Tigers Host Gators In Clemson Super Regional

CLEMSON, S.C. - The Tigers host the Clemson Super Regional against Florida, beginning Saturday afternoon at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

SUPER REGIONAL SETUP

• Who - Florida (32-28) vs. Clemson (44-14)

• Best Ranking - FLA - No. 13 NCBWA; CU - No. 3 D1Baseball

• When - Saturday (2 p.m.), Sunday (2:30 p.m.), Monday (TBA)

• Where - Clemson, S.C. (Doug Kingsmore Stadium)

• Watch - ESPN (Saturday, Sunday), TBA (Monday)

SERIES HISTORY
• Overall Record - Florida leads 18-12 (1928-83)

• Record at Clemson - 1-1 (1930)

• Record in NCAA Tournament - Clemson leads 2-1 (1958)

STARTING PITCHERS
• Saturday - RHP Liam Peterson (FLA) vs. LHP Tristan Smith (CU)

• Sunday - RHP Aidan Knaak (CU) vs. LHP Jac Caglianone (FLA)

• Monday - TBA (FLA) vs. TBA (CU)

CLEMSON OVERVIEW
• Clemson, which has a 30-6 home record, won the Clemson Regional with a 3-0 record last weekend.

• The Tigers are averaging 8.1 runs per game and hitting .299 with a .512 slugging percentage, .401 on-base percentage and 58 steals.

• The pitching staff has a 4.45 ERA, .244 opponents’ batting average and 2.42 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and Clemson is fielding .968.

FLORIDA OVERVIEW
• Florida, which has an 11-13 road record and is averaging 6.9 runs per game, is led by 17th-year Head Coach Kevin O'Sullivan.

• The Gators won the Stillwater Regional with a 4-1 record. They are hitting .273 and have a 6.13 ERA and .981 fielding percentage.

• Jac Caglianone is hitting .410 with 31 homers, 63 RBIs and 75 runs, while Brandon Neely and Fisher Jameson have three saves apiece.

CLEMSON SUPER REGIONAL NOTES
• The Tigers (44-14) play Florida (32-28) in the Clemson Super Regional in the best-of-three series starting Saturday at 2 p.m. on ESPN.

• The Tigers are the designated home team on Saturday.

• The two teams play the second game on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN.

• The Tigers are the designated visiting team on Sunday.

• If necessary, the two teams play a third game on Monday to determine the Clemson Super Regional champion.

• The Tigers are the designated home team on Monday.

• The Tigers occupy the first-base dugout for all their games in the Clemson Super Regional.

• Clemson is the No. 6 national seed, its second top-eight national seed in a row and sixth overall (2000,02,06,16,23,24).

• The winner of the Clemson Super Regional advances to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. from June 14-24.

• Clemson is 12-18 against Florida, with the last meeting in 1983. The series is tied 1-1 at Clemson, with both meetings in 1930.

• A total of 25 of the 30 meetings have been played at Florida.

• Clemson is 2-1 in the NCAA Tournament against Florida, as all three games were in the 1958 NCAA Tournament at Gastonia, N.C.

• The Tigers lost its opener in Gastonia to Florida 8-6, then defeated George Washington and Florida State.

• Clemson then defeated Florida 15-14 and 3-1 to advance to the College World Series for the first time.

• Florida Head Coach Kevin O'Sullivan was the pitching coach at Clemson from 1999-07.

• Clemson advanced to seven super regionals and three College World Series from 1999-07.

• Florida Assistant Coach David Kopp was a pitcher at Clemson from 2005-07, when he was 16-8 with a 4.18 ERA in 228.1 innings pitched.

• Clemson advanced to three super regionals and one College World Series (2006) from 2005-07.

HOSTING SUPER REGIONAL FOR FIFTH TIME
• Clemson is hosting an NCAA super regional for the fifth time in history in 2024.

• Clemson last hosted a super regional in 2010.

• Clemson advanced to the College World Series in all four previous years (2000,02,06,10) that it hosted a super regional.

CLEMSON’S NCAA TOURNEY HISTORY
• The Tigers are playing in their 46th all-time NCAA Tournament.

• The 46 appearances are fifth most in NCAA history, trailing only Texas (63), Florida State (60), Miami (Fla.) (49) and Oklahoma State (49).

• Clemson is making its 10th super regional appearance, with its last in 2010 when it hosted the Clemson Super Regional against Alabama.

• In the first 12 years (1999-2010) of the super-regional format, Clemson played in a super regional nine times.

• The Tigers have made 12 trips to the College World Series, with their last in 2010 when they defeated Alabama in the Clemson Super Regional.

• Clemson’s 12 College World Series trips are tied for 12th most in the nation.

• Clemson has a 125-97 record (.563) in NCAA Tournament games.

QUICK HITS
• Of Clemson's 58 games in the 2024 season, 22 have been against teams in the 2024 NCAA Tournament (14-8 record).

• Clemson has scored double-digit runs 20 times (19-1 record), while the Tigers are 5-4 when their opponent scores double-digit runs.

• Clemson's bullpen has a 31-7 record, 16 saves, a 4.64 ERA, .213 opponents' batting average and 273 strikeouts in 259.2 innings pitched.

CLEMSON REGIONAL RECAP
• The Tigers won the Clemson Regional title with a 3-0 record, a victory over High Point (4-3) and two wins over Coastal Carolina (4-3, 12-5).

• It was Clemson's first regional championship since 2010.

• Clemson outscored the opposition 20-11 in the three games.

• Clemson hit .315 with seven doubles, two homers, a .435 slugging percentage, .412 on-base percentage and a steal.

• The pitching staff had a 3.00 ERA, .237 opponents’ batting average and 30 strikeouts against four walks in 27.0 innings pitched.

• Clemson committed only three errors, good for a .973 fielding percentage.

• The 34,344 fans set a Clemson Regional attendance record despite playing only six games.

• Jacob Hinderleider was named Clemson Regional MVP and All-Tournament by going 9-for-15 (.600) with two doubles, three RBIs and three runs.

• Tristan Bissetta earned All-Tournament accolades by going 3-for-11 (.273) with two doubles, an RBI and two runs.

• Cam Cannarella earned All-Tournament honors by going 4-for-11 (.364) with a homer, five RBIs, two runs and a .438 on-base percentage.

• Jack Crighton earned All-Tournament honors by going 6-for-13 (.462) with an RBI and two runs.

• Tristan Smith earned All-Tournament honors by allowing just one earned one and no walks with nine strikeouts in 5.1 innings pitched.

PURIFY POISED AS A FRESHMAN
• Freshman Jarren Purify has been the predominant second baseman during the 2024 season.

• He is hitting .253 with three homers, seven doubles, 28 RBIs, 29 runs, a .342 on-base percentage and 11 steals in 52 games (45 starts).

• He is tied for the team lead in steals.

• He leads the team in sacrifice bunts (8).

• He is hitting .303 with runners on base and .326 with runners in scoring position.

• He is 4-for-7 (.571) with a grand slam and 12 RBIs with the bases loaded.

• He has a .947 fielding percentage, committing only nine errors in 169 chances.