FULLERTON, Calif. \u2014 Jack Leggett did not comment on his future at Clemson following the Tigers\u2019 10-8 loss to Pepperdine on Saturday, which ended their season in the Fullerton Regional. Instead, he said he and athletic director Dan Radakovich will address that and any other issues when he gets back to Clemson.
\nAt that point, it was about getting on the bus and talking to his team.
\n\u201cI just really want to focus on our kids and our season, get on the bus and talk to them and be able to reminisce about what this year was all about and what they have learned,\u201d Leggett said. \u201cWhat\u2019s next for them on the horizon? What do we have to do to make ourselves better? We will address those kinds of things when we get back and see where it goes.\u201d
\nClemson finished the year 32-29, but ended it with four losses in the last five games. The lost to Pepperdine was also the program\u2019s fifth straight defeat in an NCAA Regional, marking the fifth straight season the Tigers failed to advance past the regional round of the NCAA Tournament.
\nBut considering the way the Tigers fought back after being 24-24 with eight games remaining in the regular season, yet still found a way into the NCAA Tournament with seven wins during that stretch, Leggett could not be prouder of what they accomplished when so much was going against them.
\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to work at Clemson. I\u2019m proud to coach this team. I\u2019m proud of my coaches and I\u2019m proud of my players,\u201d he said. \u201cThey have done a really good job this year and worked extremely hard.\u201d
\nLeggett\u2019s players are proud of him too. With all the rumors circulating about his job, which seemed like almost every day, it wasn\u2019t easy for them to keep their focus and try to play without any pressure. In fact, it was almost impossible to do.
\n\u201cI think baseball did not go our way this year,\u201d Clemson second baseman Tyler Krieger said after the game. \u201cWe played well at times and we put some pieces together, but we just did not put it together all the time. That\u2019s the key, consistency.
\n\u201cPeople talking negative all the time about the program, we really don\u2019t care honestly. We know the integrity of this team and the integrity of this program, and we take a lot of pride in everything that we do for Clemson University.\u201d
\nLeggett was mostly proud about the way his team never gave up, despite the odds, evident in Saturday\u2019s elimination game. Clemson trailed 7-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, but scored eight unanswered runs at the time to take an 8-7 lead.
\n\u201cI think they did a really good job of trying to put things out of their minds, but everything effects (the team),\u201d Leggett said. \u201cIf it was a positive vibe then everyone feels good. If it\u2019s not, then it is a little bit tougher, but our kids were focused and they work extremely hard.
\n\u201cThey love to play baseball and they love to come out on the field together. So when we get out on the field, it has been about us and playing together and trying to do something positive within in our conference and make the university proud.\u201d
\nMore than anything, the players just want to make Jack Leggett proud.
\n\u201cI love the man first and foremost,\u201d Krieger said. \u201cHe has taught me more, along with my parents, than anyone in my life. He has taught me lessons\u2026 It\u2019s not always all about baseball. He is a great baseball coach, but he has taught me more about life than people think.
\n\u201cI love the coaching staff, the players and I love my experience so far at Clemson,\u201d Krieger continued. \u201cI have learned a lot here in my three years and I just want to say thank you to Coach because he has taught me a lot.\u201d
\nRight fielder Steven Duggar took it a step further, stating he only came to Clemson \u201cto play for a Hall of Fame coach.\u201d
\n\u201cTo be able to put on the jersey every single day and have him at the helm is pretty special to me,\u201d the junior said. \u201cBeing able to come to a program like this and meet so many great guys, to reiterate what (Krieger) said, the three years I have had here so far have been absolutely unbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n