CLEMSON — After guiding the Clemson pitching staff to the nation’s fifth-best team ERA in 2009, Kyle Bunn left big shoes to fill when he resigned his post as pitching coach to accept the same position at Alabama last month.

On Tuesday, Tigers head coach Jack Leggett announced Saint John Fisher College (N.Y.) head coach Dan Pepicelli would be the man charged with filling them.

“I think his knowledge of pitching along with his experience as a head coach and pitching coach will be an asset to our staff,” said Leggett, who is set for his 17th season as head coach at Clemson in 2010, in a release. “His teams and pitching staffs have been very successful and are well respected. His knowledge of fundamentals, communication skills and work ethic are qualities that drew me to him.”

Pepicelli spent the past nine seasons (2001-09) as the head coach and pitching coach at Saint John Fisher, leading the Cardinals to seven winning seasons and their first Division III Championship berth during his tenure.

Pepicelli, who also served as an assistant athletic director at Saint John Fisher, received national attention for his team’s act of sportsmanship in 2008. In the ninth inning against visiting SUNY Oswego in the ECAC Championship, a line-drive foul ball struck an opposing coach in the temple as he was coaching third base. Despite trailing 9-5 at the time, Pepicelli and the team elected to concede the game, effectively ending any chance at back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. Saint John Fisher was subsequently honored with the NCAA’s All-Divisions Sportsmanship Award for that decision.

Prior to his tenure at Saint John Fisher, Pepicelli was the head coach at Hartwick College in 1999 and 2000 after serving as an assistant at Hartwick from 1996-98.

“I think he will forge a great relationship with our players and I know he will be able to draw out the best in them,” Leggett said. “I have every bit of confidence that coach Pepicelli will be able to assist in taking our pitchers to the next level.”