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Mar 08, 2023

Cagle’s Perfect Wednesday Leads Tigers to Victory

CLEMSON, S.C. – Valerie Cagle’s perfect day led the No. 4/4 Clemson Tigers to an 18-0 win over Mercer in five innings on Wednesday night in McWhorter Stadium. With the win, Clemson improves to 21-1 (3-0 ACC) on the year and extends its home-winning streak to 19 games.

In the circle, Cagle retired all 15 batters she faced, including eight strikeouts, for a five-inning perfect game. The righty threw just 51 pitches with 40 strikes and never reached a three-ball count during the contest. Cagle eclipsed 600 career strikeouts with the performance, pushing her career total to 604.

At the plate, Cagle was a perfect 2-for-2, with two walks, an RBI, a double and two runs scored. Six Tigers recorded multi-hit games, while Maddie Moore finished the night going 2-for-4 with three RBIs, three runs scored and two home runs. Reedy Davenport and Alia Logoleo each recorded four RBIs on the night.  

Maddie Moore launched her fifth home run of the year over the right-field fence to put the Tigers up 1-0 with one out in the first. After Cagle walked, Caroline Jacobson doubled and Alia Logoleo singled to pick up RBIs 17 and 18 on the season and push the lead to 3-0 after one.

Ally Miklesh was hit by a pitch to lead off the second, stole second and moved to third on the throw, then scored on a single by Davenport to put the Tigers up 4-0 with no one out in the second. Following a Mercer pitching change, Mckenzie Clark singled to score pinch-runner Julia Bomhardt, then Moore smashed her second home run of the day to put the Tigers up 7-0. Clemson plated two more runs before it was all over, taking a 9-0 lead after two innings.

Cagle made quick work of the Bears in the top of the third, before Clark started the bottom half off with a single. Two batters later, Cagle doubled to bring home Clark, then Marena Knowles recorded the first double of her career to plate two more. Kyah Keller recorded a bases-loaded ground out to score a run, then Davenport singled to open a 15-0 lead for the Tigers after three.

Logoleo blasted Clemson’s third homer of the game with one out in the fourth to give the Tigers a 17-0 lead. Davenport picked up her fourth RBI of the day with a two-out single to push the lead to 18-0, before Clark flied out to end the inning.

Cagle needed just eight pitches to retire the Bears in the order in the top of the fifth to secure the first perfect game in program history and the ninth shutout win of the season for the Tigers.

Up Next

Clemson returns to action this weekend hosting UNCG, Bryant and Jacksonville for the Clemson Classic. Action is slated to begin on Friday against UNCG at 2:30 p.m. on ACCNX, weather permitting.

Photos courtesy of Brooke Russell, Clemson Athletics

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