Prove it to me

By: Will Vandervort

Clemson baseball coach Jack Leggett said it best following his Tigers' 7-5
victory over South Carolina Wednesday night.

"You don't like to lose one in a row," he said.

Leggett described last night's victory as a huge relief, and with good
reason. Clemson had lost six straight to the Gamecocks prior to and
another defeat would have tied them with the longest losing streak to USC
in the rivalry's long history, which still stands at seven from 1983-'85.

By the way, Clemson holds the longest winning streak in the series with 12
straight victories from 1961-'66. But back to the present.

Now comes the hard part, can the Tigers show some consistency in the
series and win a second straight when the two rivals meet in Columbia on
April 22? I guess time will tell. As for the present, Leggett has
immediately turned his focus to this weekend when No. 20 Clemson host No.
5 Miami in a three-game series at Doug Kingsmore starting Friday.

This is a big series for the Tigers, who currently stand on top of the
ACC's Atlantic Division with a 9-6 record. Florida State and Boston
College are tied for second at 7-6. If Clemson can win two of the three
games this weekend, it has a chance to separate itself from the rest of
the pack in the Atlantic, while also positioning itself for the overall
top seed in next month's conference tournament.

Miami is second in the Coastal with a 10-5 mark, while Georgia Tech, who
was pounded by Georgia Southern, 23-3, Wednesday, is 9-4 in ACC play. The
Tigers host Georgia Tech at The Doug April 24-26 in a three-game series.

It's hard to believe that despite the Tigers inability to move runners in
scoring position and the problems they have had in closing games, they
still have a very good chance at having a very good season. I guess that's
why you say "it isn't over until it is over."

Speaking of being good position. I talked with both left guard Thomas
Austin and guards and centers coach Brad Scott following yesterday's
practice and both told me the development of the offensive line at this
point is way ahead of where they were at heading into the summer last
year.

Austin told me the continuity in the unit is really good and he said part
of that is because they do not have to roll as much as they did last year.
Though he has played some at center this spring, it has been very limited
and the same for other guys who play multiple positions.

Austin and Scott said that has helped a lot with guys knowing what the
other is doing and with communication. Scott said it also shows the group
as a whole has a lot more depth this year than in years past and that
should go a long way in this unit establishing itself early.

I guess the proof will be in the pudding. We will see.