Clemson Neutralizes One of Nations Best HR Hitters In Weekend Sweep of Georgia Tech

The Clemson pitching staff was able to limit Georgia Tech slugger Kevin Parada to just one hit in a three-game weekend sweep.

Jason Priester All Clemson

CLEMSON, S.C.- Slugger Kevin Parada arrived in Clemson, not only leading the ACC with 23 home runs but also as one of the league's best overall hitters, sporting a batting average over .400.

The Georgia Tech catcher has been a catalyst for a Yellow Jackets' offense that came into the weekend averaging more than nine runs per game. Monte Lee and the rest of the Clemson coaching staff came in with a plan to neutralize Parada, and the Tigers' pitching staff executed that plan flawlessly.

During Clemson's weekend sweep of the No. 21 Yellow Jackets, Parada was just 1-14, and the Tigers were able to get him out in some key moments, as the slugger left 13 runners on base over the final two games of the series. That includes the final at-bat on Saturday when Parada came to the plate in the ninth representing the tying run. With two on and two out, closer Ryan Ammons got him to ground out, ending a furious late-inning rally by Georgia Tech.

"He just had one of those weekends where he was human," Lee said. "He is one of the best hitters in the country and our guys were able to execute pitches all weekend long to him, and in big spots. Because he had some opportunities come up with runners in scoring position."

Lee said the goal was to come after Parada early with fastballs up and in, and it worked almost to perfection. Then in the later innings come after him with breaking balls, just as Jackson Lindley did on Sunday, getting Parada to ground out in the seventh, with two on and two out.

"We just pounded him, pounded him in with fastballs," Lee said. "Like a lot of good hitters, you gotta tie him up. Even when you look at our guys, more times than not coaching staffs will err on the side of caution. They'll throw fastballs and breaking balls away from elite hitters, to try to get them to chase off the plate, thinking that if they hit it, they're not going to do a whole lot with it." 

"(Parada) hammers baseballs out over the plate. So we felt like we were going to do the exact opposite just challenging with fastballs, trying to elevate fastballs on him, pitch him in, which you got to do if you've got a guy who's got power. You got to time him up some. And then, you know, able to spin some breaking balls to him later in the game when he's seen a lot of fastballs, you know, just to get him off the fastball, like Lindley did to him."

The sweep came at an opportune time for the Tigers, with the team playing for its postseason life. After the sweep, the Tigers now find themselves a half-game ahead of Duke for the 12th and final spot in the ACC Tournament, thanks in large part to the pitching being able to keep Parada off-balance all weekend.

"We were fortunate," Lee said. "So, just proud of our pitching staff for being able to neutralize him over the course of the weekend."

The Tigers' odds of winning the College World Series are currently +20000, according to FanDuel.

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