Clemson Baseball Boss Says Key Pitcher is ‘Probable’ for NCAA Regional

The Clemson Tigers baseball team are hosting an NCAA regional for the third year in a row. Coach Erik Bakich had more good news after Sunday’s selection show.

In an interview with beat writers and local television, Bakich said that left-handed pitcher Ethan Darden, who has been out with an injury, was “probable” to return for the regional, which starts on Friday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

At the same time, he also used the words “not guaranteed,” per the Post-Courier’s Jon Blau.

Getting Darden back would be a boost, if for no other reason than to give the Tigers’ pitching staff more depth.

Ethan Darden’s Season at Clemson

The junior from Rock Hill, S.C., has been the Tigers’ Saturday starter this season. This is his first season as a full-time starter. As a sophomore in 2024 he pitched in 19 games, with 11 starts. As a freshman in 2023, he pitched in 19 games with 12 starts.

This season he started nine games but saw his ERA balloon to 6.08. He struck out 34 and walked 16 in 40 innings.

Darden, a left-hander, last pitched on April 12 against Stanford He pitched just 1.2 innings and took a no-decision. He gave up six hits and five runs (three earned), along with one walk. He struck out two.

Since then, he’s been battling a triceps injury, per Bakich, one that he said in April would allow Darden to return sometime this season.

The Tigers (44-16) are the No. 11 national seed and the No. 1 seed at its regional this weekend. They are set up to face No. 4 seed USC Upstate (36-23) in their opening game at 6 p.m. on Friday. Their contest will be preceded by a noon showdown between No. 2 seed West Virginia (41-14) and No. 3 seed Kentucky (29-24).

From there, the four teams will play a double-elimination format until there is a champion. The winner will advance to the NCAA super regionals, where it will face the winner of the Baton Rouge regional, hosted by No. 6 LSU.

The Tigers are trying to get to the Men’s College World Series for the first time since 2010. Under Bakich, Clemson has been to the NCAA Tournament in each of his three seasons. In 2023, the Tigers hosted a regional but were unable to advance. Last year, the Tigers got out of their regional, only to lose to Florida in a super regional in Gainesville.