If the weather in Clemson on Thursday afternoon is any indication, baseball fans are in for a delightful NCAA regional this weekend at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. With temperatures in the mid-to-upper 70s and very little humidity, the four regional teams worked out on a day more suited for the middle of the season than the end.
Third-seeded Coastal Carolina got in its licks on the field in preparation for a high noon showdown with Vanderbilt to get the postseason rolling on Friday. Despite squarely being on the bubble heading into “Selection Monday,” the Chanticleers are a confident bunch with plenty of motivation.
“I started opening day for him (HC Gary Gilmore), and that was a major honor,” says Friday’s starting pitcher, Riley Eikhoff. “As a team, for all of us to be playing in his last regional appearance, it doesn’t add any pressure, but it’s something special that all of us will remember for the rest of our lives.”
Eikhoff will be tasked with controlling a Vanderbilt lineup that is hitting .286 with 124 doubles, which ranked second in the SEC. He’ll also be facing a team for which his retiring head coach has the utmost respect.
“Whole bunch of good arms, great athletes, insanely well coached, very disciplined,” Gilmore said Thursday in discussing Tim Corbin’s team and the influence of former Clemson head coach Jack Leggett. “I learned a whole lot from watching them play, watching them coach, and try to emulate some of the things in our program that they have done exceptionally well over their careers.”
The first ever baseball meeting between CCU and Vanderbilt is set for noon on Friday and will be televised by ESPN2.
CCU HC Gary Gilmore — NCAA Regional Press Conference
CCU SP Riley Eikhoff — NCAA Regional Press Conference
CCU 2B Blake Barthol — NCAA Regional Press Conference
CCU 3B Sam Antonacci — NCAA Regional Press Conference