There’s a saying that whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and Team 127 at Clemson just might be the epitome of that old adage.

Erik Bakich’s team has been hit with all kinds of adversity this season. One of the biggest things have been the injuries, which started setting in the very first week of the season.

That isn’t where it stops either. Those injuries forced Bakich into moving some pieces around on the Clemson infield, which in turn disrupted the chemistry and has, at times, led to more errors.

But his fourth-ranked Tigers just keep finding ways to win. After a bullpen implosion on Friday cost Clemson the second game of a doubleheader against Georgia Tech, that same bullpen bounced back big on Sunday, with Billy Barlow and Jacob McGovern holding the Yellow Jackets to just two runs over the final five innings of play.

“I like the way we’ve responded to the injuries and the adversity,” Bakich said after the game. “Guys picking each other up. Just a good sign moving forward. We’re not perfect. We’ve made some mistakes, we’ve dropped some games but the mentality is right.”

Bakich has also had to tinker with his lineup, including moving Cam Cannarella from his leadoff role, where he had so much success as a freshman, into the cleanup spot. Alden Mathes, who is now hitting leadoff, has been moved around, as have a couple of other guys throughout the season.

However, none of that adversity has deterred the Tigers. After Sunday’s win over Georgia Tech, Clemson has won seven out of its eight ACC series this season. They are currently No. 4 in the RPI and at 17-7 in ACC play, the Tigers are 2.5 games in front of second place Florida State in the Atlantic Division standings.

With a midweek game on at Charlotte up next and then a road series against No. 13 Wake Forest, Bakich maintains that for his team to keep the momentum rolling, they must do what they’ve done in the face of adversity all season. That is by living in the moment and taking things one game at a time.

“I think for us, we just we can’t look ahead,” he said. “We just got to keep our eyes centered on Week 13. We’ll enjoy this one tonight, we’ll recover tomorrow and then we just got to stay focused on Charlotte.”

“I think that guys have actually been really good about that. Just keeping their focus on the next thing. Because the most important thing for this season is whatever we’re doing at that time. And so right now our focus is on Charlotte, and then it will be on Wake and then it will be on the next thing.”

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