Clemson Baseball Review: Dallas Baptist Vs. Clemson

Friday: Clemson 12 - Dallas Baptist 1

Those who doubted Jacob Hennessy could be the Friday night starter(raising hand) after just one start, got a taste of what Monte Lee saw during the offseason. Hennessy pitched a career high 6 ¹⁄₃ innings giving up 3 hits, walking 2, and striking out a career high 8 batters while allowing no earned runs.

The Tigers offense started early and didn’t quit until they built a 12-0 advantage. 1B Chris William had a 4-4 night, Patrick Cromwell scored 4 runs, and Robert Jolley continued his love fest with the left field foul line. The great news from this game wasn’t just Hennessy’s pitching performance, but the offense’s explosion without Seth Beer (1-5, 2K) helped show the depth of the Tiger’s offense.

Saturday DH Game #1: Clemson 9 - Dallas Baptist 1

Welcome to the Drew Wharton Show! The senior who had not hit a single home run in his first 78 Career games picked up his first career jack Friday night, and has now hit 3 in the last two games, including 2 three run bombs in his first two at-bats in Saturdays first game. Speaking of first home runs, freshman Bryce Teodosio continued his great first week, picking up his first career homer.

Brooks Crawford had to push through the first inning, but after getting some early run support he began to pound the strike zone. Crawford finished with 5 shutout innings, giving up 3 hits, walking none, and striking out 5. Continuing with the freshman theme, top freshman pitcher Spencer Strider gave up the one run, but closed the door with the always unusual 3 inning save.

Saturday DH Game #2: Clemson 3 - Dallas Baptist 2

Dallas Baptist is too good to blow out all weekend, so naturally game three was a tight contest. The offense started it off early when Logan Davidson singled to lead off the game, and then was followed by a weekly Seth Beer moonshot. Jake Higginbotham was at it again throwing 7 innings with 1 unearned run, no walks, and 7 strikeouts.

Chris Williams had a sac fly in the 8th that put the Tigers up 3-1, and that ended up being the difference. Ryley Gilliam pitched the 8th and the 9th for the save, but not before making it interesting loading the bases with one out in the 9th, eventually walking a run in, before getting a fly out, and strikeout to finish the game.

Series Thoughts

The Tigers looked like a +50 win ball club, outscoring the Patriots 24-4 over the weekend, and never trailing the whole series. Everything that could go right, did. This may have been one the best weekends for Tiger baseball in a while. Still a long way to go, and there are still some question marks, but with some freshman already stepping up and the starting pitching on a roll, the season has a much better outlook than it did just one week ago. The Tigers host Winthrop on Tuesday at 4pm, and then a weekend series with the school from Live PD’s favorite county Richland County.