Countdown to First Pitch – North Carolina
By: rmacrae@bellsouth.net March 29, 2013

By Trey McCurry.

Clemson (16-9, 5-4 ACC) will travel to Chapel Hill, NC to take on #1 North Carolina (23-1, 7-1 ACC) in a three-game series at Boshamer Stadium from Saturday to Monday. Saturday’s game is scheduled for a 6:00PM start, Sunday’s contest is scheduled for 7:00PM, and Monday’s finale is scheduled for 6:00PM with the Sunday (RSN) and Monday (ESPNU) televised. 

The Series

Clemson and North Carolina have met 181 times on the diamond, with the Tigers holding a 96-84-1 lead in the series. The teams first met in 1901 and have met on the diamond ever year but one (2007) since 1951. 

Last season at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, the Tar Heels swept the Tigers by scores of 4-3, 6-3, and 6-5 (11 innings). The last time the teams met at Boshamer Stadium in 2011, North Carolina swept Clemson by a combined score of 27-12. 

The Tar Heels hold a 41-36 lead in games played at North Carolina, while Clemson leads 76-65 in ACC regular-season meetings. Jack Leggett is 31-31 al-time against the Tar Heels (31-28 at Clemson, 0-3 at Western Carolina), including a 13-11 mark at North Carolina as Clemson’s head coach (winning five of eight series). 

The Tar Heels

North Carolina, led by 15th-year Head Coach Mike Fox, is 23-1 (7-1) on the season including a 17-1 mark at home. The Tar Heels are the consensus #1 team in the country, holding the top spot in the Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, and USA Today Coaches polls. North Carolina enters the weekend off midweek wins over VCU and Winthrop after sweeping a shortened two-game series from Boston College last weekend in a series that had to be moved to Chapel Hill from Chestnut Hill due to snow. The Tar Heels were picked by ACC coaches to win the Coastal Division, also receiving four votes for overall champion, and are coming off a 46-16 (22-8) season in 2012 when they appeared in the Chapel Hill Regional and finished with a #17 ranking. 

The Tar Heels are hitting .316 as a team in 2013 with 49 doubles, 10 triples, 19 homers, 35 stolen bases (in 45 chances), 148 walks, 29 hit-by-pitches, and 107 strikeouts while averaging 9.0 runs per game. North Carolina’s pitching staff has a 1.72 ERA this season, allowing 143 hits (.188 opponents’ batting average) and 79 walks against 197 strikeouts in 215.0 innings. The Tar Heels are fielding at a .975 clip, committing 22 errors in 865 chances. 

The Tigers

Clemson enters the game 16-9 (5-4 ACC) off a midweek, home-and-home split with rival Georgia after taking two of three games against Duke last weekend at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The Tigers are 4-2 away from Doug Kingsmore Stadium in 2013, including a 3-2 mark on opponents’ home fields. 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 .267 as a team in 2013 with 42 doubles, three triples, nine homers, 35 stolen bases (in 54 chances), 77 walks, 14 hit-by-pitches, and 166 strikeouts while averaging 5.3 runs per game. Clemson’s pitching staff has a 3.25 ERA this season, allowing 222 hits (.273 opponents’ batting average) and 77 walks against 167 strikeouts in 182.0 innings. The Tigers are fielding at a .971 clip, committing 29 errors in 963 chances. 

Projected Starting Lineups

North Carolina

C        #7 Matt Roberts (JR/.150 BA with 1 2B, 2 3B, & 6 RBI in 23 games in 2013)

1B      #25 Cody Stubbs (SR/.352 BA with 10 2B, 2 HR, & 29 RBI in 24 games in 2013)

2B      #3 Mike Zolk (SO/.333 BA with 3 2B, 2 HR, & 15 RBI in 21 games in 2013)

SS      #5 Michael Russell (SO/.302 BA with 7 2B, 2 3B, & 11 RBI in 23 games in 2013)

3B      #18 Colin Moran (JR/.368 BA with 5 2B, 5 HR, & 32 RBI in 24 games in 2013)

LF      #10 Brian Holberton (JR/.317 BA with 3 2B, 4 HR, & 19 RBI in 23 games in 2013)

CF      #2 Chaz Frank (SR/.244 BA with 5 2B, 2 3B, & 12 RBI in 23 games in 2013)

RF      #20 Skye Bolt (FR/.429 BA with 8 2B, 4 HR, & 27 RBI in 24 games in 2013)

DH     #12 Landon Lassiter (FR/.379 BA with 2 2B, 1 HR, & 11 RBI in 22 games in 2013)

 

