CLEMSON, S.C. – The No. 9/9 Clemson Tigers moved to 10-2 on the season after recording 18 hits over the course of two games. The Tigers opened the day with 10 hits in their 10-1 run-rule victory against Miami (Ohio), before concluding the doubleheader with eight hits in the 3-2 extra-inning win against UConn.
Game 1 – vs. Miami (Ohio) (W, 10-1 (5))
Valerie Cagle powered the Tigers to victory in the opening game with a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, tied her career-high with eight RBIs and scored two runs. The redshirt senior clocked two home runs that included both a grand slam and a three-run shot to walk-off the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Alex Brown and McKenzie Clark each added two hits and two runs. This was Brown’s fifth multi-hit game and Clark’s fourth. Redshirt seniors Alia Logoleo and Arielle Oda rounded out scoring in the opening game with two runs each.
The Tigers strung together a productive second inning at the plate to jump ahead of the Redhawks. It began with Logoleo scoring the first run as Brown reached on a Miami error. Clark was hit by a pitch to load the bases that had Cagle following with a grand slam, the second one by a Tiger this season. The home run was recorded at a distance of 254 feet with an exit velocity of 71.6 miles per hour.
Clemson added two additional runs in the bottom of the third as Cagle recorded a single to the first baseman. Both Logoleo and Oda scored on the play as the Redhawks made a throwing error. Miami got one run back in the top of the fifth to make it 7-1 in favor of the Tigers. Clemson brought the top of its lineup to the plate in the bottom of the fifth. After Brown and Clark hit back-to-back singles, Cagle sealed the 10-1 victory with her three-run homer out of right center.
Brooke McCubbin picked up her fifth victory in the circle in 2024 after pitching four innings with three strikeouts. The junior faced 18 batters and allowed only one earned run in the win. Senior Regan Spencer tossed the final inning, throwing only 17 pitches without giving up a hit to close out the game.
Game 2 – vs. UConn (W, 3-2 (8))
In the second game, the Tigers opened the scoring in the fourth inning against the Huskies with a single from Logoleo that plated Moore from third. Moore had led off the inning with a single and advanced around to third on a stolen base, her first of two on the evening, and a wild pitch.
UConn took the lead in the top of the sixth with a double into right center that plated two runners. The Tigers evened things in the bottom of the seventh after Lindsey Garcia led off with a single into right field and reached second on a fielding error that also had Oda safe at first. Clark loaded the bases with a walk and only one out to bring Cagle to the plate. Cagle secured another RBI with a sac fly to center to score Garcia and force extra innings.
In extras, the Tigers forced three quick outs on defense to bring Moore to the plate in the bottom of the eighth. Moore drew a walk, stole second and advanced to third as Logoleo flied out to right field. With two outs, Garcia stepped to the plate and drove her second hit of the day into the right center gap to score Moore and walkoff UConn, 3-2.
Spencer got the start in the circle in the second game and pitched 5.1 innings with a season-high six strikeouts. She was replaced by Cagle in the sixth with two runners on. Cagle pitched the final 2.2 innings for the Tigers and picked up four strikeouts on her way to her fourth win of the season.
Up Next
The Clemson Tigers conclude the Clemson Classic tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. on ACCNX by taking on the Ole Miss Rebels in the final game of the tournament. 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.
