Clemson's Jay Dill Is Anything But Your Typical Freshman

Hard-throwing freshman Jay Dill has been a major contributor out of the bullpen during Clemson's seven-game winning streak to start the season.

CLEMSON, S.C.- Jay Dill is quite the imposing figure on the pitcher's mound.

At 6-foot-5 and 240-pounds, the right-handed hurler from Tennessee just doesn't look like your typical freshman. He doesn't pitch like one either.

Through Clemson's first seven games of the season, Dill is carving out a place for himself in the Tigers' bullpen and head coach Monte Lee has not hesitated in turning to Dill in crucial situations.

Dill made his first career appearance in Clemson's second game of the season, a 19-4 win over Indiana. The freshman allowed a hit and struck out two Hoosiers in the blowout. 

The very next day, in the third and final game of the series, Dill was brought in to start the eighth inning, with the score tied at 4-4. He pitched two more scoreless innings, striking out two more batters, and kept the Hoosiers at bay in a game that Clemson would ultimately win in ten innings.

"Jay Dill, just unbelievable," Lee said after the sweep of Indiana. "To be a freshman pitching on short rest, pitched yesterday, just in high leverage situations, for him to be able to pitch the way that he did, says a lot about him."

During the Tigers' 7-0 start to the season, Dill has made three appearances, allowing three hits in four innings of work, with six strikeouts. Even more impressive has been his command, as the young pitcher consistently throws strikes and has yet to issue a walk.

"It's typical of Jay Dill," Lee said. "I mean, we kind of saw that from the very beginning out of him when he got here. It's just, you know, he's always had fastball command and he brings it to the ballpark every day."

Dill's fastball tops out in the mid-'90s and he also has a curveball, slider and changeup in his repertoire. Lee is confident the freshman's early-season appearances are an indication of what the Tigers will get from him the rest of the season, and the head coach is hopeful that will translate over to the win-loss column.

"These guys are strike throwers," Lee said. "And again, when you throw strikes, even when you're not at your best, you throw strikes and what happens? If you force the other team in the other dugout to beat you by swinging the bat, you tend to win a lot of games."

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