February Baseball in South Carolina

February 20, 2010 - Posted By: Brett Haynes - Greenville, SC

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Photo: The Top Fan

Every now and again, it is nice to enjoy the simple things that living in Greenville, South Carolina affords. One of those things is college baseball in February, in 65 degree weather. Today, I was able to drive a simple nine and a half miles to watch my favorite team, Clemson, take on Michigan State at Flour Field in downtown Greenville. The Tigers won big, I got a little sun, and all is good...

Clemson is pretty good in baseball. They have been to Omaha twelve times, and anually recruit baseball players that have to choose betweeen the college life and that of the professional type. At times this hurts the Tigers, and at times it helps. Either way, despite never having dog-piled at Rosenblatt Stadium, Clemson is big-time college baseball. So it was nice today to wake up and simply drive into town to see them take on Michigan State.

After a scoreless first inning, Clemson took a four to nothing lead when freshman-to-be-looked-out-for Richie Schaffer singled in Kyle Parker (yes, quarterback Kyle Parker) for the first run. Then, after a couple of guys reached base, John Hinson went deep off of the right-field lightpole for a 3-run dong that put Clemson up for a lead they would not come close to giving up.

Michigan State had their moments, as well. Besides the fact that they had a very impressive group of fans at the game (at least 200, and that is a solid number for a school 1,200 miles away), they had a diving play at first, as well as a bomb of a home run that went over Greenville's version of the "Green Monster (Greenville's minor league team, the Drive, is a Red Sox affiliate). They have some good players, there is no doubt about that.

Also, Clemson was pounding Virginia in hoops, 62-32, to improve to 7-5 in the ACC and most probably on their way to a NCAA tourney berth....All in all, it was a good to day to be a Clemson fan!