SRichie Shaffer belts a home run in Sunday's win over USC

Clemson infielder Richie Shaffer has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Player of the Week, while Wake Forest’s Brian Holmes earned Pitcher of the Week honors.

Shaffer stood out offensively in the Tigers’ weekend series against second-ranked South Carolina, while Holmes threw a no-hitter in Sunday’s win over Marshall. 

Considering the level of competition, Shaffer had one of Clemson’s greatest three-game series in recent history at the plate. Possessing arguably the nation’s top pitching staff, the two-time defending NCAA champion Gamecocks entered the series with an incredible 0.86 ERA and .112 opponents’ batting average. Shaffer went 6-for-9 (.667) with two homers, two doubles, four RBIs, six runs, and six walks. The Charlotte, N.C., native reached base in 12 of his 15 plate appearances (.800 on-base percentage) and had a 1.556 slugging percentage. He had at least two hits in each of Clemson’s three games this past week. On both Friday and Sunday, he reached base in all five of his plate appearances. On Sunday, he went 2-for-2 with a homer and three walks and helped Clemson to a come-from-behind 6-5 win, ending South Carolina’s 19-game winning streak.

On the season, Shaffer s hitting .452 with four homers, four doubles, 12 RBIs, 12 runs, 10 walks, a .585 on-base percentage, and a .968 slugging percentage in nine games.

In preparation for Syracuse and Pittsburgh joining the conference, the ACC announced that it will expand conference schedules and introduce a new scheduling model for both football and basketball.

ACC commisioner John Swofford praised the universities in the conference, stating, “It’s a tremendous tribute to the leadership at our schools that we will be able to seamlessly add Pitt and Syracuse at the appropriate time when they become full playing members.”

Football conference play will expand from eight conference games to nine on Syracuse and Pittsburgh officially join the ACC.  Pittsburgh will join the Coastal Division and Syracuse will join Clemson in the Atlantic Division.  The new scheduling model will allow teams to play all six other members in their division, its primary crossover rival, and two rotating opponents from the other division every year. 

The list of crossover rivals goes as followed: Clemson-Georgia Tech, Duke-North Carolina, Virginia-Virginia Tech, Miami-Florida State, Syracuse-Boston College, Pittsburgh-Maryland, and NC State-Wake Forest.

Basketball conference play will expand from 16 games to 18 games starting next season.  The new scheduling model is based on a three-year cycle where teams play every other team at least once a season, with a rotating home-and-home series with four opponents, along with a home-and-home series with their cross division rival (listed above). 

The conference said that creating a more competitive balance was the driving factor behind the new scheduling models, but the new formatting will end some traditional basketball home-and-home rivalries.

Clemson skipper Jack Leggett

At least 43 games involving Atlantic Coast Conference baseball teams are scheduled to be carried nationally and/or regionally by ESPNU, ESPN2, ESPN3 and RSN (Regional Sports Network) during the 2012 season.

All 12 conference teams are represented on this year’s schedule. In addition, all 13 games of the ACC Championship will be televised live for the fifth straight year. The first four days of the tournament, set for May 23 through May 27 at Greensboro, N.C.’s NewBridge Bank Park, will be carried by RSN. The championship game, scheduled for noon on Sunday, May 27, will be telecast nationally by ESPN2.

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Milton Jennings led the Tigers with 16 points

A strong start wasn’t enough to propel Clemson to an upset against 6th ranked Duke at Littlejohn Coliseum Sunday night. The Blue Devils fought back from an early nine point deficit and pulled out a hard fought 73-66 win over the Tigers. It keeps the Dookies unbeaten in ACC play (3-0) while the Tigers drop to 1-2.

Clemson forced 17 Duke turnovers, won the rebounding battle (40-39) and even shot more free throws than the Blue Devils and it still wasn’t enough. Duke stretched its lead to double digits in the second half before the Tigers mounted a late rally to pull within four with less than a minute to play. The Blue Devils put the game away late with a big offensive rebound and by knocking down their free throws.

After the game, Tigers coach Brad Brownell wasn’t taking any moral victories.

“We’re here to win games. I understand that Duke’s a terrific team. They are obviously well coached and all of that, but we had opportunities to win the game.”

(AUDIO AFTER THE JUMP)

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