Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, May 29, 1994                   TAG: 9405290008
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CLEMSON, S.C.                                LENGTH: Medium

RADFORD NATIVE HOPES TO BE HIT FOR CLEMSON

Brody Smith could take ground balls until his back locks or stay in the batting cage until his hands have callouses on top of callouses, but that won't remedy his identity problem.

Depending on where you look, the Radford native is either Brody Smith or Brodie Smith. In fact, it's spelled both ways within 11 lines in Clemson University's postseason baseball guide. For the record, it's with a "y."

"I'm working on it," Smith said.

He's refining his game, too, although his Clemson career is not much past the idle stage. The redshirt freshman is a reserve second baseman/catcher and sometime designated hitter for the No. 1-ranked Tigers, who were upset 8-1 by Notre Dame on Friday during the second day of the NCAA East Regional tournament at Tiger Stadium.

Clemson (57-17) needed to win twice Saturday to stay alive in the double-elimination event. The Tigers defeated Old Dominion 6-1 in the afternoon before facing Auburn Saturday night.

Smith started seven games for Clemson this year, played in 21 and hit .222 (8-for-36) with no home runs and three RBI. He hasn't played in Clemson's two regional games, but that could change.

"Coach [Jack] Leggett, he has a mind of his own," Smith said. "The only thing I can do is come to the park ready to play."

Once during his redshirt year, he came to the park to catch for a friend "as a favor." Former Clemson coaching legend Bill Wilhelm was watching from his office window, and he had Smith begin working as a backup catcher.

Leggett took over for Wilhelm this year and told Smith his future was as a middle infielder. Unless Clemson brings in a top recruit at second, Smith expects to challenge current starter and fellow freshman Eric DeMoura for the job at second next year.

Smith, in fact, could have won the job this year after Hoby Mork slumped.

"I got a chance to get into the starting lineup earlier than I ever expected to," he said. "I wasn't getting on base enough to stay in the lineup."

Had he attended VMI or Old Dominion - two of the schools, along with fourth-ranked Tennessee, that courted him out of high school - Smith probably would have been playing regularly by now.

That's OK, he said.

"Coming down here, I was willing to sit my turn," he said. "I played about as much as I figured I would this year."

Now, his goal is for the Tigers to keep playing and reach Omaha, Neb., site of the College World Series.

Keywords:
BASEBALL