Countdown to First Pitch – Maryland
By: rmacrae@bellsouth.net May 4, 2013

By Trey McCurry.

By Trey McCurry

Clemson (30-14, 15-9 ACC), ranked as high as #14 in the nation,will host Maryland (27-21, 8-16 ACC) in a three-game series at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in a Saturday-Monday series. Saturday’s opener is scheduled for 1:00PM on RSN and will be followed by game-two approximately 45 minutes after the completion of game one while Monday’s finale is set for 7:00PM on ESPNU.

 

The Series

Clemson and Maryland have met 159 times on the diamond, with the Tigers holding a 119-40 lead in the series. The teams first met in 1923 and have played at least one game a year every year since 1954.

Last season in College Park, Clemson swept the Terrapins by scores of 5-4, 5-3, and 7-2. The last time the teams met at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in 2011, the Tigers won two of three games. Clemson won the first two games of the series (12-3 and 7-0), while Maryland salvaged the final game 7-6. The Tigers have won eight of the last nine meetings in the series.

Clemson holds a 65-8 over the Terrapins in games played at Clemson with a 55-3 advantage at Doug Kingsmore Stadium (despite Maryland winning the series finale in each of its last two trips to Tigertown in 2009 and 2011). The Tigers also hold a 106-36 advantage over Maryland in ACC regular-season games. Jack Leggett is 50-9 all-time against the Terrapins, with all games coming as Clemson’s head coach, and is 25-2 against Maryland at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

The Terrapins

Maryland, led by first-year Head Coach John Szefc, is 27-21 (8-16 ACC) on the season. The Terrapins are 9-11 on the road in 2013, including 4-8 on the road in ACC play. Maryland enters the series off midweek wins over Towson and at Liberty after taking two of three games at Duke last weekend. The Terrapins were picked by ACC coaches to finish fifth in the six-team Atlantic Division and are coming off a 21-35 (5-25 ACC) season in 2012.

The Terrapins are hitting .279 as a team in 2013 with 105 doubles, 14 triples, 10 homers, 91 stolen bases (in 114 chances), 187 walks, 80 hit-by-pitches, and 277 strikeouts while averaging 5.7 runs per game. Maryland enters the weekend first in the nation in sacrifice bunts (75), tied for fifth in doubles (105), and eighth in HBP (80). The Terrapins’ pitching staff has a 3.80 ERA this season, allowing 414 hits (.257 opponents’ batting average) and 208 walks against 310 strikeouts in 428.2 innings. Maryland fielding at a .975 clip, committing 46 errors in 1813 chances.

The Tigers

Clemson enters the game 30-14 (15-9 ACC) and is coming off a six-day break for exams after taking two of three games from #19 Georgia Tech last weekend at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The Tigers are ranked in all three major polls, coming in at #14 in the Collegiate Baseball poll, #18 in the Baseball America poll, and #22 in the USA Today coaches poll. Clemson is 20-8 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in 2013, including a 8-4 mark against ACC opponents. The Tigers were picked to finish third in the Atlantic Division in 2013 by ACC coaches and are coming off a 35-28 (16-14) season in 2012 that included an appearance in the Columbia Regional.

The Tigers are hitting .276 as a team in 2013 with 63 doubles, 11 triples, 13 homers, 71 stolen bases (in 101 chances), 176 walks, 16 hit-by-pitches, and 282 strikeouts while averaging 5.3 runs per game. Clemson’s pitching staff has a 3.06 ERA this season, allowing 397 hits (.260 opponents’ batting average) and 137 walks against 284 strikeouts in 400.0 innings. The Tigers are fielding at a .972 clip, committing 49 errors in 1696 chances.

 

Projected Starting Lineups

Maryland

C        #39 Jack Cleary (SR/.224 BA with 8 2B, 1 HR, & 16 RBI in 36 games in 2013)

1B      #6 LaMonte Wade (FR/.263 BA with 12 2B, 1 HR, & 34 RBI in 48 games in 2013)

2B      #22 Kyle Convissar (JR/.323 BA with 9 2B, 34 RBI, & 18 HBP in 36 games in 2013)

SS      #1 Blake Schmit (JR/.259 BA with 6 2B, 2 HR, & 27 RBI in 48 games in 2013)

3B      #32 Kevin Martir (FR/.299 BA with 8 2B, 18 RBI, & 20 R in 43 games in 2013)

LF      #13 Anthony Papio (*FR/.222 with 3 2B, 3 HR, & 17 RBI in 40 games in 2013)

CF      #4 Charlie White (*SO/.353 BA with 9 2B, 25 RBI, & 37 SB in 48 games in 2013)

RF      #34 Jordan Hagel (SR/.304 BA with 13 2B, 2 HR, & 18 RBI in 45 games in 2013)

