Clemson Baseball: Initial weekend rotation announced

On Thursday afternoon Clemson Baseball announced their starting rotation for the opening series of the Erik Bakich era, opting to go with the trio of Ryan Ammons on Friday, Austin Gordon on Saturday and Jay Dill on Sunday.

Those three will square off against the Binghamton Bearcats at Doug Kingsmore Stadium with first pitches scheduled for 4 p.m. on Friday, 2 p.m. on Saturday and noon on Sunday, weather permitting.

The program also announced that Ammons, Riley Bertram, Jackson Lindley and Blake Wright were voted co-captains by the team.

Benjamin Blackwell, Chad Fairey and Mac Starbuck were voted to the leadership council and Tristan Bissetta, Jacob Jarrell and Rocco Reid were voted rising leaders.

Ammons, a junior from Easley, has ascended to Friday starter after being the closer in 2022.

In 31.2 innings pitched over 34 relief appearances and three seasons, Ammons had a 1-2 record, eight saves, a 4.55 ERA and was touted as the No. 119 starting pitcher in the nation in the preseason by D1Baseball.

Gordon, a 6’4, 200-pound sophomore from Myrtle Beach, pitched little early last season, but blossomed late, finishing with a 1-0 record, 2 saves and a 5.14 ERA over 17 appearances.

Dill is a 6’5, 250-pound sophomore from Dayton, Tennessee who flashed multiple times during the 2022 season,  finishing with a 2-2 record, one save and a 5.45 ERA in 28 appearances (one start) striking out 41 in 38 innings pitched.

Clemson Baseball opens the 2023 campaign by taking on American East Conference Champion Binghamton Friday

Binghamton is led by 31st-year Head Coach Tim Sinicki, who was a player at Western Carolina under Jack Leggett in 1987 and 1988.

Despite a 22-30 record in 2022 the Bearcats won the American East Conference Tournament and participated in the Stanford Regional, going 2 and barbeque.

Clemson, coming of a 35-23 record in Monte Lee’s final campaign, was picked to finish fifth in the ACC Atlantic Division in a vote by the 14 ACC head coaches in the preseason.

The current weather for Clemson shows a high of 64 tomorrow with an 80% chance of rain.