Pitching Highlights

  • Retired all 15 batters she faced against Mercer to throw Clemson first perfect game in program history. Struck out eight batters and threw just 51 pitches with 40 strikes without ever reaching a three-ball count in the five-inning contest – became only the eighth pitcher in 2023 to throw a perfect game and the first in the ACC this season
  • Holds an 25-8 record with a 1.56 ERA through 193.0 innings as of May 30
  • Has struck out 188 batters and limited opponents to a .182 average
  • Has seven solo shutouts and three combined and one save
  • Eclipsed 600 career strikeouts on the fourth of eight strikeouts thrown against Mercer (March 8)
  • Threw an immaculate inning tossing only nine pitches to strikeout all three batters in the second inning at Georgia Tech (March 24)
  • Named ACC Pitcher of the Week (Feb. 21) after throwing 16.1 innings through four appearances to go 3-0 on the weekend with one save and 23 strikeouts
  • Earned ACC Pitcher of the Week (March 21) after picking up three victories against Charlotte and Virginia and striking out 18 batters in 19 innings of work
  • Named ACC Pitcher of the Week for the third time (April 4) after winnings three games against South Carolina and Boston College. She pitched only 15 innings with 12 strikeouts and maintained a 0.00 ERA allowing only four hits.
  • Limited the then-No. 14 Northwestern Wildcats to only four hits in four innings of work and struck out another seven to earn the victory (Feb. 17)
  • Struck out a season-high 11 batters at Florida International (Feb. 12)
  • Ranked the No. 1 Pitcher and First Baseman by D1Softball (March 28)

Batting Highlights

  • As of May 30, leads the Tigers with a .469 average, a .887 slugging percentage and .565 on-base percentage
  • Leads the team with 83 hits including 19 home runs and 15 doubles with 57 RBIs
  • Has scored 50 runs
  • Has been walked 36 times and stolen five bases
  • Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player of the Week (March 28)
  • D1Softball Player of the Week (March 28)
  • Named ACC Player of the Week (Feb. 21) after she went the distance tallying a .529 average with nine hits, including four home runs and one double. She scored seven runs and had nine RBIs, stole one base and finished with a 1.294 slugging percentage and a .600 on-base percentage through the five games. She capped the weekend combining to go 6-for-7 in two games against Ohio State with two home runs, five RBI and three runs scored
  • Named ACC Player of the Week (March 28) after finishing with four hits, including three home runs against Georgia Tech scoring four runs with five RBIs
  • Notched ACC Player of the Week honors (April 18) for the third time this season after batting .545 with six hits, including a double and four home runs, to maintain a 1.727 slugging percentage. She also posted a .714 average with a 2.142 slugging percentage against NC State
  • With two on, two outs and two strikes in the top of the seventh, she hit a three-run homer to seal the Palmetto Series victory at South Carolina (April 11)
  • Hit a home run in five consecutive games (Georgia Tech March 24 – Boston College March 31)
  • Her 18 home runs is a single-season program record, leads the ACC and is tied for the national lead
  • Tallied a season-high four hits with one home run, two RBIs and two runs scored vs. Ohio State (Feb. 19)
  • NFCA Selected Top Performance (Feb. 14 – Week 1)
  • NFCA Selected Top Performance (Feb. 21 – Week 2)
  • NFCA Selected Top Performance (March 14 – Week 5)

Valerie Cagle returned to the Clemson Softball program for her redshirt junior year in 2023 with different goals in mind: have fun and not overthink. After battling through pain and injury during the 2022 season, the Yorktown, Va., native made the decision to have shoulder surgery during the offseason. Since returning to the field, Cagle is back having fun and enjoying the elements of the game she loves at an extremely high level. Listen to Valerie tell her story in her own words by watching the full video of Her Story.