CLEMSON, S.C. – The No. 8/9 Clemson Tigers (12-4, 1-1 ACC) split action on Saturday afternoon against the NC State Wolfpack (14-4, 1-1 ACC) to open ACC play. Clemson dropped the opening game, 6-1, before coming back to run-rule NC State in game two, 8-0, in five.
Game 1 – L, 6-1
Alex Brown got things going for the Tigers in the bottom of the first inning. She hit her first triple of the season, and McKenzie Clark brought her home with a sac fly into deep left field. NC State stormed ahead in the top of the second scoring six runs to make it 6-1 in favor of the Wolfpack. The runs in the first two innings proved to be the only ones either side scored as NC State took the opening game, 6-1.
Clemson tallied seven hits in the opening game but left seven runners stranded. Brown led the team going 3-for-4 at the plate with one run scored. Valerie Cagle and Alia Logoleo each had two hits, while Clark picked up the lone RBI.
Junior Brooke McCubbin started in the circle and pitched 1.1 innings with two strikeouts, but fell to 5-2 on the year with the loss. Senior Millie Thompson pitched 4.2 innings with one strikeout before being replaced by senior Regan Spencer in the seventh.
Game 2 – W, 8-0 (5)
Clemson kicked off game two with a three-run first inning as Clark led off with a one-out single. She advanced to third after Cagle drew a walk, and Logoleo popped up to right field. Lindsey Garcia brought home the first runner with a single through the left side. Maddie Moore followed with an RBI single to plate Cagle from second and move Garcia to third. Adding an additional insurance run, Moore stole second to allow Garcia to come home on the throw down to make it 3-0 after one.
The Tigers moved to 5-0 in the third after Cagle led off the inning by reaching on an error. Julia Bomhardt replaced Cagle as a pinch runner and stole second before advancing to third as Garcia picked up her second hit of the game. Moore recorded her second RBI with a sac fly to score Bomhardt, and Vieira added the second run with an RBI hit to the right side.
Logoleo put the finishing touch on the run-rule victory in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run homer that brought Oda and Brown home. Oda was running for Abi Stuart, who opened the inning with a single to NC State’s shortstop, and Brown reached on a single to center field. Logoleo sent the first pitch of her at bat out of center field for her second home run of 2024 to make it 8-0, which held for the final inning of play.
Clemson had eight different Tigers tally at least one hit in game two. It was highlighted by Garcia going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI. Logoleo clocked three RBIs following her home run, and Moore finished with one hit and two RBIs in the game. In the circle, Cagle threw a complete five-inning performance with two strikeouts while only giving up one hit to improve to 6-2 on the year.
Up Next
Clemson and NC State will battle it out in the rubber match at McWhorter Stadium tomorrow at noon on ACCNX. Tickets for the series finale are available both online and at the gate prior to the start of the game.
