Baseball Series Preview: Clemson at Boston College

In what is Clemson’s first ACC road trip of the season, the Tigers will be playing the Boston College Eagles, but it won’t be in the friendly confines of Eddie Pellagrini Diamond at John Shea Field in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Due to field conditions, the game is moved Bill Beck Field in Kingston, Rhode Island, home of the University of Rhode Island Rams. Beck Field holds the same capacity of 1,000 fans as Shea Field does, and is only an hour and 52 minute drive away via I-95. The Eagles come in with a 7-11 overall record and sit dead last in the ACC Atlantic with a 1-5 conference record.

Friday night, BC will send right hander Jacob Stevens to the mound to face Charlie Barnes. Stevens brings in a 2-1 record and a 1.99 ERA into the contest. Barnes has had a phenomenal season on the mound with a 1.05 ERA and a team leading 38 strike outs, but due to a baffling lack of run support from the Tiger offense on Friday Nights, Barnes only comes in with a 1-2 record on 5 starts. Hopefully a cool night in Kingston (Friday high of 45!) will help the Tigers bats heat up for Charlie. Friday’s first pitch is 1 PM and is only available via audio by streaming through ClemsonTigers.com or listening through local radio (check the Clemson Tiger Sports Network for your local station, or if you happen to be in the Boston area, WZBC AM will have the game). There will be no video streaming for this series.

Saturday, the Eagles will start sophomore lefty Dan Metzdorf and Clemson righty Alex Eubanks. Metzdorf enters 1-3 record and a 4.00 ERA on the year. Eubanks will bring his 3-1 record and 2.87 ERA into the game. Saturday’s firsst pitch is also at 1 PM, and once again will be available for audio streaming and on the radio vis CTSN. In the Boston area, 102.9 FM and 1120 AM will have the game.

Sunday, Clemson will bring in Pat Krall to face BC’s Brian Rapp. Rapp has made 4 appearances on the year, but this will be only the second start for right handed junior from Connecticut. Rapp has 0-0 record and a 3.18 ERA on the year. Krall comes in with a 3-0 record and a 4.18 ERA on the season. First pitch is at 11:30 AM (may want to go to the early church service), and will have audio streaming online again and be on the CTSN. No word on any Boston radio stations carrying this game.

Boston College is coached by Mike Gambino, a 1999 BC graduate. Gambino is in his 7th season as the head man in Chestnut Hill. The Eagles are led offensively by sophomore catcher Gian Martellini. Martellini leads the Eagles in hits with 18 and brings in a .281 batting average.

Around the ACC

Clemson currently sits at second in the ACC Atlantic with a 5-1 record, behind the Louisville Cardinals, who are ranked #1 in Baseball America’s latest top 25 poll. Louisville sits at 6-0 in the ACC, but suffered their first loss of the season this week in a 3-6 midweek loss at Cincinnati. The Cardinals will be heading to Raleigh, NC to take on the NC State Wolfpack. The Pack currently sit at 3-3 in the conference and are tied with Florida State for 4th in the Atlantic. Florida State will head up to South Bend, IN to tangle with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who currently sit at 6th in the Atlantic. The 3rd team, Wake Forest, sit a game behind Clemson at 4-2, and will host Georgia Tech this weekend. The Jackets sit at 2-4 in the conference, and are tied for 5th in the Coastal. The Coastal is led by the UNC Tar Heels with a 4-2 ACC record. The Heels host Miami in a 3 game series in Chapel Hill.