DURHAM, N.C. — Jacob Jarrell just continues to come through for the Clemson baseball team.
Jarrell has started all but six games this season, with much of the attention focused on his team-leading 14 home runs. His most recent long ball was a big one, with Jarrell launching a 407-foot solo shot out to center in the sixth, giving his team a momentary 4-3 lead over NC State in the quarterfinal round of the ACC Tournament.
Jarrell hit his homer off Anderson Nance, arguably the best reliever in the Wolfpack bullpen. The Tigers saw Nance back in April, when he pitched four scoreless innings of relief in a series-opening win over Clemson in Raleigh. Jarrell did have one hit in that game, and it came off Nance.
“I just kind of saw the pitch and swung,” Jarrell said of his home run. “Just going off the scouting report, he is fastball heavy. I watch guys in front of me like Dom Listi and Josh Paino. Having them in front of me, especially Josh, a lot of teams pitch Josh the same way they pitch me. So I watch a lot of stuff with him.”
Each of Jarrell’s 52 starts has come behind the plate. Many weeks throughout the season, he’s not only caught each weekend series but was also the backstop for the midweek games. Considering the wear and tear playing catcher has on the body, that’s a daunting task for many players at that position.
However, Jarrell takes it all in stride. He’s worked hard to become the field general that he is, and Erik Bakich has enjoyed watching every minute of the junior’s collegiate career.
“I have been involved in college baseball since the fall of 1998 when I was a player myself,” the head coach said. “Been coaching ever since. And JJ is the hardest-working kid I have ever seen in college baseball. Hands down, bar none. His work ethic is unmatched. Every success he has, he’s earned. He’s got great years of baseball ahead of him. I think he’ll will himself to play in the big leagues.”
Jarrell’s long ball wasn’t his only big hit in Clemson’s 7-6 win over the Wolfpack. His run-scoring single in the top of the eighth ignited a three-run inning that was ultimately the difference in the game. He finished the night 2-for-3. He drove in three runs and scored two more. He also worked a walk in his final at-bat of the contest.
For the season, Jarrell is now hitting .271 with 36 RBI. Again, his 14 homers are the most on the team, as is his .530 slugging percentage.
With as productive as he’s been at the plate, his work behind it sometimes gets lost in the shuffle. Jarrell has handled a variety of pitchers extremely well, including veteran reliever Lucas Mahlstedt, who finished off NC State on Thursday by throwing a career-high four innings, while limiting a dangerous Wolfpack lineup to just one run on four hits.
For Jarrell, the work behind the plate is just as fun as his work at the plate, especially when the submariner Mahlstedt is on the mound and the defense is playing lights out like it did on Thursday.
“He is pretty filthy,” Jarrell said. “He throws from two different slots, and it really messes with hitters’ eyes. It is fun catching him. Also the defense making plays. We had four double plays, and it is pretty fun seeing that from behind the dish.”
Fifth-seeded Clemson will now have a day off on Friday, before taking on top-seeded Georgia Tech on Saturday in the semifinals. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
