CLEMSON – Clemson’s baseball team is throwing a party, and the fans are invited.

Next week, the Tigers head to Arlington, Texas, to kick off their season at the Shriners Children’s College Showdown. There, they will face off against Oklahoma State, Arizona, and Ole Miss from Feb. 14-16.

Before they can leave for Arlington, however, a kickoff party is in order. 

The Clemson baseball team will host a special preseason banquet at the Poe Indoor Practice Facility on Saturday from 2-5 p.m. This event will introduce the team to Clemson fans and locals while offering a fun, interactive experience.

Tickets for the “We Like To Party” event can be purchased online or at the door at the Poe Facility. In honor of Clemson’s 128th baseball team, the first 128 students will get in for free.

Businesses or donors who purchase a table will receive 10 free tickets, a tax benefit, and, depending on their donation level, Clemson baseball memorabilia.

This isn’t your typical preseason banquet. Inspired by the Vengaboys’ hit song that pumps through the speakers after every Clemson home run, the “We Like To Party” will feature food trucks, live music, and carnival games, all facilitated by the players themselves.

For head coach Erik Bakich, the event is an opportunity to build excitement among Clemson fans and showcase the electric atmosphere that Clemson baseball games are known for.

“We need to go to Omaha, we need to win a National Championship, and we’re working on that,” Bakich said in an interview with The Clemson Insider earlier this week.  “But what else can we do to engage the fan base, to put our arms around this Clemson community and get people excited about baseball, not just because we have a good team, but because going to a baseball game at Doug Kingsmore Stadium is fun. It’s a big concert meets carnival meets baseball.”

Whether you’re a baseball fan, a music lover, or just looking for something to do before Clemson basketball faces Duke at 6:30 p.m., Bakich believes this event is the place to be Saturday afternoon.

Above all, the goal is to bring the Clemson community together and prove that Tigers baseball is anything but boring.

“It’s totally different than the typical boring leadoff banquet just like we want our crowds and our environment here to be totally different than the typical boring baseball game. We’re looking at completely re-energizing and re-engaging the crowd.”