CLEMSON ? Dabo Swinney joked about taking applications for kickers at BI-LO when fields goals were being pushed and pulled earlier this spring.
Jack Leggett has likely had similar thoughts regarding his variety of a precarious bullpen options.
Leggett has picked through the entire of bin of possible end-game options: Matt Vaughn, Ryan Hinson, Scott Weismann and Tomas Cruz. They have all been tested at one time or another and returned to set-up or middle relief.
On Sunday, in a series-deciding game against No. 10 Miami (25-10, 11-7), Leggett gave Cruz another chance and he responded with two shutout innings to pick up his third save of the season, securing a 9-6 win.
It marked Clemson's first series win against a ranked team this season. The Tigers (23-12, 11-7) moved to first place in the Atlantic Division as Boston College lost Sunday.
Following shoulder surgery, Vaughn is a shell of his former self. The electric Weismann, a promising option, was held out this weekend with shoulder tendinitis ? and could be ticketed for the starting rotation.
Hinson has faltered on more than one occasion. Six times this season Clemson has gone to an opponent's final at bat tied or leading and lost.
Cruz said he doesn't care if he is the closer, he just wants to pitch on the weekends, which is good since Leggett said it will remain be a closer-by-committee approach.
Cruz has allowed one run over his last eight innings.
"We're just kind of mixing and matching,"
Leggett said. "Getting a feel for the hitters, this guy is going to be more effective against this guy and so forth. Just kind of have to keep rotating them in and out."
It was another precarious end-of-game situation.
Leggett, who had used five relief arms in Saturday's first game, was so desperate for relief arms he went to little used freshman Richard Mounce in the seventh after Ryan Hinson and Graham Stoneburner combined to allow three runs over 2 2/3 innings, allowing Miami to trim its deficit to three runs.
Mounce walked the first batter he faced to load the bases, but was bailed out by Ted Blackman who pounded a 3-1 pitch to third for an inning-ending double play.
After a perfect eighth, Cruz worked out of a bases-loaded jam to end the game.
"He's got some good poise,"
Leggett said of Cruz. "He throws two or three pitches well c he's competitive."
While the bullpen has struggled it has also been taxed.
Tigers starters have made just three quality starts ? six innings, three or fewer runs ? three times since March 18, one being Chris Dwyer's complete game, two-hit gem against Miami Saturday night.
But after Dwyer, there has not been a difference-maker in the rotation.
Sunday starter Justin Sarratt failed to make it out of the fourth (3 2/3 IP, 3ER, BB, 2K). It is a rotation void where Weismann might be a surprise help.
"In our professional, coaching opinions [Weismann] is a future set-up man or closer,"
Clemson pitching coach Kyle Bunn said. "But we have thought about starting him, seeing what he could do."
Bunn said he could be available next weekend at Virginia Tech, though it is unclear what his role would be.
The Clemson arms were picked up by the offense this weekend.
The Tigers scored six runs in 2 2/3 innings against Miami starter Iden Nazario on Sunday. Matt Sanders smashed a three-run home run off Nazario in the second and Clemson added three runs in the third to take a 6-2 lead.
Sanders went 2-for-4 with 4 RBIs.
On Saturday, against Miami ace Chris Hernandez, a USA National Team member in 2008, Clemson belted 12 hits in seven innings in the losing effort.
Leggett said the warming weather might be behind the offensive resurgence. Kyle Parker said it's a matter of "experience in seeing pitchers and getting our confidence up."
While the offense had been cool, it was never a priority on the shopping list, which reads: pitching, pitching and pitching.