DH     #5 Andrew Amaro (SO/.340 BA with 5 2B, 4 RBI, & 10 R in 31 games in 2013)

 

Clemson

C        #30 Garrett Boulware (SO/.315 BA with 7 2B, 7 HR, & 37 RBI in 43 games in 2013)

1B      #12 Jon McGibbon (JR/.247 BA with 4 2B, 28 RBI, & 23 R in 44 games in 2013)

2B      #17 Steve Wilkerson (JR/.291 BA with 12 2B, 1 HR, & 22 RBI in 41 games in 2013)

SS      #3 Tyler Krieger (FR/.286 BA with 7 2B, 1 3B, & 19 RBI in 44 games in 2013)

3B      #11 Shane Kennedy (JR/.300 BA with 5 2B, 2 HR, & 22 RBI in 44 games in 2013)

LF      #18 Tyler Slaton (SO/.320 BA with 3 2B, 1 3B, & 10 RBI in 41 games in 2013)

CF      #4 Thomas Brittle (*SR/.247 BA with 4 2B, 1 HR, & 16 RBI in 43 games in 2013)

RF      #9 Steven Duggar (FR/.287 BA with 6 2B, 2 HR, & 22 RBI in 44 games in 2013)

DH     #13 Jay Baum (SO/.220 BA with 4 2B, 1 3B, & 7 RBI in 41 games in 2013)

 

Projected Starting Pitchers

In game one, Maryland will start senior lefthander Jimmy Reed. The Gaithersburg, MD native is 5-3 with a 2.36 ERA in 11 starts for a total of 72.1 innings pitched in 2013. He has allowed 70 hits (.253 opponents’ batting average) and 25 walks against 52 strikeouts.

 

Clemson will counter with sophomore righthander Daniel Gossett. The Lyman, SC native is 7-2 with a 2.43 ERA in 11 starts for a total of 70.1 innings pitched in 2013. He has allowed 57 hits (.216 opponents’ batting average) and 24 walks against 65 strikeouts.

 

In game two, the Terrapins will start junior righthander Jake Stinnett. The Vista, CA native is 5-4 with a 3.35 ERA in 14 appearances (seven starts) for a total of 48.1 innings pitched in 2013. He has allowed 38 hits (.220 opponents’ batting average) and 19 walks against 39 strikeouts.

 

The Tigers will counter with freshman lefthander Matthew Crownover. The Ringgold, GA native is 5-1 with a 2.40 ERA in 11 appearances (10 starts) for a total of 48.2 innings pitched in 2013. He has allowed 47 hits (.261 opponents’ batting average) and 12 walks against 29 strikeouts.

 

In game three, Maryland will start freshman lefthander Alex Robinson. The Hewlett, NY native is 1-2 with a 4.01 ERA in 11 starts for a total of 51.2 innings pitched in 2013. He has allowed 52 hits (.272 opponents’ batting average) and 36 walks against 42 strikeouts.

 

Clemson will counter with freshman lefthander Zack Erwin. The Duluth, GA native is 3-0 with a 2.77 ERA in 17 appearances (one start) for a total of 39.0 innings pitched in 2013. He has allowed 27 hits (.203 opponents’ batting average) and 13 walks against 25 strikeouts.

 

Worth Noting

  • Clemson is 25-15 all-time on May 4 with a 15-4 mark at home. The Tigers are 25-19-1 all-time on May 5 with a 16-7 mark at home. Clemson is 26-25 all-time on May 6 with a 11-11 mark at home.
  • The 50 wins are the most wins over any one opponent during Leggett’s time in Tigertown.
  • The Tigers are 15-1 when scoring in the first inning and 21-2 when scoring first.
  • Clemson is 25-3 when scoring at least four runs and 19-1 when scoring at least six runs.
  • The Tigers are 22-1 when they outhit the opposition and 8-13 when they do not outhit their opponents.
  • Clemson has outscored its opposition in all nine innings and in extra innings.

 

Tiger Career Stats vs. Maryland

Player                             AVG   G-S     AB      R        H       RBI     HR

Jon McGibbon        .429    5-3     14      0        6        1        0

Thomas Brittle       .385    3-3     13      3        5        2        0

Steve Wilkerson     .250    6-3     16      2        4        1        0

Jay Baum               .091    3-3     11      0        1        0        0

Tyler Slaton           .000    3-1     4        0        0        0        0

Joe Costigan                   .000    1-0     1        0        0        0        0

Mike Dunster          .000    1-0     1        0        0        0        0

 

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

Jonathan Meyer     0.00    3-0     2-0     13.1    8        0        3        7

Mike Kent *            0.00    1-0     0-0     3.1     8        0        0        2

Scott Firth             4.50    2-1     2-0     8.0     7        4        5        7

Kevin Pohle            9.00    1-1     0-0     2.0     2        2        2        1