
Clemson falls in latest polls after tough losses to ACC rival Florida State
Clemson falls in latest polls after tough losses to ACC rival Florida State
For the second straight weekend, Clemson baseball couldn't finish off an ACC series win—and it's starting to show in the rankings.
After falling in two of three games at No. 5 Florida State, the Tigers dropped six spots to No. 9 in the D1Baseball Top 25. They also slipped to No. 12 in Baseball America's rankings and No. 10 in Perfect Game's latest update.
The Tigers looked poised to take the opener in Tallahassee, holding a 4-2 lead with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. But the Seminoles rallied twice—once to force extras and again in the tenth to tie—before walking it off in the 11th. Clemson bounced back with a 6-3 win in game two behind late offense and strong bullpen work from Chance Fitzgerald and Reed Garris. But Sunday's finale quickly got away from them as FSU exploded for 20 runs on 21 hits in an eight-inning mercy-rule win.
Baseball America called Friday's loss 'particularly hard to swallow,' noting how close Clemson came to stealing the opener. The Tigers briefly cut into a 10-0 hole on Sunday, but couldn't keep pace with one of the nation's hottest lineups.
Florida State's performance vaulted them five spots to No. 2 in the D1Baseball rankings. Meanwhile, Clemson has now lost back-to-back ACC series for the first time under Erik Bakich and just the second time since he took over in 2023. Last weekend, the Tigers were swept by NC State in Raleigh. The Wolfpack also fell in the rankings, down three spots to No. 16 after a midweek loss to UNC-Wilmington and two weekend losses at Miami. Their series finale was washed out.
The road doesn't get any easier for Clemson. They'll face another top-10 opponent Tuesday when they travel to Coastal Carolina, currently ranked as high as No. 8 (6 p.m., ESPN+).
Statistically, Clemson's offensive production has cooled. They rank 12th in the ACC in slugging percentage (.445) and 14th in batting average (.273), while sitting eighth in total runs (341). On the pitching side, the Tigers are ninth in ERA (5.02), sixth in opponent batting average (.245), and third in total strikeouts (448).
Individually, Dominic Listi is still second in the league in on-base percentage at .511. Josh Paino (2nd, 63 strikeouts) and Jacob Jarrell (9th, 48) both rank among the top 10 in punchouts. On the mound, Aidan Knaak is second in the conference with 80 strikeouts, while closer Lucas Mahlstedt leads the ACC with 15 saves. B.J. Bailey also ranks in the top 10 for fewest runs (7th), earned runs (9th), and walks allowed (10th).
Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Auburn football flips 2027 in-state safety from Florida State
Auburn football flips 2027 in-state safety from Florida State Scott is the Tigers' first 2027 commit after changing course from his Florida State pledge. On Monday, the Auburn Tigers got a boost for their 2027 recruiting class when safety Jaylen Scott flipped his commitment to Auburn from Florida State. Scott had originally committed to the Seminoles on Jan. 18 after he had attended Junior Day. He is currently rated as a four-star by 247Sports, who ranks Scott as the No. 9 safety and the No. 5 player in Alabama in the class. Scott plays at Williamson High School out of Mobile, Alabama. The Williamson Lions won 10 games in 2024 but were defeated, 31-6, by Clay Central in the second round of the 5A AHSAA Playoffs. Scott had 107 tackles last season, averaging almost nine per game. He also had four interceptions and one fumble recovery during his sophomore season. Scott also contributed on the offensive side of the ball by catching five passes for 100 yards and one touchdown. Scott is currently the only commit the Tigers have for 2027. The 2026 class, which sits at No 35 nationally, added its eight commitment on Monday in three-star athlete Eric Perry. That class has one safety commit in three-star Wayne Henry. The Tigers currently have a young group at the safety position, but by 2027 Auburn should be looking for some help in the secondary. For the 2025 class, Auburn added four-star recruits Eric Winters and Anquon Fegans. Both players are in-state prospects like Scott. They also added Taye Seymore from Georgia Tech. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Phillip on Twitter @PJordanSEC


USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
True freshmen shine as LSU baseball heads to College World Series
True freshmen shine as LSU baseball heads to College World Series True freshmen playing meaningful baseball in the SEC is a rarity with the talent level among all teams, but LSU baseball head coach Jay Johnson takes a different approach it's paying off. Nobody in our league plays freshmen," Johnson said. "They just don't. We do, and they play pretty darn good baseball." In both rounds of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, the youngsters gave LSU a boost. Derek Curiel remained a fixture near the top of the lineup while pitchers Casan Evans and Cooper Williams made high-leverage appearances. Curiel finished the West Virginia series with five RBI, four hits, including a home run, and three walks. Evans earned the win in relief during the regional championship game by throwing six innings of one run ball with 12 strikeouts. Williams pitched 3.2 scoreless innings in relief after the Tigers fell behind Little Rock. Johnson will continue to rely on the freshmen to move his team through the College World Series and beyond as he continues building the LSU program. "They just need to be themselves," Johnson said. "I'm proud of them for contributing on a team this good. To contribute as much as that has is awesome and they're the foundation of this thing moving forward." LSU will play begin its College World Series journey when the Tigers meet Arkansas at 5 p.m. CT on Saturday.


USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Chiefs 2026 NFL draft summer scouting: ACC offensive linemen
Chiefs 2026 NFL draft summer scouting: ACC offensive linemen SMU OT PJ Williams is an underrated 2026 Draft Prospect. Easy R3 grade for me + 6'5/317 with a 7'0' wingspan + Top-70 Recruit (#8 OT) in 2022 + Averaged 13 and 7 in HS🏀 + Just 21 y/o on Draft Day + 450+ Snaps at LT and RT + Relentless hand fighter + Athletic mover in space — Clay Fink (@clay_fink) May 7, 2025 In the past two NFL drafts, the Kansas City Chiefs invested significant resources into their offensive line. General manager Brett Veach may use more picks on linemen in 2026 if the team fails to find a long-term solution at left guard or parts ways with Jawaan Taylor to save money. Fortunately, the upcoming class features a deep pool of offensive linemen in the ACC. The Clemson Tigers boast a trio of prospects, including right tackle Blake Miller, left tackle Tristan Leigh and guard Collin Sadler. Miller needs to add functional mass but uses his foot speed and range to provide a consistent wall in pass protection. Leigh checks all the size boxes for an offensive tackle, offering good length and a sturdy anchor. Unfortunately, he suffers from balance concerns that lead to quick pressures for the defense. The Pittsburgh Panthers have two guard prospects. BJ Williams is a long-limbed right guard with nice flexibility and a stout anchor. His teammate, right tackle Ryan Baer, is even more impressive. Baer will kick inside to guard in the NFL. His heavy hands channel excellent power, and his core and leg strength uproot and displace defenders in the run game. SMU Mustangs right tackle PJ Williams and left guard Logan Parr are excellent pass protectors. Williams needs to refine his strike timing and hand placement, but he's a superb athlete with great agility and impressive movement skills in the run game. While rough around the edges, Williams' traits make him worth a top 40 selection. Boston College left tackle Jude Bowry and Miami Hurricanes right tackle Francis Mauigoa both enter 2025 with first round aspirations. Bowry struggled late in 2024 after an excellent first half of the year. Mauigoa is an impressive mover with nice power but might kick inside to guard because of some physical limitations. The ACC's top remaining offensive linemen include guards McKale Boley and Keylan Rutledge and right tackle Fa'alili Fa'amoe. All three project as NFL guards. Boley is an explosive and natural athlete with shades of Marcus Mbow in his play, while Rutledge is less athletic but more powerful, especially in the run game.