CLEMSON, S.C. – The No. 23/24 Clemson Tigers rolled to their third-straight run-rule victory with an 8-0 win against Baylor on Saturday afternoon. The five-inning game marked the third consecutive shutout this weekend and moved the Tigers to 9-5, while Baylor dropped to 11-3.
In the circle for the Tigers, Sierra Maness needed only 50 pitches in her second complete game of the season. The junior struck out two and allowed only two hits without allowing a walk to improve to 3-2 on the year.
At the plate, sophomore Marian Collins was a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBIs and one home run to power the Tigers’ 11 total hits. She was joined by sophomore Macey Cintron who tallied two doubles and a run, while Jamison Brockenbrough notched three RBIs and scored two runs alongside her single hit of the game.
The Clemson bats stayed hot after Friday’s two victories as Julia Knowler knocked a double into left field to put her and Brockenbrough, who walked, in scoring position with only one out in the first. Collins brought Brockenbrough home with a hard bouncer just out of reach of the pitcher’s glove to make it 1-0.
The Tigers extended their lead to three in the second after Corri Hicks and Cintron put two runners in scoring position off a single and double, respectively. After Clemson chased Baylor’s pitcher from the circle eight batters into the game, junior Kylee Johnson scored Kennedy Ariail, who was running for Hicks, off a single to the shortstop. Cintron returned home in the next at bat as Brockenbrough reached on a fielder’s choice.
Baylor got runners on in three of the first four innings, but the Tigers defense, including two of Maness’ strikeouts, kept the Bears off the board.
In the fourth, Cintron notched her second double of the game and was joined on the bases as Johnson walked. Brockenbrough doubled to center field to plate pinch-runner Ava Wilson and Johnson. Brockenbrough advanced to third on a passed ball and came home off an RBI from freshman Mac Pavese to make it 6-0 after four.
Collins completed her perfect outing with a solo home run to open the bottom of the fifth inning. It was her second home run of the year and traveled 223 feet out of right center. Kiley Channell tacked on a hit of her own on a triple into right field with no outs. Channell closed out the Tigers third-straight run-rule when she came home on a passed ball.
Up Next
The Tigers conclude the Clemson Classic on Sunday, Feb. 22 at 12:30 p.m. with another game against Baylor in the winners bracket.
