CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – As the Atlantic Coast Conference begins its fourth weekend of conference play for baseball, eight teams throughout the league are ranked in the D1Baseball Top 25 poll. The total marks the highest of any week throughout the league this season. Clemson leads the way at No. 3, while Virginia enters the top 10 at No. 9. Also ranked are No. 11 Duke, No. 12 Wake Forest, No. 13 Virginia Tech, No. 14 North Carolina, No. 17 Florida State, and No. 22 NC State.
Four games throughout the ACC will air on ACC Network this weekend, including a Saturday doubleheader. Play kicks off with No. 3 Clemson’s trip to Miami at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 28. On Friday, March 29, Notre Dame’s trip to battle No. 22 NC State will air at 8 p.m. before a Saturday doubleheader to conclude the actions. Saturday’s broadcasts will get underway a 4 p.m. with Pitt visiting No. 13 Virginia Tech before No. 14 North Carolina heads to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to take on No. 12 Wake Forest in a 7 p.m. contest.
Noting ACC Baseball - March 27
- The ACC boasts the second-best conference RPI throughout the country, while scheduling the toughest opponent strength of schedule and having the highest level of road success. Seven ACC teams remain ranked inside of the top 25 of the RPI. Clemson leads the country at No. 1 while No. 2 Florida State, No. 5 North Carolina, No. 11 Virginia, No. 12 Virginia Tech, No. 17 Notre Dame, and No. 23 Wake Forest all remain inside the top 25 nationally. A total of 12 of the ACC’s 14 teams rank in the top 75 nationally.
- The ACC leads all conferences in batting average (.314), on-base percentage (.424), runs (3,015), hits (3,605), doubles (699), triples (81), total bases (6,269), home runs (601), runs batted in (2,757), and sacrifice flies (193).
- No. 3 Clemson boasts 22 wins to begin the week, more than any other team in Division I baseball. With a 22-2 record, the Tigers have won seven straight games and 14 in a row at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, marking the third-longest home winning streak in the country. North Carolina’s 23-game home winning streak leads the nation.
- Clemson and Virginia Tech have both won seven straight games to share the longest winning streaks in the conference. However, North Carolina and Virginia are each riding a six-game winning streak, sitting right on the heels of the Tigers and Hokies.
- Clemson’s Blake Wright and Wake Forest’s Chase Burns were named the ACC Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively. Wright was also named the National Player of the Week by D1Baseball, NCAA Baseball, Perfect Game, and NCBWA.
- Virginia’s Brian O’Connor won his 350th ACC game on March 24 at Pitt, 8-2. Virginia Tech’s John Szefc looks to pick up his 100th career win in ACC play this weekend when Pitt travels to Blacksburg, Virginia, to play the Hokies. Szefc enters the weekend with 99 league wins.
- Baseball America released its first Field of 64 projections, which features nine ACC teams. Clemson, Florida State, and Virginia were projected as regional hosts, while Duke, Miami, North Carolina, NC State and Virginia Tech were also slotted in the 64-team field.
