23 errors in 700 chances.

 

Projected Starting Lineups

Morehead State

C        #5 Drew Williams (*SR/.205 BA with 1 3B, 1 HR, & 5 RBI in 16 games in 2013)

1B      #17 Kane Sweeney (SO/.365 BA with 4 2B, 1 3B, & 7 RBI in 19 games in 2013)

2B      #4 Jeff Birkofer (*JR/.220 BA with 1 2B, 1 RBI, & 7 R in 19 games in 2013)

SS      #2 Chase Greenwell (SR/.338 BA with 2 2B, 1 3B, & 15 RBI in 19 games in 2013)

3B      #6 Alan Mocahbee (FR/.297 BA with 2 2B, 3 HR, & 15 RBI in 19 games in 2013)

LF      #22 Taylor Pickens (SR/.236 BA with 2 2B, 3 RBI, & 13 R in 18 games in 2013)

CF      #16 Duran Elmore (*SO/.250 BA with 1 2B, 1 HR, & 4 RBI in 15 games in 2013)

RF      #3 Brandon Rawe (SO/.194 BA with 3 2B, 1 3B, & 10 RBI in 19 games in 2013)

DH     #7 Chris Robinson (*SO/.277 BA with 4 2B, 5 RBI, & 12 R in 18 games in 2013)

 

Clemson

C        #30 Garrett Boulware (SO/.333 BA with 4 2B, 3 HR, & 15 RBI in 17 games in 2013)

1B      #12 Jon McGibbon (JR/.194 BA with 2 2B, 7 RBI, & 6 R in 18 games in 2013)

2B      #17 Steve Wilkerson (JR/.329 BA with 5 2B, 1 HR, & 13 RBI in 18 games in 2013)

SS      #3 Tyler Krieger (FR/.180 BA with 2 2B, 4 RBI, & 5 R in 18 games in 2013)

3B      #13 Jay Baum (SO/.254 BA with 3 2B, 3 RBI, & 6 SB in 18 games in 2013)

LF      #18 Tyler Slaton (SO/.238 BA with 2 2B, 2 RBI, & 1 R in 15 games in 2013)

CF      #4 Thomas Brittle (*SR/.281 BA with 2 2B, 1 HR, & 6 RBI in 18 games in 2013)

RF      #9 Steven Duggar (FR/.265 BA with 4 2Bs, 10 RBI, & 12 R in 18 games in 2013)

DH     #11 Shane Kennedy (JR/.279 BA with 2 3B, 2 HR, & 16 RBI in 18 games in 2013) 

Projected Starting Pitchers

Morehead State has yet to determine a starting pitcher for either game in the two-game set. 

Clemson will start freshman lefthander Matthew Crownover in game one. The Ringgold, GA native is 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA in four appearances (three starts) for a total of 14.2 innings pitched in 2013. He has allowed nine hits (.180 opponents’ batting average) and two walks against nine strikeouts. 

The Tigers have yet to determine a starter for game two in the series. 

Worth Noting

  • Clemson is 27-14 all-time on March 19 with an 8-2 mark at home. The Tigers are 31-15 all-time on March 20 with a 13-2 mark at home.
  • Clemson has faced four of the current 11 members of the OVC. The Tigers are 11-0 in those matchups, including a 10-0 mark at home.
  • Jack Leggett has faced four of the current 11 members of the OVC. He is 27-9 in those matchups, including a 8-0 mark as Clemson’s head coach (19-9 at Western Carolina).