Baseball Series Preview: Notre Dame at Clemson

The Clemson baseball team will get its first taste of conference play this weekend as it hosts the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Notre Dame, coached by Mr. Mik Aoki, come in with a 3-8 record on the season (but don’t let the baseball team’s lack of success distract you from the fact that Notre Dame football went 4-8 this past season). The Irish have played all of their games either on the road or at neutral venues this season, and are coming off a 4 game stint in Cary, NC, where they 2-2 in the USA baseball-Irish Classic. Notre Dame is now playing their 4th season as a member of the ACC. The Clemson Notre Dame series is tied at 5-5. Last season, Clemson swept the Irish in South Bend. The first time these programs ever squared off was in the 1994 NCAA Tournament East Regional in Clemson, where Notre Dame would upset the Tigers 8-1 in their second game. Notre Dame would go on to defeat the Citadel to advance to the regional finals, but was then eliminated by Auburn 8-0.

Sophomore outfielder Matt Vierling leads the team in RBI’s with 12 on the year. The St. Louis native is batting .326 on the year. Vierling is also a right handed pitcher for the Irish, and has pitched 2.0 innings in 3 apperances, boasting a 0.00 ERA and earning 1 save. Vierling is also tied with freshman first baseman Daniel Jung and Senior infielder Kyle Fiala for first on the team in home runs with 2. Notre Dame doesn’t seem to be too much of a power hitting squad, because those combined 6 home runs are the only ones the team has hit all year.

Friday night, Notre Dame will be sending righty Brandon Bielak to the moud to face Clemson’s Charlie Barnes. Bielak is a junior from Sayreville, NJ. He’s started 3 games for the Irish and has an 0-2 record with a 6.39 ERA. After a tremendous effort from Barnes in last Friday’s 2-0 loss to South Carolina, he’ll come in at 0-1 looking to get his first win of the year. The lefty has a team best .92 ERA. First pitch for Friday’s game will be at 6:30 PM. The game can be streamed on ACC Network Extra.

Saturday, junior Peter Solomon will get the nod for the Irish. Solomon is a right handed pitcher from Elliot City, MD with a 1-1 record in 3 starts, and a 4.15 ERA. He’ll be facing Clemson Saturday starter Pat Krall. Krall sits at a 2-0 record in 3 starts and has a 4.32 ERA. Saturday’s first pitch is set for 4:00 and will also be available on ACC Network Extra.

The Sunday series finale will feature Notre Dame’s Brad Bass facing Clemson’s Alex Eubanks. Bass, a junior righty from New Lenox, IL, comes into the game with a 1-1 record on 3 appearances, including 2 starts. Bass has a 4.80 ERA. Eubanks is 1-1 in 3 starts with a 4.15 ERA. The game will begin at 1:00 PM, and also will be available through ACC Network Extra.