CLEMSON, S.C. – The No. 4/4 Tigers extend their home-winning streak to a program-record 23 games after capturing two victories on Saturday at McWhorter Stadium. Clemson opened the day with a dominating 9-0 victory over Jacksonville, before concluding the 2023 Clemson Classic with a 6-0 win against UNC Greensboro. The winning streak dates back to April 16, 2022, against Notre Dame, and surpasses the previous program best of 21 games set over the course of the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
After the Tiger’s two wins, Clemson improves to 25-1 on the season. Nine different Tigers contributed to the 15 runs scored and 20 hits on Saturday.
Vs. Jacksonville – W, 9-0 (5)
The Tigers opened up the game with nine runs off six hits in the first inning alone. McKenzie Clark began action with a leadoff double to set the tone, then a single by Maddie Moore brought Clark home to put Clemson on the board. Valerie Cagle followed with a single to put runners on the corners and allow another Tiger single, this one from Caroline Jacobsen, to bring Moore home to extend the lead to 2-0 with no outs. Alia Logoleo recorded her 23rd RBI of the season after both Cagle and Jacobsen scored.
JoJo Hyatt kept the momentum going, hitting a sacrifice fly to bring Logoleo home for the first out. A wild pitch allowed Julia Bomhardt, who was pinch running for Aby Vieira after she reached on an error, to score for Clemson’s sixth run of the opening frame. After cycling through the lineup, Clark hit a three-run homer to right field to bring home Reedy Davenport and Ally Miklesh, who both drew walks.
In the third inning, the Dolphins got the leadoff batter on base, and she advanced on an attempted pickoff attempt. Sophomore Brooke McCubbin stepped up to the challenge in the circle and picked up her third and fourth strikeouts for two quick outs. In an attempt to score, the Dolphins sent the runner from second home when a ball dropped into center. Clark showed off her arm by fielding it cleanly and firing a throw into Hyatt at home, who tagged Jacksonville’s runner just before she touched home to preserve Clemson’s 9-0 lead.
The Tigers made a complete defensive lineup change leaving only McCubbin and Hyatt in as the battery. The defense continued to dominate the field as Ansley Houston, Grace Hiller, and Kyah Keller completed the 643 double play to conclude the inning and keep the shutout alive. Keller completed another double play in the bottom of the fifth inning, catching a line drive at first base and stepping on the bag to turn her own double play. McCubbin secured the 9-0 win as she recorded her fifth strikeout of the game to improve to 3-0.
Vs. UNCG – W, 6-1
The Tigers picked up where they ended the first game: on a hot streak. A deep shot to right field was no match for Jacobsen on defense as she made the throw to first base for Madison May to secure the first out. The following two outs of the first inning were recorded by a fly-out catch by Miklesh and a looking strikeout by Cagle. Jacobsen opened up the scoring in the bottom half of the first after she recorded a hit deep to center field that brought Cagle home, who got on off a single, to make it 1-0 in favor of the Tigers.
Aby Vieira kept things rolling in the second, hitting a short ball down the middle for a single. Miklesh drew a walk to keep things rolling, and a single from Clark brought Miklesh home to double Clemson’s lead. The Tigers scored two in the third after a ball hit to left field allowed Cagle to round first and safely get to second for a double. Jacobsen advanced Cagle to third, and then recorded her second run of the game thanks to a sacrifice fly from Logoleo. A single from Vieira brought Oda home, who got on with a double down the left field line. After three innings, Clemson held a 4-0 advantage.
The defense continued to prove its dominance as Moore, May, and Vieira completed a 432 double play to serve the Spartans its first two outs in the fifth inning. The Spartans put two on base, but Cagle got the Tigers out of the bind without giving a run to preserve the shutout.
The bats stayed hot in the fifth inning as the bases were loaded after Oda, Vieira, and Keller who all got on with a single, fielders’ choice and walk, respectively. Davenport brought Oda and Vieira home with a two-RBI single to center. UNCG was able to plate one run in the top of the seventh after tallying timely singles before the Tiger defense once again shut things down to claim the 6-1 win.
Cagle threw the full 7.0 innings with eight strikeouts. The redshirt junior improves to 10-1 in the circle after tossing her seventh complete game in 2023.
Up NextThe Tigers continue their home stretch on Wednesday, March 15 by welcoming Charlotte to McWhorter Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. on the ACC Network.
