COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Clemson Softball program dropped the first game of the home-and-home Palmetto Series presented by the South Carolina Education Lottery to No. 10/11 South Carolina, 6-0, on Tuesday night at the Carolina Softball Stadium. Clemson dropped to 24-10 on the year, while the Gamecocks improved to 25-6.
Clemson combined for five hits behind the bats of Alex Brown, Maddie Moore, Julia Knowler, Marian Collins and Aby Vieira. In the circle, senior Reese Basinger fell to 10-4 on the year after pitching two innings. Senior Brooke McCubbin replaced her in the third inning and pitched the final four innings and struck out one batter.
South Carolina opened the scoring in the first inning after a single and a walk set up a three-run home run. In the second, the Gamecocks had a runner on second after an error and a double brought her home to stretch the lead to four. In the third, South Carolina led off with a single and stole second, and the Tigers called on the veteran McCubbin to come in with a runner in scoring position. She stranded the runner to keep the Gamecock lead at four.
South Carolina added on two more in the fourth. A walk and a single quickly put two runners on. One scored on a single and one on a sac fly to make the score 6-0.
The Tigers threatened in the sixth after Jamison Brockenbrough got hit by a pitch, and Moore and Knowler hit back-to-back singles, but a strikeout and a fielder’s choice ended the scoring threat and kept the Tigers scoreless.
A leadoff double by Collins put a runner in scoring position in the final frame, but a flyout and a double play sealed the game. The Tigers were held scoreless for the first time since March 29, 2024, ending the team’s streak of 54 straight games with a run scored, the longest in school history.
Up Next
The Tigers return to McWhorter Stadium to welcome new ACC opponent, California, for a three-game series. The series is slated to begin on Friday, March 28 at 6 p.m. on ACCNX, before continuing on Saturday, March 29 at 6 p.m. on ACC Network. The series will conclude on Sunday, March 30 at 11 a.m. on ACCNX. Tickets are available for all three games online and at the gate prior to each game.
