South Carolina vs. Clemson Preview – Gamecocks Face Their Toughest Challenge Yet

The South Carolina Gamecocks are gearing up for their toughest challenge of the season as they prepare to face the No. 13 ranked Clemson Tigers this Friday. The Gamecocks are undefeated, holding a perfect 9-0 record, but they’ll face their biggest test yet in this highly anticipated in-state rivalry matchup.

SCOUTING CLEMSON

The Clemson Tigers are coming into this game on a five-game winning streak, sitting at 7-1 after a dominant 20-7 victory over Winthrop on Tuesday night. In that game, Jacob Jarrell and Josh Paino each drove in four runs, leading the offense. Clemson kicked off their season at the Shriners Children’s College Showdown in Arlington, Texas, where they secured wins over Oklahoma State and Arizona.

The Tigers are batting .312 as a team, with Dominic Listi leading the charge with an impressive .462 average and 13 RBIs across eight games. On the mound, Aidan Knaak, who is scheduled to start Friday, has recorded 15 strikeouts in nine innings. Additionally, Lucas Mahlstedt has two saves and six strikeouts in 4.2 innings of work.

Clemson’s head coach, Erik Bakich, is in his third season at the helm. He led the Tigers to a Super Regional appearance last year and also coached Michigan to a College World Series runner-up finish in 2019.

SERIES HISTORY VS. CLEMSON

Heading into this weekend, Clemson holds a 188-145-2 advantage in the all-time series against South Carolina. The two teams only played twice in 2024, with both games being tightly contested one-run affairs. Clemson won both matchups, taking a 5-4 victory in 12 innings at Segra Park and then another 5-4 win at their home field. However, in 2023, South Carolina claimed two out of three games in the series, including a thrilling 11-9 victory at Fluor Field, where Carson Hornung and Cole Messina hit crucial home runs.

GAMECOCK PITCHING EXCELLENCE

South Carolina’s pitching staff has been dominant to start the 2025 season, posting a stellar 2.25 ERA and collecting 105 strikeouts in 76 innings. Eight different pitchers have recorded wins, while the Gamecocks have tallied four saves in their nine games.

Matthew Becker is off to a strong start, boasting a 2-0 record with a 1.59 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 11.1 innings. Remarkably, he has yet to issue a walk and has held opposing batters to just a .105 average. Brendan Sweeney leads the SEC with three saves, having pitched 3.1 scoreless innings while striking out four and allowing just one hit. Jake McCoy has been equally impressive, allowing only two hits in nine innings, resulting in a minuscule .067 batting average against him. McCoy has also recorded 17 strikeouts. Additionally, Brandon Stone has contributed with 6.1 solid innings, earning wins over Winthrop and Milwaukee, striking out four, and allowing only one earned run in those appearances.

As the Gamecocks prepare to face their in-state rival, all eyes will be on this highly anticipated showdown that promises to test the strength of both teams. Stay tuned for what should be an exciting matchup.