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Three Biggest Takeaways from Clemson Baseball's Opening Day

New faces shine, a veteran delivers and Clemson survives opening night drama.
Angelo Feliberty|
Clemson fights back under the lights to secure a hard-earned 3-2 Opening Day win.
Clemson fights back under the lights to secure a hard-earned 3-2 Opening Day win. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

College Baseball’s opening weekend is officially here, and that means the Clemson Tigers are back in business.

On Friday, the Tigers opened a three-game home series against Army West Point — the first meeting between the programs in Clemson history — and rallied for a 3-2 victory after trailing through the first six innings. 

While there were certainly ups and downs throughout the contest, here are some takeaways that will help sharpen our image of the team as we continue opening weekend.

New Additions Impressed

The early standout was Georgia transfer Bryce Clavon, who went 1-for-3 at the plate. However, his biggest impact came in center field, where expectations are high as he steps into the role previously held by former Tiger Cam Cannarella. 

In his debut, Clavon recorded four putouts, including two fully extended diving catches. The effort and athleticism felt very Cannarella-esque, and it’s safe to say he’s already making a strong first impression in that role.

Loyola Marymount transfer Nate Savoie also performed well, showcasing his versatility in the outfield and as a hitter. In four at-bats, the sophomore smacked three balls for a double and an RBI that won the game for the Tigers. Defensively, he contributed one putout and an assist while playing right field.

The final debut worth highlighting is a little different from Clavon and Savoie, as this one belongs to a true freshman. Stepping in for starter Aidan Knaak — who had six strikeouts on the day — Dylan Harrison excelled. 

Coming out of high school, the 6-foot-5 hurler was ranked among the top 30 right-handed pitchers nationally, and he wasted no time living up to that billing in his debut.

Across 4.1 innings, he allowed five hits, including a solo home run, while striking out three and issuing no walks. The efficiency and velocity were there as well, needing just 37 pitches to record nine outs, and earning his first career strikeout on a 91 miles per hour fastball.

While there are still a few things to clean up, it was a strong debut overall, and the crowd recognized it, giving him a round of applause as he exited late in the game.

Glove Work Needs Cleaning Up

Clemson’s early defensive struggles immediately put the Tigers on their heels. 

In the top of the first, an error and awkward throw by second baseman Jarren Purify allowed a batter to reach first and advance to second, turning what should have been a routine out into a scoring opportunity. 

The next inning, another throwing miscue by third baseman Tryston McCladdie on a fielder’s choice moved runners into scoring position, and Army capitalized with an RBI single in the next at-bat to take the lead.

The sequence was a clear reminder that the infield defense must be sharper and more consistent as the season unfolds. If not, those miscues will quickly turn into losses, as they were a big reason Clemson found itself trailing for much of the game.

Jacob Jarrell’s Still Got It

Entering the season, D1 Baseball ranked Jarrell as the No. 9 catcher in the country and the second-best in the ACC, and he quickly showed why in the opener.

Coming off a 2025 campaign in which he launched a team-high 15 home runs, his power was on full display again in his 2026 debut. With Clemson trailing through six innings, Jarrell stepped up to the plate and crushed a two-run shot to left field, knotting the game at two apiece. 

He finished the contest 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs, and he was just as impactful behind the plate, recording a team-high 12 putouts along with two assists.

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Angelo Feliberty
ANGELO FELIBERTY

Angelo Feliberty is a Sports Communication major who got his start with The Tiger newspaper at Clemson University starting as a contributor and working his way up to senior reporter covering multiple sports for the Clemson Tigers. A native of Myrtle Beach, S.C., Feliberty was a three-year letterman in track at Myrtle Beach High School.

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