It’s hard for Michael Green to picture his first game as a Clemson Tiger going any better than it did.
In 14th-ranked Clemson’s 6-2 opening day victory over South Alabama at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, Green was 2-for-3 and hit his first career home run as a Tiger in the bottom of the seventh inning, a solo shot to right center field.
“That was a dream,” Green said after the game. “I dreamed of that all night, just thinking about hitting the home run and then it happened so that’s crazy.”
It’ been quite the journey for Green as he started his collegiate baseball career during the 2017 season as a freshman at the College of Charleston. Last season he was a member of the 2018 Florence-Darlington Technical College team and now he’s playing in front of thousands of fans at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
“It’s been amazing (being at Clemson),” he said. “The coaches have put me in a really good position with everything I need. Obviously, things did not work out with Charleston, but I am happy that I went there. Every place that I went brought me to here.”
Clemson head coach Monte Lee is extremely thankful to have Green at Clemson as he portrays characteristics that will only add to the success of this team.
“Michael Green is a tough kid,” Lee said after the game. “He’s a blue collar player. He’s the kind of guy that you would want to bring to Clemson. He just plays the game hard.
“He’s not fazed by any situation. I’ve never seen him uptight or nervous at all. He comes to play, he comes to win, he’s an aggressive player and that’s why he’s hitting in the two-hole.”
Green attributes those types of qualities to the adversity he has faced along the way during his baseball career.
“This is my third year in college, I’ve been through battles in high school. I had Tommy John (surgery). Last year I tore my thumb so it’s just been a lot of adversity that I’ve faced.”
With the first game of the season in the books, the Tigers and the Jaguars will now play a doubleheader today to conclude the series.
“Just keep it up,” Green said. “We’re going to go back in the locker room, have a good time and just bring that energy again tomorrow.”
Move over Alabama, Clemson is the new King of College Football. In our new magazine “Little Ole Clemson”: The Best “Little” Dynasty Ever, we examine not just the 2018 team’s run to being “the best ever” but examine the last four seasons and how Dabo Swinney turned Clemson into the new dynasty of college football. We also take a look at the role former athletic director Terry Don Phillips played. We go behind the scenes at the Tigers’ run to a second national championship in three seasons and the previous three national championship runs. It also features stories on the Power Rangers, the 2018 senior class, high quality photos and much, much more.
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