Latest news with #ErikBakich
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Clemson head coach Erik Bakich on the Tigers not being done in the transfer portal
Clemson baseball's early postseason exit was a bitter pill to swallow, but head coach Erik Bakich is already shifting focus to what comes next — and he's not wasting any time. After another disappointing finish in regional play, Bakich is using the extra time to aggressively reshape his roster through the transfer portal. The Tigers won 45 games and reached the ACC Championship, but a crushing late-inning loss to West Virginia followed by a lopsided defeat to Kentucky ended their season short of expectations. 'We are fully aware that we took a step back in the month of June,' Bakich said Tuesday on SportsTalk with Phil Kornblut. 'That is all that really matters, and we had nothing to hang our hat on for success this season… So for us, we are heads down and instead of talking about it, we are going to be about it.' Since his arrival in 2022, Bakich has made it clear the standard at Clemson is a return to Omaha. After coming close in 2024 with a Super Regional run, the 2025 season marked a step back — and Bakich is determined to fix that quickly. So far, he's added seven players through the portal, including five hitters aimed at addressing offensive inconsistency and two arms to bolster the pitching staff. One of the first portal pickups was Ariston Veasey, a hard-throwing righty from Alabama, followed by Catawba transfer Hayden Simmerson. Still, Bakich says they're far from done. 'Our coaching staff has been on a mission to find some high-impact dudes, and we are still looking,' he said. 'Trying to find one or two more pitchers… Clemson is looking, and we want an absolute dude.' Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Where Clemson finished in final 2025 USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll
The 2025 college baseball season ended Sunday afternoon with a familiar sight. An SEC team was crowned national champions for the sixth consecutive Men's College World Series. For the LSU Tigers, who defeated Coastal Carolina 5-3 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha on Sunday, it was their second championship in three years and the school's eighth overall. Advertisement LSU finished the year 53-15 overall and were ranked No. 1 in the final USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, released Monday. Coastal Carolina (56-13), which won 26 straight games entering the CWS Finals, finished No. 2. As for Clemson, their season ended three weeks earlier in the Clemson Regional of the NCAA Tournament with back-to-back losses to West Virginia and Kentucky. Erik Bakich's program finished 45-18 overall and were ranked No. 20 in Monday's Coaches Poll. Clemson ranked one spot ahead of No. 21 Duke (41-21) and one spot below No. 19 Southern Miss (47-16). For the second straight season, Clemson climbed to as high as No. 2 in the Coaches Poll during the regular season. But it was a familiar ending for the Tigers come tournament time, their season ending on the grass at Doug Kingsmore Stadium for the third straight year and the seventh time since 2011. Clemson finished No. 9 in the final coaches poll in 2024. The Tigers were ranked No. 11 in the preseason poll this year, released on Feb. 3. Advertisement Seven ACC teams placed in the final top 25, led by Louisville and coach Dan McDonnell at No. 6. The Cardinals' surprise run to Omaha included a win at the Nashville Regional against No. 1 overall seed Vanderbilt, and a Super Regional win over the Miami Hurricanes. North Carolina (46-15), which won the ACC Tournament over Clemson and entered the field of 64 ranked No. 1 in the Coaches Poll, finished No. 8. The Tar Heels fell at the Chapel Hill Super Regional to Arizona. Florida State (42-16) was ranked one spot below UNC at No. 8, giving the ACC three teams in the top 10. Two ACC teams back-ended the top 25 rankings. Miami (35-27) finished No. 24 with ACC regular season champion Georgia Tech (41-19) at No. 25. Full USA TODAY Sports Baseball Coaches Poll 2025 final rankings 1. LSU 53-15 2. Coastal Carolina 56-13 3. Arkansas 50-15 4. Oregon State 48-16 5. UCLA 48-18 6. Louisville 42-24 7. Arizona 44-21 8. North Carolina 46-15 9. Florida State 42-16 10. Tennessee 46-19 11. Murray State 44-17 12. Texas 44-14 13. Auburn 41-20 14. Vanderbilt 43-18 15. Georgia 43-17 16. Oregon 42-16 17. West Virginia 44-16 18. Ole Miss 43-21 19. Southern Miss 47-16 20. Clemson 45-18 21. Duke 41-21 22. UTSA 47-15 23. UC Irvine 43-17 24. Miami 35-27 25. Georgia Tech 41-19 Schools Dropped Out No. 18 Florida; No. 20 Alabama; No. 21 Northeastern; No. 22 Dallas Baptist; No. 23 Kansas; No. 25 TCU Advertisement Others Receiving Votes Florida 85; Alabama 73; Northeastern 55; Dallas Baptist 53; Oklahoma 28; Wake Forest 24; TCU 22; Kansas 18; Virginia 14; North Carolina State 14; East Carolina 14; Western Kentucky 12; Oklahoma State 12; Mississippi State 11; Creighton 11; USC 9; Austin Peay 4; Arizona State 4; East Tennessee State 3; Troy 2; Cincinnati 2; Little Rock 1 Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions. This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson baseball's ranking in final Coaches Poll Top 25 revealed
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Erik Bakich Makes Bold Omaha Promise After Clemson's Season-Ending Loss
