From the thrill of victory to the agony of defeat, the Palmetto Series has provided fans across the state with countless memories. This weekend, the storied rivalry returns once again when the University of South Carolina and No. 15 Clemson meet on the baseball diamond.
The impending series is regarded as one of the most intense rivalries in NCAA baseball, constantly providing signature moments, such as Seth Beer’s dramatic, game-tying home run with the Tigers down to their last strike in 2017, South Carolina eliminating Clemson from the NCAA Men’s College World Series in 2010 and much more.
Both programs have high expectations this season and have recognized the importance of this in-state rivalry. Clemson is undefeated at this point in the season, sporting an 8-0 record after defeating Presbyterian on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Gamecocks enter the series at 6-3 after falling to Queens in their midweek contest on Wednesday.
“There is no better rivalry than Clemson and South Carolina. As everyone knows, it’s something that we have the utmost respect for, and the way we prepare for it and put a target on it all year long is how we show that respect for this rivalry,” Clemson head coach Erik Bakich said after the midweek victory.
Clemson has a 6-2 record against South Carolina since Bakich was hired, featuring a series sweep in each of the last two seasons, with a two-game sweep in 2024 due to a cancelled game. The Tigers lead the all-time series, 191-145-2.
South Carolina’s head coach, Paul Mainieri, got his first taste of the Palmetto Series last season, where his Gamecocks were outscored 18-6 over the weekend slate.
The fierce rivals will face off in a home-neutral-home series, where South Carolina will host Game 1 at 7 p.m. in Founders Park on Friday. Game 2 will occur in a neutral site at Segra Park in Columbia, South Carolina, at 3 p.m. The series will conclude at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Sunday at 3 p.m. The matchup is sure to feature three playoff-level atmospheres across the state.
Game 1 will likely feature a thrilling pitching matchup between the Gamecocks’ redshirt freshman Riley Goodman and Clemson’s ace Aidan Knaak. Goodman currently boasts a 3.68 earned run average across his two starts this season, while Knaak has yet to allow an earned run.
This will be Goodman’s first game action in the Palmetto Series, while Knaak started Game 1 last season, throwing 4.2 innings and allowing three earned runs while striking out nine at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The right-hander also started Game 2 of the series in 2024 in his freshman season, allowing three runs in five innings of work.
Game 2 will likely feature Amp Phillips, a USC Upstate transfer for the Gamecocks, and Michael Sharman, a Tennessee transfer for the Tigers.
In the 2025-2026 academic year, the Tigers currently hold a 6-2-1 record over the Gamecocks in the all-sports Palmetto Series, featuring signature wins in football, basketball and men’s soccer.
This upcoming weekend has the opportunity to provide intense emotions, premier entertainment and high-level baseball, with the next chapter of the rivalry to be etched into history for years to come.
