When South Carolina head coach Chad Holbrook decided to pitch to Clemson slugger Seth Beer instead of intentionally walking him with two outs and up a run in the top of the ninth inning last Sunday, Gamecock fans wondered why.
The Clemson dugout didn’t. What’s the reason? Chase Pinder.
In three separate occasions this year, once against Western Carolina and twice against the Gamecocks, teams have intentionally walked to get to Pinder, who each time made them pay with an RBI single or double to score a crucial run. In all three occasions, the Tigers rallied to win those games.