There's a lot of confidence surrounding this Clemson Tigers baseball team. Since Erik Bakich left Michigan to take the head coaching job with Clemson ahead of the 2023 season, they have taken major steps forward as a program,

Paul Mainieri stood on the grass of Fluor Field in Greenville Saturday — having already lost his first Palmetto State series before every even facing Clemson at home — and sounded like a man who lost his wallet and was prepared to trek through a sewer if that’s what was needed.

The unbeaten Volunteers were the class of the Astros Foundation College Classic. Defending national champion Tennessee (11-0) swept past Oklahoma State, Rice and Arizona. Four Tennessee relievers shut down Arizona in the de facto championship game of the event over the final seven innings.