Clemson

C        #30 Garrett Boulware (SO/.358 BA with 4 2B, 4 HR, & 23 RBI in 24 games in 2013)

1B      #12 Jon McGibbon (JR/.258 BA with 4 2B, 15 RBI, & 12 R in 25 games in 2013)

2B      #17 Steve Wilkerson (JR/.300 BA with 9 2B, 1 HR, & 15 RBI in 25 games in 2013)

SS      #3 Tyler Krieger (FR/.214 BA with 5 2B, 9 RBI, & 10 R in 25 games in 2013)

3B      #13 Jay Baum (SO/.222 BA with 4 2B, 6 RBI, & 8 SB in 25 games in 2013)

LF      #18 Tyler Slaton (SO/.298 BA with 3 2B, 5 RBI, & 5 R in 22 games in 2013)

CF      #4 Thomas Brittle (*SR/.295 BA with 2 2B, 1 HR, & 9 RBI in 25 games in 2013)

RF      #9 Steven Duggar (FR/.293 BA with 4 2B, 1 HR, & 15 RBI in 25 games in 2013)

DH     #11 Shane Kennedy (JR/.288 BA with 2 3B, 2 HR, & 16 RBI in 25 games in 2013)

 

Projected Starting Pitchers

In game one, North Carolina will start junior lefthander Kent Emaunel. The Woodstock, GA native is 4-1 with a 1.17 ERA in six starts for a total of 46.1 innings pitched in 2013. He has allowed 32 hits (.201 opponents’ batting average) and nine walks against 35 strikeouts. 

Clemson will counter with sophomore righthander Daniel Gossett. The Lyman, SC native is 3-1 with a 1.33 ERA in six starts for a total of 40.2 innings pitched in 2013. He has allowed 28 hits (.192 opponents’ batting average) and 11 walks against 34 strikeouts. 

In game two, the Tar Heels will start sophomore righthander Benton Moss. The Enfield, NC native is 6-0 with a 1.89 ERA in six starts for a total of 38.0 innings pitched in 2013. He has allowed 24 hits (.180 opponents’ batting average) and 15 walks against 45 strikeouts. 

The Tigers will counter with freshman Clate Schmidt. The Acworth, GA native is 2-0 with a 4.05 ERA in seven appearances (five starts) for a total of 26.2 innings pitched in 2013. He has allowed 39 hits (.336 opponents’ batting average) and 10 walks against 18 strikeouts. 

In game three, North Carolina will start junior lefthander Hobbs Johnson. The Rocky Mount, NC native is 0-0 with a 3.48 ERA in five starts for a total of 20.2 innings pitched in 2013. He has allowed 20 hits (.256 opponents’ batting average) and 12 walks against 21 strikeouts. 

Clemson’s starter has yet to be determined. 

Worth Noting

  • Clemson is 31-17 all-time on March 30 with a 7-8 mark on the road. The Tigers are 37-13 all-time on March 31 with a 11-9 mark on the road. Clemson is 33-19 all-time on April 1 with a 13-8 mark at home.
  • The Tar Heels have won the last seven games in the series, their longest winning streak in series history.
  • The Tigers are 7-1 after a loss in 2013.
  • Clemson is 9-0 when scoring in the first inning and 10-1 when scoring first.
  • The Tigers are 11-1 when they outhit the opposition and 5-8 when they do not outhit their opponents.

 

Tiger Career Stats vs. North Carolina

Player                             AVG   G-S     AB      R        H       RBI     HR

Jay Baum               .333    2-1     3        0        1        0        0

Thomas Brittle       .308    3-3     13      0        4        2        0

Jon McGibbon        .250    6-3     12      2        3        2        0

Garrett Boulware    .143    3-2     7        0        1        1        0

Steve Wilkerson     .071    4-4     14      1        1        1        0

Joe Costigan                   .000    2-2     5        0        0        0        0

Tyler Slaton           —–    1-0     0        0        0        0        0

 

Player                             ERA    G-S     W-L    IP       H       ER      BB      SO

Mike Kent              0.00    1-0     0-0     1.0     1        0        1        0

Kevin Pohle            1.86    3-1     0-0     9.2     7        2        6        3

Jonathan Meyer     3.18    3-0     0-0     5.2     5        2        2        4

Scott Firth             4.05    3-1     0-0     6.2     4        3        7        6

Matt Campbell        6.75    3-0     0-1     4.0     5        3        5        3

Patrick Andrews     7.71    2-0     0-0     2.1     1        2        3        0

Joseph Moorefield  13.50  1-0     0-1     1.1     1        2        0        1

Daniel Gossett       —–    1-0     0-1     0.0     2        3        1        0