CLEMSON — As the final moments of Clemson’s 10-0 win over Boston College were winding down Saturday afternoon, Jack Leggett, now a development coach on Erik Bakich’s staff, leaned over to the Tigers’ skipper and told him a story about Casey Stone.
Stone was one of Clemson’s star players and fan favorites on the 2000 College World Series team that posted a 51-18 record. On Senior Day in 2001, Leggett, then the head coach at Clemson, made a defensive substitution so Stone could get the proper ovation for what he meant to the Clemson Baseball Program.
The former Tiger was not only a star player and fan favorite, but he was also a leader in the clubhouse, in practice or when the team was away from the facility.
Clemson third baseman, Blake Wright, is viewed the same way. Not only does he lead the Tigers with 21 home runs and 70 RBIs, but he also leads the team in the clubhouse, practice and away from the ballfield.
“That is what Blake is,” Bakich said. “He is one of our best players. He is one of our hardest workers. He is a vocal leader, and he puts his arms around everybody and brings everybody with him.”
But this time, Bakich wanted to bring Wright to the fans.
After Cam Cannarella singled to rightfield to score Alden Mathes, giving Clemson a 9-0 lead, and moving Wright to third base, Bakich called timeout to replace his captain with a pinch runner.
“I looked at Coach (Nick) Schnabel, ‘What is going on? What is he saying,’” Wright recalled.
Bakich was giving Wright a well-deserved “Curtain Call” on Senior Day.
“Coach Schnabel said, ‘Give a salute to the fans. This is pretty cool. Take it all in.’ It was definitely a cool moment for sure.” Wright said.
Wright took it all in, as he walked off the field at Doug Kingsmore Stadium a winner. Not because of his 21 home runs or 70 RBIs or his .341 batting average. Wright is a winner because of who he is and the way he treats and leads his teammates.
“He has brought young hitters along and has showed them his routine and his plan,” Bakich said. “Then there is what he does when nobody is watching. What he does when it is just our team out there training. Come to pre-game batting practice. When you think most people would be conserving energy, Blake Wright is diving all over the field and making plays.
“He only knows one speed. It is hundred percent every day in everything. How he does anything is how he does everything. The guy has a chance to hit and play in this game for a long time, but after that, this is the guy you want running any company.”
In his final regular-season game at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, Wright went 2-for-2 at the plate. He hit a solo home run and drove in another run. His afternoon helped the Tigers complete a weekend sweep of Boston College, while also helping them win their 40th game of the season.
They also won their 20th ACC game of the year, giving the program a second straight 20-win season in conference play – a first for Clemson since the 2005 and ’06 campaigns.
“He has meant everything to us the last two years. There is nobody who upholds the standards better than Blake Wright,” Bakich said.
Which is why Clemson’s head coach made sure his star third baseman got the proper send off in his final regular season game.
“We were actually going to do it on defense, so the inning started to go, so we called the press box and said we are going to do it right now,” Bakich said.
The Tigers were up 9-0 in the bottom of the eighth, and Bakich knew if Wright scores from third, the game was over due to the mercy rule and his opportunity to give Wright a curtain call would be out the window.
So, he called timeout and replaced Wright with pinch runner Tryston McCladdie.
“I am glad the fans got up for Blake. There is nobody more deserving. There is not a better leader or a better captain,” Bakich said.
And there was not better moment for Wright and his family when the Clemson captain received his curtain call from the Clemson fans.
“It was definitely a special moment. It was pretty cool that Coach Bakich did that, it just shows how special this place is,” he said.
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