As Friday rolls around, the long-awaited start to Clemson baseball’s regular season will finally be over, and the No. 15 Tigers will face off against No. 17 Oklahoma State.
As this matchup is a part of the Shriners Children’s College Showdown, the contest will take place at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The stadium is also the home of the Texas Rangers.
For the first two games of the season, the Tigers will be led by assistant coach Nick Schnabel, as head coach Erik Bakich and assistant coach Jack Leggett are both serving a two-game suspension they received in the Clemson Super Regional at the conclusion of last season.
Bakich has stated that he will be working with the Clemson Athletic Network as a color commentator for those two games.
The Cowboys will be no easy task, and Clemson will look for an impact from star player Cam Cannarella. The centerfielder enters the season projected as one of the top prospects in collegiate baseball as he looks to grow in his already impressive career.
Cannarella played almost the entirety of last season with a torn labrum, which he suffered in February 2024. After receiving surgery to repair the damage this offseason, Cannarella is expected to be ready to play on Friday.
Clemson sophomore Aidan Knaak will likely make the start, coming off an impressive freshman campaign that helped him earn All-American honors. Knaak finished last season with a 5-1 record and a 3.35 ERA.
Oklahoma State will be led by Josh Holliday, who has been the head coach since the 2013 season. His squad is coming off an impressive campaign, where they hosted the Stillwater Regional. However, they ultimately fell short, as the Florida Gators advanced out of the first round.
Both teams have high expectations for 2025 and will surely be prepared for this top 20 clash. The road to Omaha starts this weekend with a wide-open field of teams.
The matchup will be broadcasted exclusively on FloSports, beginning at noon.
After the matchup against Oklahoma State, Clemson will continue in the Shriners Children’s
College Showdown when it faces No. 21 Arizona on Saturday at noon. That matchup will also be broadcasted exclusively on FloSports.