MLB Opening Day
Major League Baseball begins today and the ACC will once again be well represented around the league. 62 former ACC student-athletes and coaches will begin the season on a big league roster. Duke’s Graham Pauley being the first MLB debut of the season, appearing on March 20, 2024, for the San Diego Padres in Seoul, South Korea, against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Boston College
Michael King, San Diego Padres
Sal Frelick, Milwaukee Brewers
Emmet Sheehan, Los Angeles Dodgers (IL)
Clemson
Dominic Leone, Chicago White Sox
Spencer Strider, Atlanta Braves
Duke
Dusty Blake, St. Louis Cardinals (Pitching Coach)
Pete Maki, Minnesota Twins (Pitching Coach)
Bryce Jarvis, Arizona Diamondbacks
Marcus Stroman, New York Yankees
Graham Pauley, San Diego Padres (MLB Debut on March 20, 2024)
Florida State
Kevin Cash, Tampa Bay Rays (Manager)
Pedro Grifol, Chicago White Sox (Manager)
Tyler Holton, Detroit Tigers
Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners
Cole Sands, Minnesota Twins
DJ Stewart, New York Mets
Taylor Walls, Tampa Bay Rays
Luke Weaver, New York Yankees
Georgia Tech
Joey Bart, San Francisco Giants
Charlie Blackmon, Colorado Rockies
Xzavion Curry, Cleveland Guardians,
Buck Farmer, Cincinnati Reds
Kyle McCann, Oakland Athletics
Louisville
Nick Burdi, New York Yankees
Henry Davis, Pittsburgh Pirates
Reid Detmers, Los Angeles Angels
Adam Duvall, Atlanta Braves
Tyler Fitzgerald, San Francisco Giants
Chad Green, Toronto Blue Jays
Bryan Hoeing, Miami Marlins
Bobby Miller, Los Angeles Dodgers
Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers
Miami
Yasmani Grandal, Pittsburgh Pirates (IL)
North Carolina
Daniel Bard, Colorado Rockies
J.B. Bukauskas, Milwaukee Brewers
Michael Busch, Chicago Cubs
Zac Gallen, Arizona Diamondbacks
Ryan Ryder, Pittsburgh Pirates
Jacob Stallings, Colorado Rockies
Trent Thornton, Seattle Mariners
NC State
Patrick Bailey, San Francisco Giants
Andrew Knizner, Texas Rangers
Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillies
Carlos Rodon, New York Yankees
Notre Dame
Brandon Bielak, Houston Astros
Cavan Biggio, Toronto Blue Jays
Joe Boyle, Oakland Athletics
Craig Counsell, Chicago Cubs (Manager)
Pat Murphy, Milwaukee Brewers (Manager)
Matt Vierling, Detroit Tigers
Virginia
Andrew Abbott, Cincinnati Reds
Ernie Clement, Toronto Blue Jays
Zack Gelof, Oakland Athletics
Jake McCarthy, Arizona Diamondbacks
Josh Sborz, Texas Rangers
Chris Taylor, Los Angeles Dodgers
Matt Thaiss, Los Angeles Angels
Virginia Tech
Kerry Carpenter, Detroit Tigers
Joe Mantiply, Arizona Diamondbacks
Wake Forest
Stuart Fairchild, Cincinnati Reds
Gavin Sheets, Chicago White Sox
Upcoming ACC Baseball Schedule
Thursday, March 28
Pitt at No. 13 Virginia Tech, 4 pm, ACCNX
Louisville at No. 17 Florida State, 6 pm, ACCNX
No. 9 Virginia at No. 11 Virginia, 6 pm, ACCNX
Boston College at Georgia Tech, 6 pm, ACCNX
Notre Dame at No. 22 NC State, 7 pm, ACCNX
No. 3 Clemson at Miami, 7 pm, ACC Network
Friday, March 29
Pitt at No. 13 Virginia Tech, 4 pm, ACCNX
Louisville at No. 17 Florida State, 6 pm, ACCNX
No. 20 North Carolina at No. 12 Wake Forest, 6 pm, ACCNX
No. 9 Virginia at No. 11 Duke, 6 pm, ACCNX
Boston College at Georgia Tech, 6 pm, ACCNX
No. 3 Clemson at Miami, 7 pm, ACCNX
Notre Dame at No. 22 NC State, 8 pm, ACC Network
Saturday, March 30
Boston College at Georgia Tech, 1 pm, ACCNX
No. 3 Clemson at Miami, 1 pm, ACCNX
No. 9 Virginia at No. 11 Duke, 1 pm, ACCNX
Louisville at No. 17 Florida State, 2 pm, ACCNX
Notre Dame at No. 22 NC State, 3 pm, ACCNX
Pitt at No. 13 Virginia Tech, 4 pm, ACC Network
No. 20 North Carolina at No, 12 Wake Forest, 7 pm, ACC Network
Sunday, March 31
No. 20 North Carolina at No. 12 Wake Forest, 1 pm, ACCNX