Iron Horse strikeout ace feels at home on the mound

On the morning of March 12, Philip Simmons High School baseball coach Josh Kubisz told anyone who would listen, the Iron Horses had a big game against Beaufort later in the day and needed an even bigger effort from pitcher Nolan Clifford.

 

“We need to have Nolan throw about 100 pitches of shutout baseball,” Kubisz said, “if we’re going to win against Beaufort.”

 

Well, it took Clifford 112 pitches to complete the task at hand.

 

The junior left-hander pitched a one-hitter in a 3-0 victory over the Eagles in a key early-season showdown of Region 8-AAA contenders.

 

Clifford, who is quickly becoming the ace of the staff, struck out 13 batters, keeping hitters off balance with a fastball and tantalizing curve.

 

“Sitting with a fastball in the 80s and a hammer of a curveball, Clifford worked hard in the offseason to prepare for big games like the one he threw against Beaufort,” Kubisz said. “The work ethic and dreams don’t limit themselves to high school baseball.”

 

Clifford is a big reason why the Iron Horses were 10-6 heading into the 54th Annual Hanahan Invitational Tournament, including 2-1 in league play.

 

He lost his no-hit bid in the sixth inning against the Eagles but was still happy with his effort.

 

“That’s the best game I pitched all year,” said Clifford, who was the beneficiary of a three-run first inning. “It was a lot of fun. I was dialed in from the first batter. The defense was spectacular, and it was a great team effort.”

 

Clifford has played baseball since his tee ball days. His father, Jim, played in high school and at the college level. The younger Clifford played the other traditional sports, including basketball, soccer, and tennis.

 

“They were a lot of fun,” Clifford said of his dabbling in other sports. “But I love to pitch. I feel at home when I’m on the mound.”

 

Clifford posted a 3-4 record last year, pitching mostly in relief. He gave up 40 hits and struck out 42 in 39 2/3 innings of work.

 

This spring, Clifford, who is a team captain, owned a 2-1 record heading into this week’s action, striking out 28 batters in 22 1/3 innings.

 

He likes to step up and lead despite being only a junior.

 

“It was a great honor when I was selected,” Clifford said. “I’m a captain, but our approach is that everyone’s equal.”

 

He knows all about pressure, occasionally getting into a jam and then relying on talent and mettle to get out of it.

 

He’s facing a different type of pressure these days. He recently took the SAT and is awaiting the results. He’s loaded up on honors classes, has a 3.6 GPA, and dreams of attending the Air Force Academy.

 

“My dad has Air Force friends,” Clifford said. “And one time, I went on a tour of airplanes, the C-17. The C-17 is big enough to fit four tanks and two helicopters in it.”

 

“Yes, I want to play collegiately and study aviation,” Clifford added. “I want to be a pilot.”