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If there were any questions about Clemson’s pitching depth heading into the season, they did not last long.
Across three games against Army, the Tigers’ arms completely controlled the series. Clemson surrendered just two total runs all weekend, and only one of them was earned. After Friday’s 3-2 opener, Army never found the scoreboard again.
Saturday is what made the weekend stand out historically. Clemson blanked the Black Knights in both ends of a doubleheader, marking the first time in 25 years the program has posted two shutouts in the same twin bill. That kind of dominance does not happen often, especially against a team Erik Bakich believes will be playing postseason baseball again.
“Testament to our pitching staff,” Bakich said. “It’s been an awesome weekend. It is hard to sweep a doubleheader, not just sweep a team, but to get back-to-back shutouts in a doubleheader. It hasn’t happened since 2001. Just to show you how rare it is. Especially against a good team, a regional team. They will be in the postseason again this year, I know it.”
What stood out just as much as the shutouts was how Clemson went about getting them. Strike after strike. Pitchers consistently worked ahead in counts, forced weak contact, and rarely gave Army a chance to build any momentum.
“We are extremely pleased. An extremely high strike percentage this weekend. This is year four for our staff now, and that is probably the highest strike percentage for a weekend that we’ve had. The results were reflective of that. Good things happen when you pound the zone.”
Clemson also showed early that it does not need to lean on one or two arms to survive. When Aidan Knaak exited after three innings in his first start, others immediately filled the void and kept the game under control.
Freshman Dylan Harrison was handed a high-leverage opportunity in relief on Opening Day and responded by giving Clemson extended, steady innings while allowing just one run. On Saturday, Michael Sharman took the ball for his first start in a Clemson uniform and was in command from the start, striking out eight and working six shutout innings in a 10-0 run-rule win.
Through one weekend, Clemson’s staff already looks versatile, confident, and deep. It may be early, but performances like this suggest the Tigers have the type of pitching foundation that can quietly shape an entire season.
Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.
This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson HC Erik Bakich on the Tigers’ historic pitching against Army
Continue reading...
Across three games against Army, the Tigers’ arms completely controlled the series. Clemson surrendered just two total runs all weekend, and only one of them was earned. After Friday’s 3-2 opener, Army never found the scoreboard again.
Saturday is what made the weekend stand out historically. Clemson blanked the Black Knights in both ends of a doubleheader, marking the first time in 25 years the program has posted two shutouts in the same twin bill. That kind of dominance does not happen often, especially against a team Erik Bakich believes will be playing postseason baseball again.
“Testament to our pitching staff,” Bakich said. “It’s been an awesome weekend. It is hard to sweep a doubleheader, not just sweep a team, but to get back-to-back shutouts in a doubleheader. It hasn’t happened since 2001. Just to show you how rare it is. Especially against a good team, a regional team. They will be in the postseason again this year, I know it.”
What stood out just as much as the shutouts was how Clemson went about getting them. Strike after strike. Pitchers consistently worked ahead in counts, forced weak contact, and rarely gave Army a chance to build any momentum.
“We are extremely pleased. An extremely high strike percentage this weekend. This is year four for our staff now, and that is probably the highest strike percentage for a weekend that we’ve had. The results were reflective of that. Good things happen when you pound the zone.”
Clemson also showed early that it does not need to lean on one or two arms to survive. When Aidan Knaak exited after three innings in his first start, others immediately filled the void and kept the game under control.
Freshman Dylan Harrison was handed a high-leverage opportunity in relief on Opening Day and responded by giving Clemson extended, steady innings while allowing just one run. On Saturday, Michael Sharman took the ball for his first start in a Clemson uniform and was in command from the start, striking out eight and working six shutout innings in a 10-0 run-rule win.
Through one weekend, Clemson’s staff already looks versatile, confident, and deep. It may be early, but performances like this suggest the Tigers have the type of pitching foundation that can quietly shape an entire season.
Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.
This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson HC Erik Bakich on the Tigers’ historic pitching against Army
Continue reading...
