South Carolina faces Clemson in CWS rematch

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - South Carolina pitcher Michael Roth says he won't flash back to his last outing against Clemson, although no one would fault him if he did.

Roth and the Gamecocks open a three-game series Friday night in what may be the most successful sport contested by the two biggest schools in the Palmetto State. South Carolina won the College World Series last season, while Clemson missed out on the championship series by losing two games to the rival Gamecocks.

“It's not like in the middle of the pitch, I'm going to flash back,” Roth said Thursday. “I'm going to separate the two games mentally.”

Roth was a steady reliever who only once got more than five outs in an appearance before getting the start in the season's biggest moment. Roth delivered a three-hit outing in the 5-1 victory over the Tigers. South Carolina capped the unlikely comeback a night later with a 4-3 win to eliminate the Tigers and reach the championship series.

This time, it's a three-game series which opens in Columbia, heads to Greenville on Saturday and ends in Clemson on Sunday. Overflow crowds are expected at each site in a rivalry that's probably only second in interest behind the schools' annual football game.

“It's a national exposure game, a national series that we're very proud of,” South Carolina coach Ray Tanner said.

The series “has always been a big deal,” Tanner said. “I know we've been involved in the national stage a few times. It's just exciting and we're glad to be a part of it.”

Collegiate Baseball ranks Clemson fourth in its top 25, while South Carolina is sixth.

Tanner and Clemson coach Jack Leggett have known each other for years, more as colleagues than rivals. The two programs have treated each other in a first-class manner, Tanner said, and that will continue no matter the outcome of a few ballgames.

“Nobody likes to lose and I'm not one of those guys that get all that happy when somebody else does lose,” Tanner said. “We're all in the same business.”

Roth expects the Tigers to come in with additional motivation after coming up short in Omaha. But even a loss in this rivalry can propel teams to bigger things. Several members of the national champion Gamecocks pointed to last year's finale with Clemson - a 19-6 pasting by the Tigers in front of a full house at Carolina Stadium - as the impetus to the title-winning season. Tanner acknowledged that his team got angry about the blowout and dedicated itself to improving.

Meanwhile, Clemson left fielder Jeff Schaus said the Tigers have already put their CWS problems behind them and turned their attention to the upcoming weekend.

“It's a new year and everything has to be earned. That's what we're looking forward to,” Schaus said

Schaus, a senior from Naples, Fla., didn't know much about the rivalry before signing with the Tigers. He quickly found out from teammates and classmates that few things are more important that beating South Carolina each time they're on the schedule.

“You can tell there's a buzz on campus this week,” he said.