Why Mark Kingston says USC-Clemson series is more fun than stressful
After the South Carolina baseball team gritted out a midweek win over North Florida on Tuesday, coach Mark Kingston admitted something to his players — the opponent looming this weekend had been on his mind.
“I let them know after the game I was probably a little more on edge than normal because of this weekend and what’s ahead of us. I wanted us to play good enough tonight to create some momentum,” Kingston said Tuesday.
That kind of pressure happens when the Gamecocks face Clemson in one of the fiercest rivalries in college baseball. Beating the Tigers is a top early-season priority for the passionate USC fan base. Knowing that, Kingston said, makes the game before the game intense in its own way.
“I told (athletics director Ray Tanner) yesterday, now having been here for three years, that midweek game before the Clemson series is probably my least favorite game, because it feels like a trap game right away,” Kingston said. “And you want to play well enough to create momentum for your team and for your fan base, and you want to feel good going into the weekend.”
With North Florida dispatched Tuesday after a late rally, Kingston said the actual games against Clemson will be more fun than pressure-filled, given how early it is in the season.
“When you have a series like this, to me there’s less pressure in a series like this because you have two good teams playing really well. You know, sometimes the breaks can go here or there” Kingston said. “We’re going to try to do everything we can to win — if you don’t, it’s not the end of the world because it’s a good RPI game and you’re going to learn so much about your team and you’re going to be better from the experience. Again, we want to win it very badly, as I’m sure they do too. Two years ago, we lost the series and we were a game from Omaha. Last year, we won the series in dominating fashion on Sunday, and we had a tough year the rest of the way.”
“So, this is a big series, it’s a lot of fun, a lot of interest. A lot of people will be watching, but it doesn’t guarantee Omaha and it doesn’t guarantee a bad season, regardless of what happens this weekend.”
Kingston’s players mostly echoed that mindset.
“I feel like playing early season games in a big environment and stressful environments, fun environments, that really prepares you for the rest of the season,” USC junior Noah Campbell said. “If you’re gonna make it to Omaha, you’re gonna play in some close games.”
Learning how to handle raucous environments and tight games is something the Gamecocks could use some more of — USC is already 0-2 in extra inning games this season. And even if the results aren’t what he wants this weekend, Kingston said exposing his players to high-leverage situations is never a bad thing.
“Our message to (the team) will be, you’ve been prepared to play games like this,” Kingston said. “Everything we do is to prepare for the highest and the best competition and the biggest games, and then everything after that falls into place. So our message will be have a lot of fun, compete your butt off, play to win, and let the chips fall where they may from there.”
WHEN DO THE GAMECOCKS PLAY CLEMSON?
Who: South Carolina (6-2) vs. Clemson (7-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: Founders Park
TV: Streaming online on SEC Network Plus via WatchESPN
Radio: 107.5 FM in Columbia area
