Erik Bakich will send a true freshman to the mound to make his first career start on Tuesday when No. 19 Clemson hosts Charlotte in midweek action.
Eston Simpson, a 6-foot-5 right-hander, will get the nod. He was one of the standout freshmen hurlers in the fall, routinely hitting 94-95 with his fastball. As a high school senior at Jefferson High School in Georgia, he was an All-State selection and considered one of the Top 10 right-handed pitchers in the state.
Two true freshmen played key roles on the mound in the weekend sweep of Army, with Dylan Harrison throwing 4.1 innings of one-run baseball in relief of ace Aidan Knaak on Friday, and Danny Nelson throwing a perfect inning of relief in the series finale on Saturday.
GAME SETUP
• Who – Charlotte (1-2) vs. Clemson (3-0)
• Best Ranking – CHA – NR; CU – No. 15 NCBWA
• When – Tuesday (4 p.m.)
• Where – Clemson, S.C. (Doug Kingsmore Stadium)
• Watch – ACC Network Extra
• Video Announcers – William Qualkinbush, Ron Smith
• Listen (Radio) – Clemson Athletic Network (locally on WCCP (105.5 FM)
Clemson leads the all-time series against Charlotte 16-4, with an 11-3 mark in games played at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
The 49ers dropped two out of three games at home to San Diego over the weekend to start their season.
CLEMSON OVERVIEW
• Clemson, which has played all its games at home, swept Army West Point in three games last weekend by a combined score of 20-2.
• The Tigers are averaging 6.7 runs per game and hitting .376 with a .482 slugging percentage, .482 on-base percentage and two steals.
• The pitching staff has an 0.35 ERA, a .172 opponents’ batting average and 17.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and Clemson is fielding .961.
CHARLOTTE OVERVIEW
• Charlotte, which has played all its games at home and is averaging 7.0 runs per game, is led by seventh-year Head Coach Robert Woodard.
• They are hitting .250 and have a 7.20 ERA and .980 fielding percentage.
• Cody Gunderson is 6-for-9 with two homers, Cale Stricklin is 5-for-11 with five RBIs and Adam Stanton has the team’s lone save.
QUICK HITS
• Clemson and Charlotte are scheduled to conclude their home-and-home season series at Truist Field in Charlotte on April 14.
• Charlotte Associate Head Coach Toby Bicknell was Clemson’s volunteer assistant in 2007 and 2008.
• Over half of the innings pitched (13.1 of the 26.0) by the Tigers last weekend were by players who were not on the 2025 roster.
CAPTAINS
• Joe Allen, Jacob Jarrell, Aidan Knaak and Jarren Purify were voted team co-captains.
• Jarrell was voted a team co-captain for the third time, while Knaak and Purify were voted a team-captain for the second time.
• Talan Bell, Luke Gaffney, Ty Marshall, Tryston McCladdie and Noah Samol were voted to the leadership council (assistant captains).
• Jason Fultz Jr., Tyler Lichtenberger, Dane Moehler, Danny Nelson and Nate Savoie were voted rising leaders (underclassmen).
SAVOIE OFF TO HOT START
• Sophomore catcher and outfielder Nate Savoie is in his first season at Clemson after transferring from Loyola Marymount.
• He is hitting .727 with a homer, double, seven RBIs, three runs and a 1.091 slugging percentage in three games in 2026.
• In his first three games as a Tiger against Army West Point on Feb. 13,14, he was 8-for-11 with a homer, double and seven RBIs.
Clemson Athletic Communications contributed to this story