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Why Clemson baseball will – and won't – beat Florida, reach College World Series
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- Why Clemson baseball will – and won't – beat Florida, reach College World Series
CLEMSON — Clemson baseball can make its first trip to the College World Series since 2010 this weekend if it takes down Florida.
The No. 6 overall seed Tigers (44-14) will host the Gators (32-28) in a best-of-three series starting Saturday (2 p.m. ET, ESPN) at Doug Kingsmore Stadium .
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This will be the first time these schools face each other since 1983.
Here's why Clemson baseball can — and can't — win its NCAA super regional:
Clemson baseball flourishes in late-game situations
Each regional game for the Tigers were closely contested in the final innings. Yet, they never panicked and leaned into the experience they gained all season.
Clemson is 11-4 in one-run games, gaining two more wins this past weekend vs. High Point and Coastal Carolina . The Tigers' have 25 comeback wins this season too, leaning on their high-octane offense to produce critical runs. It has become their superpower to dig themselves out of a hole and have crucial plate appearances.
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During the Clemson Regional, Tristan Bissetta hit a walk-off RBI single Friday, Cam Cannarella hit a go-ahead RBI sacrifice fly in the ninth inning Saturday and Cannarella belted a solo home run in the eighth Sunday that ignited a six-run inning. It is the Tigers' expectation to make timely hits to win games regardless of the stakes.
"They've been able to center themselves so many times," Clemson coach Erik Bakich said Sunday. "It's the reason why we've been able to come back from so many deficits. They understand mental toughness is being able to get back to the middle."
Florida baseball's offense is filled with dangerous hitters
The Gators' pitching shined in the regional finals against Oklahoma State, but their strength is their offense. Led by pitcher/first baseman Jac Caglianone, who is projected to be taken in the top 10 of the MLB draft and arguably the best two-way player in the country, they have hit 125 home runs, the sixth most in the nation.
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Florida has seven players who have hit double-digit home runs, and the Gators hit nine over five games in the Stillwater Regional. Caglianone has hit 31 home runs this year and infielder Colby Shelton has crushed 20.
Clemson allowed four home runs and held opponents to an average of 3.7 runs over three games in its regional. The Tigers' pitching staff must do it again this weekend.
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Clemson has thrived at Doug Kingsmore Stadium this season
Bakich challenged Tiger fans to come out and support Clemson in the regionals, and they exceeded his expectations with attendance cracking over 6,000 for each game. Each game, fans galvanized the Tigers from the stands to become the 10th man the second-year Clemson coach wanted to see.
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"The electricity at DKS this weekend was on another level," Bakich said Sunday. "The place was rocking. It was the best atmosphere I've ever seen."
Clemson has been excellent at home this season with a 30-6 record. After going 1-2 at home last season in the NCAA tournament, it went 3-0 in the regionals this year.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Why Clemson baseball will beat Florida, reach College World Series
