Countdown to First Pitch – USC Upstate
By: rmacrae@bellsouth.net May 14, 2013

Clemson (37-15), ranked as high as #14 in the nation, will host USC Upstate (25-25) on Tuesday night at 6:30PM at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in the final regular-season home game of the season.

 

The Series

Clemson and USC Upstate have met twice on the diamond, with the Tigers holding a 2-0 lead in the series. The teams first met in 2009 and last played in 2010. 

In the 2009 contest, five Clemson pitchers combined to pitch a no-hitter in a 14-0 Tiger win. The following season, John Hinson went 5-for-6 with three homers and seven RBI to lead Clemson to a 22-4 win over the Spartans. 

The Tigers hold a 2-0 lead in games at Clemson (2-0 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium). Jack Leggett is 8-2 all-time against the Spartans (2-0 at Clemson, 6-2 at Western Carolina).

 

The Spartans

USC Upstate, led by 16th-year Head Coach Matt Fincher, is a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference. The Spartans are 25-25 (8-16 A-Sun) on the season, including a 7-13 mark away from home (7-12 on opponents’ home fields and 0-1 at neutral sites). USC Upstate enters the game off a sweep at the hands of Kennesaw State last weekend and have lost six of their last seven games overall. The Spartans were picked to finish third in the A-Sun and are coming off a 33-20 (16-10 A-Sun) season in 2012. 

The Spartans are hitting .291 as a team in 2013 with 89 doubles, 13 triples, 18 homers, 32 stolen bases (in 34 chances), 187 walks, 59 hit-by-pitches, and 268 strikeouts while averaging 6.1 runs per game. USC Upstate’s pitching staff has a 4.14 ERA this season, allowing 453 hits (.267 opponents’ batting average) and 163 walks against 335 strikeouts in 441.0 innings. The Spartans are fielding at a .961 clip, committing 75 errors in 1933 chances.

 

The Tigers

Clemson enters the game 37-15 after sweeping Georgia Southern at home last weekend. The Tigers are ranked as high as #14 in the country, by Collegiate Baseball, and is ranked #17 by Baseball America and #19 in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll. Clemson is 25-9 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in 2013, including a 15-4 mark against non-conference 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 .283 as a team in 2013 with 73 doubles, 14 triples, 15 homers, 91 stolen bases (in 126 chances), 224 walks, 24 hit-by-pitches, and 329 strikeouts while averaging 5.7 runs per game. Clemson’s pitching staff has a 2.88 ERA this season, allowing 461 hits (.257 opponents’ batting average) and 165 walks against 340 strikeouts in 472.0 innings. The Tigers are fielding at a .971 clip, committing 60 errors in 2076 chances. 

Projected Starting Lineups

USC Upstate

C        #9 Luke Weber (JR/.319 BA with 11 2B, 4 HR, & 35 RBI in 48 games in 2013)

1B      #37 Trey Richardson (SR/.311 BA with 16 2B, 8 HR, & 43 RBI in 45 games in 2013)

2B      #5 Daniel Seeba (JR/.282 BA with 8 2B, 1 HR, & 23 RBI in 43 games in 2013)

SS      #19 Brody Greer (JR/.317 BA with 13 2B, 1 HR, & 27 RBI in 50 games in 2013)

3B      #7 Jordan Stampler (SR/.258 BA with 3 2B, 1 3B, & 13 RBI in 47 games in 2013)

LF      #2 Tyler Lesch (JR/.290 BA with 12 2B, 2 HR, & 31 RBI in 50 games in 2013)

CF      #38 Gaither Bumgardner (SR/.327 BA with 6 2B, 1 3B, & 33 RBI in 50 games in 2013)

RF      #10 Tyler Miller (SR/.243 BA with 10 2B, 1 HR, & 24 RBI in 47 games in 2013)

DH     #8 Brandon Patterson (SR/.318 BA with 10 2B, 1 HR, & 42 RBI in 46 games in 2013)

 

Clemson

C        #30 Garrett Boulware (SO/.314 BA with 7 2B, 7 HR, & 43 RBI in 51 games in 2013)

1B      #12 Jon McGibbon (JR/.270 BA with 5 2B, 37 RBI, & 30 R in 52 games in 2013)

2B      #17 Steve Wilkerson (JR/.307 BA with 15 2B, 1 HR, & 29 RBI in 49 games in 2013)

SS      #3 Tyler Krieger (FR/.284 BA with 9 2B, 1 3B, & 25 RBI in 52 games in 2013)

3B      #11 Shane Kennedy (JR/.326 BA with 5 2B, 4 HR, & 30 RBI in 52 games in 2013)

LF      #18 Tyler Slaton (SO/.288 BA with 3 2B, 1 3B, & 11 RBI in 49 games in 2013)

CF      #4 Thomas Brittle (*SR/.268 BA with 5 2B, 1 HR, & 23 RBI in 51 games in 2013)

RF      #9 Steven Duggar (FR/.294 BA with 7 2B, 2 HR, & 25 RBI in 52 games in 2013)

DH     #1 Maleeke Gibson (FR/.240 BA with 2 2B, 13 RBI, & 16 R in 31 games in 2013)

 

Projected Starting Pitchers

USC Upstate will start senior lefthander Chris Cox. The Simpsonville, SC native is 5-3 with a 3.11 ERA in 11 appearances (nine starts) for a total of 46.1 innings pitched in 2013. He has allowed 53 hits (.286 opponents’ batting average) and 15 walks against 28 strikeouts.

 

Clemson will counter with freshman righthander Brody Koerner. The Concord, NC native is 1-1 with a 2.67 ERA in nine appearances (four starts) for a total of 27.0 innings pitched in 2013. He has allowed 21 hits (.214 opponents’ batting average) and 21 walks against 27 strikeouts.

 

Worth Noting

  • Clemson is 23-24 all-time on May 14 with a 7-6 mark at home.
  • The Tigers last faced an A-Sun team in 2011, an 8-3 home win over East Tennessee State.
  • Clemson has faced six of the current 10 members of the A-Sun. The Tigers are 53-25-1 in the previous matchups, including a 38-6 mark at home.
  • Jack Leggett has also faced six of the current 10 members of the A-Sun. He is 4-10 in his previous matchups against A-Sun teams, including a 18-2 mark as Clemson’s head coach.

 

Tiger Career Stats vs. USC Upstate

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

Scott Firth             0.00    1-0     0-0     1.0     0        0        0        1

Jonathan Meyer     27.00  1-0     0-0     1.0     3        3        1        1