SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Senior right-handed pitcher Brooke McCubbin struck out a career-high 12 batters to lead the Clemson Tigers to a 10-0 victory against Syracuse. McCubbin earned her sixth win with her second complete game and second solo shutout of the year without giving up a walk and only allowing one extra-base hit. With the win, the Tigers improved to 23-9 (5-3 ACC) and secured the series victory, while Syracuse dropped to 19-10 (1-7 ACC).
For the second-consecutive game, Clemson finished with 12 hits. Maddie Moore and Jamison Brockenbrough led the way with four RBIs and two hits each, while senior Alex Brown went 3-for-3 with two walks and added an RBI and a run scored. Aby Vieira rounded out the group with two hits, while Julia Knowler, Macey Cintron and Marian Collins added one hit apiece.
The Tigers struck in the third inning after Brockenbrough singled down the left field line and advanced to third on a double ripped off the left field fence by Brown. Moore picked up her first RBI of the day with a ground out to third base that had Brockenbrough sliding safely into home.
Clemson added three additional runs in the top of the fifth inning. After Brown drew a walk, Moore sent her eighth home run of the season out of center field to make it 3-0. Knowler and Cintron followed with back-to-back singles to put two on with two outs. Freshman Madi Lardizabal came in as a pinch runner for Knowler and cruised into home on a double by Vieira into left field.
In the sixth, Clemson tacked on two more runs after freshman Ava Wilson, who was pinch hitting, drew a walk with one out. She advanced to third on a single by Collins to be in position for Brockenbrough to hit a sac fly to center to score. Brown picked up another walk to bring Moore back to the plate, who recorded a single to center to score Collins and make it 6-0.
The Clemson bats came alive again in the seventh inning with two outs. Sam Minish, Kylee Johnson and Collins drew three straight walks to load the bases. With the heat on, Brockenbrough drove a ball deep down the right field line to clear the bases for a double. Brown immediately ripped a hard-hit ball at Syracuse’s second baseman for an RBI single to score Brockenbrough and extend the Tigers’ lead to 10-0.
Syracuse got one hit in the bottom of the seventh inning, but it did not matter, as McCubbin struck out three batters swinging to secure the 10-0 win.
Up Next
The Tigers conclude the three-game series with the finale on Sunday, March 23. Action is slated to begin at noon on ACCNX.
