Game times are
6:00 PM (Friday), 2:00 PM (Saturday), and 1:00 PM (Sunday). All three games will
be broadcast live on the radio by Clemson Tiger Sports Network. Live stats will
also be available at ClemsonTigers.com for all three games.
The Series
Clemson and Duke have met 188 times on the diamond, with the Tigers holding a
121-65-2 lead in the series dating back to the 1904 season. Last year at Doug
Kingsmore Stadium, the Tigers swept the three-game series by a combined score of
34-16.
The two teams last met in a three-game series in Durham in 2010. The Blue
Devils won two of the three games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park despite both
teams scoring 22 runs in the series. In the last series at Jack Coombs Field in
2008, the two teams split the three-game series 1-1-1.
The Tigers hold a 47-28-1 lead in games played at Duke and a 95-34-2 advantage
in ACC regular-season games. Jack Leggett has a 41-15-1 record against Duke as
Clemson’s head coach, including a 17-9-1 mark in Durham in ACC regular-season
contests.
The Starting Pitchers
In game-one, Duke will start junior righthander Marcus Stroman (3-3, 2.57 ERA) on
the mound. The Medford, NY native has made seven starts for a total of 49.0
innings pitched. He has surrendered 39 hits (.223 opponents’ batting average)
and 14 walks with 72 strikeouts.
The Tigers will counter with junior righthander Kevin Brady (1-2, 2.94 ERA) on
Friday. The Gaithersburg, MD native has made seven starts for a total of 33.2
innings pitched. He has allowed 30 hits (.244 opponents’ batting average) and
15 walks with 37 strikeouts.
In game-two, the Blue Devils will send out freshman lefthander Trent Swart (3-3,
2.25 ERA) on the mound. The Carlsbad, CA native has made seven starts for a
total of 40.0 innings pitched. He has given up 31 hits (.220 opponents’ batting
average), no homers, and 19 walks with 41 strikeouts.
Clemson will counter with junior righty Dominic Leone (4-2, 5.08 ERA) on
Saturday. The Norwich, CT native has made seven starts for a total of 33.2
innings pitched. He has given up 28 hits (.246 opponents’ batting average) and
20 walks with 25 strikeouts.
In game-three, Duke will start sophomore righty Robert Huber (3-3, 4.11 ERA) on
the mound. The Plano, TX native has made seven starts for a total of 35.0
innings pitched. He has yielded 41 hits (.297 opponents’ batting average) and
22 walks with 24 strikeouts.
The Tigers will counter with sophomore righty Kevin Pohle (3-1, 1.82 ERA) on
Sunday. The Saint Louis, MO native has made five starts and two relief
appearances for a total of 34.2 innings pitched. He has given up 35 hits (.267
opponents’ batting average) and 13 walks with 23 strikeouts.
The Blue Devils
Duke, led by seventh-year Head Coach Sean McNally, enters the series against
Clemson with a 13-17 overall record and 5-7 ACC mark after defeating Campbell 9-7
on the road on Tuesday. The Blue Devils, who are 6-10 at home, are also coming
off one win in three games at Georgia Tech last weekend.
Duke is averaging 4.7 runs per game and hitting .270 with a .363 slugging
percentage and .361 on-base percentage thanks to 125 walks and 26 hit-by-pitches
against 194 strikeouts. The team has also totaled 47 doubles, 12 triples, eight
home runs, and 35 stolen bases in 52 attempts.
Grant McCabe leads the team with a .337 batting average along with 17 RBIs and
four steals. Andy Perez is batting .318 with eight doubles, while Will
Piwnica-Worms is hitting .298 with three homers, seven doubles, three triples,
21 RBIs, and four steals. Mike Rosenfeld has added a team-high five stolen
bases as well.
The pitching staff has a 3.95 ERA and .267 opponents’ batting average along with
249 strikeouts against 127 walks in 264.0 innings pitched. Senior righthander
David Putman has four of the team’s eight saves along with a 2.57 ERA in 21.0
innings pitched over 16 appearances (one start). Duke, who has allowed 31
steals in 49 attempts, is fielding at a .973 clip as well.
The Tigers
Clemson enters the series at Duke with a 15-14 overall record and 5-7 ACC mark
after splitting a pair of midweek home games. The Tigers defeated Winthrop 11-0
on Tuesday before falling to Western Carolina 13-8 on Wednesday. The Tigers, who
are 1-5 on opponents’ home fields, are also coming off two wins in three games
over #7 Miami (FL) at home last weekend.
The Tigers are averaging 5.4 runs per game and hitting .273 with a .388 slugging
percentage and .365 on-base percentage thanks to 123 walks and 28 hit-by-pitches
against 173 strikeouts. Clemson has also totaled 43 doubles, five triples, 20
homers, and 28 stolen bases in 37 attempts.
Steve Wilkerson leads the team with a .386 batting average and is riding a
17-game hitting streak, the longest by a Tiger in 2012. Richie Shaffer, the
lone Tiger from the state of North Carolina, is batting .343 with seven homers,
11 doubles, one triple, 28 RBIs, and a .485 on-base percentage. Phil Pohl is
hitting .315 with five homers and a team-high 30 RBIs as well.
The pitching staff has a 3.53 ERA and .267 opponents’ batting average in 260.0
innings pitched. The staff has allowed 105 walks against 232 strikeouts, good
for a 2.21 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Sophomore righthander Matt Campbell has a
team-high two saves along with a 2.14 ERA in 21.0 innings pitched over 11 relief
appearances. The Tigers are fielding at a .965 clip as well.
Campbell Keeping Tigers Close
Sophomore righthander Matt Campbell (Alpharetta, GA) has been one of Clemson’s
top relievers in 2012. After a solid freshman season in 2011, when he had a 3.09
ERA and .154 opponents’ batting average, he has been equally effective as a
sophomore.
Campbell is 1-2 with a 2.14 ERA and .211 opponents’ batting average in 21.0
innings pitched over 11 relief appearances this season. He also has 22
strikeouts against only seven walks. In one of his best career outings against
#7 Miami (FL) on March 30, he pitched 4.0 stellar innings. He gave up just one
hit (a single), no runs, and no walks with seven strikeouts in Clemson’s 3-1 win
over the Hurricanes.
|