Clemson Hosts Georgia in Heavyweight Midweek Matchup

Clemson, South Carolina; April 13, 2025; Dominic Listi (6), Cam Cannarella (10), and Jack Crighton (3); jog onto the field prior to Clemson vs. Stanford. (Photo By Charles Mays/Tiger View Media)

The Clemson Tigers return to action on Tuesday night after losing to Louisville on Sunday afternoon. The Tigers put up a valiant fight against the Cardinals, forcing the game into 12 innings before losing 8-6. Clemson will face the Georgia Bulldogs on Tuesday, looking to get back to their winning ways. Clemson comes into this game with a 35-7 record overall, while Georgia sports a 33-9 record. With both teams ranked inside the top 10, according to D1 Baseball, this game is must-see TV. Tune in to ESPNU at 8:00 PM EDT Tuesday night, immediately following the Tigers and Vols softball game.

Georgia Scouting Report

The Georgia Bulldogs come into this game in the midst of a rough patch after being swept by Vanderbilt in a three-game weekend series. Georgia hopes to right the ship with a big win over No. 2 ranked Clemson before taking on No. 14 ranked Oklahoma in an SEC battle.

Last season, Georgia finished the season with a 43-17 record and 17-13 within SEC play. The Bulldogs were knocked out in the first round of the SEC Tournament by LSU. But, they defeated Army, UNC Wilmington, and Georgia Tech before being knocked out by North Carolina State in the NCAA Super Regionals. Head Coach Wes Johnson was hired by the Bulldogs in 2023 after winning the College World Series with LSU as their pitching coach. Johnson is now in his second season with the team after leading the Bulldogs to their most successful season since reaching the College World Series in 2008.

After losing Golden Spikes winner Charlie Condon to the MLB Draft last season, the Bulldogs are now led by Miami (Ohio) transfer Ryland Zaborowski. The Graduate Student from Gilbert, Arizona, has been the best player for the Bulldogs so far this season. Zaborowski leads the team in batting average (.398), on-base percentage (.527), slugging percentage (.881), and OPS (1.408). He is also tied for second in hits (47) and second in home runs (16). Zaborowski had two very successful seasons with the RedHawks but never came close to putting up numbers like this for Brian Smiley's team. The Bulldogs’ star missed the last two games of the Vanderbilt series but is expected to be available for Tuesday's game against the Tigers. If Zaborowski does play, Clemson will have to be very careful with the Bulldogs’ designated hitter, as he can change a game in a flash.

Another key contributor to this strong Georgia Bulldog team is UNC Asheville transfer Robbie Burnett. The 5'10 senior from Franklinton, North Carolina, has a ton of power, especially for someone under six feet tall. Burnett has the most home runs (17) on the team, is tied for the most RBIs (55), and has the second-highest batting average (.341), slugging percentage (.797), on-base percentage (.516), and OPS (1.313). The North Carolina native has more than just power, as he is one of the most prolific base stealers on the team, snagging 12 bags in 15 attempts. The Clemson pitching staff must be careful with Burnett, as they can't walk him to avoid his power threat.

Projected Starting Pitching Matchup

Tuesday, April 22, at 8:00 PM - Clemson could choose to go with Ethan Darden for this one as he didn't pitch last weekend, but expect Erik Bakich to turn to his first-year student Talan Bell for the biggest start of his young career. For the Bulldogs, expect Wes Johnson to turn to JT Quinn, who started against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets last Tuesday.