CLEMSON — Though the media in attendance wanted to talk about Clemson’s potential matchup with Vanderbilt and the storylines that come along with it in the Clemson Regional this weekend, head coach Erik Bakich was having none of it.

The No. 6 overall seeded Tigers will host the Commodores, along with Coastal Carolina and High Point as part of the NCAA Tournament this weekend at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson.

“I told the guys that whatever the four seed is, that’s the regional,” Bakich said. “We have been good about just keeping our eyes focused on what is in front of us. I figured there would be, just like in years past, a really competitive field, but we certainly can’t overlook the first game, which is High Point.

“So, for us, this is the High Point Regional and that is where our energy and focus will be and what we need to do to get in the winner’s bracket.”

Vanderbilt (38-21) is the No. 2 seed in the Clemson Regional and will play No. 3 seed Coastal Carolina at noon on Friday (ESPN 2), while the top-seeded Tigers play No. 4 High Point at 7 p.m. (ACCN).

This is not the first time the Commodores and Tigers have played in the same regional. Clemson was in the Nashville Regional in 2014 but did not face Vandy.

This year will mark the third time Vanderbilt has come to Clemson to play in a regional since 2017. The Commodores beat the Tigers in the Clemson Regional Finals in 2017 and 2018.

However, Clemson-Vanderbilt has an added dimension this year. Bakich coached at Vandy under head coach Tim Corbin for seven seasons (2003-’09) in Nashville, Tenn., and both Bakich and Corbin coached under Clemson Hall of Fame head coach Jack Leggett at Clemson. They were a part of coaching staff that helped the Tigers finish No. 3 in the College World Series in 2002.

Leggett now serves on Bakich’s staff as a program developer.

“We do not want to get emotional about the storylines, it just needs to be about the players,” Bakich said. “The players do not have those storylines. Only Coach Leggett and myself do. I am not the type of guy to ever want the attention on the coaches.

“Just make it about the kids. So, for that reason, since it is about the kids, then there is really no emotion. It’s just about the execution.”

While Clemson is trying to stay away from the storylines, Corbin spoke to Vanderbilt reporters about his time at Clemson and what it means to him and his family to be playing at Clemson.

“It is where we raised the girls. It is Coach Leggett. He gave me a chance to coach in Division I Baseball,” Corbin said. “I mean if it wasn’t for him, certainly, I am not standing here. I met my wife there. I developed my marriage there. It is just a lot of great memories of South Carolina.

“The girls live in Charleston. Erik coached here. Erik and Jiffy are close to Maggie and I. We are God Parents to their kids. Jack is still on staff there. So yeah, there are a lot of tremendous people.”

And though he expressed his emotions about coming back to Clemson more than Bakich did, Corbin did get down to the business of baseball.

“We are not playing Clemson, we are playing at Clemson, but we are playing Coastal Carolina,” he said. “So, obviously, that will be the most important thing.

“It is special to go back (to Clemson) for sure. That is where we got married and where we started our life with the girls. So, a lot of great feelings about that place.”

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