Erik Bakich Makes Bold Omaha Promise After Clemson's Season-Ending Loss originally appeared on Athlon Sports. CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson's season came to a crashing halt Sunday afternoon with a 16-4 loss to Kentucky in the NCAA Regional elimination game, but head coach Erik Bakich's message after the game wasn't one of disappointment. It was one of urgency — and bold optimism. Advertisement 'This team is going back to Omaha,' Bakich said at the postgame press conference. 'Clemson baseball is going back to Omaha. It's going to happen.' It's a strong promise for a program that hasn't made it to the College World Series since 2010 — a fact Bakich didn't shy away from. If anything, he leaned into it. 'Clemson baseball hasn't been to Omaha since 2010. We know. We've got it. We're doing everything in our power to fix that,' he said. 'Falling short like this is not the standard. That's not what this program is about.' The Tigers, who finish 45-18, were overwhelmed by Kentucky's offense, giving up 11 runs across the third and fourth innings. The blowout loss capped off a brutal end to Clemson's postseason, with back-to-back lopsided defeats after a promising start to the regional. Advertisement Despite the way things ended, Bakich said this team 'overachieved' after losing a significant amount of production from last year's roster. 'There was never a question of effort, of attitude,' Bakich said. 'They found ways to flex their mental toughness and get ahead.' With the offseason now underway, Bakich made it clear Clemson will be aggressive in retooling the roster — starting with the transfer portal. 'You've gotta have good players,' he said. 'This is a place where you can get anyone to come play.' Clemson Head Coach Erik Bakich and outfielder Cam Cannarella (10) hug after the NCAA baseball Clemson Regional at Doug Kingsmore Stadium© Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Bakich and his staff conduct a weekly 'needs assessment' to evaluate the current roster and identify targets. Their top priority heading into the offseason? Arms. Advertisement 'Pitching covers up a lot,' Bakich said. 'We need more and more guys who can just shut it down … and guys that can change a game with one swing.' Players like Cam Cannarella, who extended his hitting streak to 22 games Sunday, and Dominic Listi, who set an ACC record with his 30th hit-by-pitch, gave the Tigers consistency, but not enough firepower when it mattered most. Still, Bakich believes the foundation is set — and his vision for where Clemson baseball is going couldn't be more clear. 'This is Clemson. We're going to attract the right guys,' he said. 'Now we've got to go get them. We've got work to do, and we're not backing down.' Advertisement Related: Cannarella likely done at Clemson after postseason collapse MLB draft call looms Related: Los Angeles Dodgers Get a Steal With Cam Cannarella in Mock Draft Related: Larry Fitzgerald's Son Announces Major Offer From Top College Football Program This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Clemson baseball transfer portal tracker 2025: Who's in, who's out for Erik Bakich
CLEMSON — The offseason is here for Clemson baseball despite its hopes to still be playing in the College World Series The Tigers (45-18) won their most games under coach Erik Bakich and most since 2018 to host a regional for the third straight season. However, they suffered an early elimination after losing to region No. 2 seed West Virginia and No. 3 Kentucky to fall way short of their CWS goal. Advertisement Now, Bakich looks to revamp his 2026 roster via the transfer portal as Clemson is losing key hitting and pitching contributors and looks to end its 15-year drought of not making it to Omaha. The transfer portal opened June 2 and will close July 1. Graduate transfers can enter outside of the window, and if a school's coach leaves, players on those rosters will have an additional 30-day window to enter the portal. Here's a look at who is leaving and joining Clemson baseball via the transfer portal. Who is transferring to Clemson baseball? Hayden Simmerson, RHP: Simmerson committed to Clemson on June 4. He posted a 3.36 ERA with Catawba, a Division II school, this season and led the country with 16 saves. He has two years of eligibility remaining. Advertisement Ariston Veasey, RHP: Veasey announced his commitment to Clemson on June 3. He appeared in five games with Alabama in 2025, posting a 9.82 ERA over 3⅔ innings. He has two years of eligibility remaining. Who is transferring out of Clemson baseball? Tristan Bissetta, OF: Bissetta entered the portal on June 4. He batted .227 with three home runs over 31 games in 2025 before a late-season injury. He has one year of eligibility remaining. Destination: TBA Ethan Darden, LHP: Darden entered the portal on June 2. He started in nine games this season and posted a 6.08 ERA with a 4-2 record. A triceps injury limited him to nine games. He has one year of eligibility remaining. Advertisement Destination: TBA Luke Brown, RHP: Brown made six appearances over two seasons with Clemson. He has a 21.60 ERA over 3⅓ innings. He has two years of eligibility remaining. Destination: TBA Jackson Cole, LHP: Cole redshirted in 2024 and made six appearances in 2025 with Clemson. He has a 14.73 ERA over 3⅔ innings. He has three years of eligibility remaining. Destination: TBA Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@ and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00 This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson baseball transfer portal tracker: Who's in, who's out for 2025
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Kansas baseball's coach, players react to NCAA tournament exit and loss in regional
Erik Bakich on Clemson baseball hosting an NCAA regional at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in 2025 Clemson baseball is the No. 11 overall seed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Tigers coach Erik Bakich talks about hosting the regional and more. 5:07 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
