SAN MARCOS, Texas – The No. 18/18 Clemson Tigers split action on Friday evening at the States Up Tournament in San Marcos, Texas, after dropping a five-inning matchup to No. 9/11 Arkansas (6-1), 12-0, before capping the night with a 7-0 victory against BYU (1-7). Following the day, Clemson moved to 5-4 on the season.
Highlighting the day was Clemson’s nine stolen bases against BYU. The nine stolen bases is a single-game program record and surpasses the previous mark of eight set last weekend at the NFCA Leadoff Classic against Liberty. Junior Kylee Johnson led the way with two, while Jamison Brockenbrough, Julia Knowler, Sarah Breaux, Taylor Pipkins, Corri Hicks, Kennedy Ariail and Sarah Rocheleau added one each.
Game 1 (L): No. 18/18 Clemson (0), No. 9/11 Arkansas (12)
The Razorbacks took the early lead in Clemson’s first game of the day after Ella McDowell hit a home run, plating herself and two others for a 3-0 edge. Arkansas continued to add to the count in the third inning, plating nine runs before Clemson could end the inning. In the third, the Tigers were forced to go to the bullpen as junior Olivia Duncan replaced starter Abby Dunning with the bases loaded.
Freshman Mac Pavese tabbed Clemson’s first hit of the game to lead off the top of the fourth inning but was left stranded as the next three batters were retired. In total, Clemson left two runners stranded throughout the contest.
Dunning made her second start of the year and dropped to 3-2 after going 2.1 innings with one strikeout. Duncan pitched two-thirds of an inning and notched her second strikeout of the season. Freshman Lexie Hames faced four batters in her lone inning of work and struck out one.
Game 2 (W): No. 18/18 Clemson (7), BYU (0)
The Tigers came alive in the top of the first against the Cougars as Jamison Brockenbrough drew a leadoff walk to get a runner on. Junior Kylee Johnson replaced her at first and quickly stole second before being joined on the base paths by Julia Knowler, who also walked. Both moved up a bag on a double steal, and Johnson scored the first Tiger run off an RBI single by Marian Collins.
Clemson kept things rolling in the first as freshman Sarah Breaux drew a walk to load the bases and sophomore Corri Hicks knocked a single through the right side to plate two. Macey Cintron followed with an RBI single through the left side to make it 4-0 heading to the bottom of the first.
With BYU at the plate, freshman Keira Crosby forced a double play and a strikeout to keep the Tigers ahead by heading to the second.
The Tigers added two more runs in the third after Hicks doubled to score Kiley Channell who led off the inning with a single. Sam Minish brought home Breaux, who got on after being hit by a pitch, with a sac fly to deep left field to make it 6-0.
In the top of the seventh, Channell and Breaux recorded back-to-back singles for their third and first hit of the game, respectively. Hicks followed with her fourth RBI of the night on a ground out to shortstop that plated Channell to make it 7-0. After Rocheleau reached on an error, she quickly stole second to mark the ninth stolen base on the night and the program record.
In her seven innings of work, Crosby faced 25 batters without giving up a walk and struck out three batters. With the win, the freshman moved to 1-0 on the year.
Up Next
The Tigers continue action at the States Up Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 4:30 p.m. EST against Wichita State. Fans can listen to both games on ClemsonTigers.com or on the ClemsonTigers App.
