CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Clemson Tigers scored three runs with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, but the comeback fell short as the Tigers fell to No. 23/24 Kentucky, 7-6. Freshman Macey Cintron highlighted the offense with a team-high three RBIs and three hits – including a two-run home run, while sophomore Julia Knowler joined Cintron with a solo home run. Both homers were Cintron’s and Knowler’s third of the season.
Additional hits came from senior Maddie Moore (two), senior Alex Brown (one) and freshman Sam Minish (one). Moore, Knowler, Cintron, Kennedy Ariail and Riley Fennell plated Clemson’s six runs. In the circle, Cintron suffered the loss to move to 1-2 after pitching 2.1 innings with two strikeouts. Both Reese Basinger (3.2 IP, three strikeouts) and Brooke McCubbin (1.0 IP, one strikeout) also saw time.
Following today’s game, Moore is on a 25-game reached base streak dating back to March 28, 2024 against Virginia. Her streak ties former teammate Valerie Cagle for the longest reached-base streak by a Tiger in program history. Cagle maintained her streak from March 27, 2021 to May 22, 2021. Moore also stole her first base of the season and 41st of her career to sit only four bases behind tying Carlee Shannon (45) for the second-most and five behind tying McKenzie Clark (46) for the most steals in program history.
After giving up a two-run shot in the top of the first in the circle, Cintron responded with a two-run homer of her own in the bottom half of the first. Kentucky went on to score one additional run in both the second and third inning before taking a 7-2 lead in the top of the sixth off a three-run homer.
Clemson clawed its way back with Knowler’s solo home run in the bottom of the sixth, and the Tiger defense had a three-up, three-down inning in the seventh to give themselves a chance at the plate in the bottom half of the inning.
Ariail stepped up to the plate as a pinch hitter and reached on an error by the Wildcats’ second baseman. Clemson’s next two batters were retired to bring Moore to the plate. The senior hit a two-out single that put runners on the corners. Knowler, who actually struck out swinging, reached on a passed ball that allowed Ariail to score and Moore to advance to third. Clemson’s momentum continued as Fennell, who was running for Knowler, took second on a wild pitch that allowed Moore to score to cut Kentucky’s lead down to two, 7-5.
Fennell advanced to third on another passed ball and came home as Cintron knocked her third hit of the game through the left side for an RBI single. With the tying run on first and the winning run at the plate, Kylee Johnson struck out on a full-count to end the comeback and the game, 7-6.
Up Next
Clemson continues weekend action on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 9 a.m. against UCF. Fans can catch all of the action live on ACC Network.
