CLEMSON, S.C. – Junior Aby Vieira tallied three RBIs off two hits and scored one run, while redshirt senior Valerie Cagle notched eight strikeouts in the circle and two RBIs at the plate to power the No. 9/9 Clemson Tigers (8-2) to a 9-1 victory against the Ole Miss Rebels (10-2) at McWhorter Stadium on Friday evening in its home opener as a part of the Clemson Classic. Clemson secured the victory in six innings, its second run-rule of the 2024 season.
Clemson finished with 11 hits and eight RBIs on the day. Alex Brown, McKenzie Clark and Vieira each tallied two hits, while five other Tigers contributed a hit. Five players finished with at least one RBI, while eight scored a run in the win.
Vieira contributed to both runs the Tigers scored in the second inning to kick things off. The first came off an RBI single, her first RBI of 2024, into right field to score Maddie Moore. Vieira scored the second after the Ole Miss shortstop made a throwing error attempting to get the final out of the inning to make it 2-0 in favor of the Tigers. The Rebels cut Clemson’s lead in half in the top of the third with a single run scored.
The Tigers turned the heat up in the bottom of the fourth inning as they loaded the bases. Lindsey Garcia scored first in the fourth inning as Alex Brown was hit by a pitch. On the next play, McKenzie Clark secured her second hit of the game with a single into center field, allowing Alia Logoleo to score while moving Arielle Oda and Brown into scoring position. Cagle followed with two RBIs as she hit a double into right center to push Clemson ahead 6-1 after four.
With the bases loaded in the sixth inning, Moore was walked for her second time for her first RBI of the day as Brown scored the Tiger’s seventh run. Vieira then closed out scoring as she knocked the fifth pitch of her at-bat down the left-field line for a double that scored Moore and Julia Knowler to cap the run rule, 9-1.
Cagle pitched all six innings for the Tigers and earned her third win of 2024 after tossing 95 pitches. Through 25 batters faced, the Yorktown, Va., native picked up eight strikeouts without giving up an earned run.
Up Next
Clemson continues action at the Clemson Classic on Saturday, Feb. 24, at 1:30 p.m. against Miami (Ohio) and UConn at 4 p.m. Both games are available to watch on ACCNX with a single-camera view. Single game tickets are available online or at the gate for every home game this season, and both live stat and links to watch are available on the Clemson Softball schedule page.
