Moore, Knowler Power Tigers to Upset Victory

STANFORD, Calif. – Senior Maddie Moore and sophomore Julia Knowler hit multi-run home runs to help push the RV/25 Clemson Tigers to a 7-5 upset victory against the No. 15/17 Stanford Cardinal on Friday evening to open the three-game ACC series. The Tigers improve to 29-10 (10-3 ACC) and extend their ACC win streak to eight games while becoming the first team to hand Stanford (25-7, 8-5 ACC) a loss at home in 2025.

Moore and Knowler powered the offense with two hits each. Moore scored three runs, while Knowler provided three RBIs. Senior Alex Brown joined Moore with multiple runs scored, recording two, while Knowler and Jamison Brockenbrough each scored once. Moore and Aby Vieira were the two additional Tigers that notched an RBI with two each.

The Tigers jumped out on the Cardinal early after Moore recorded her 10th home run of her senior campaign. She brought home Brown, who drew a five-pitch walk to open the game to give Clemson a 2-0 lead. This is Moore’s third-straight season with double-digit home runs and brings her season RBI count to a career-best 42, which moved her into eighth on Clemson’s single-season records.

Stanford looked to answer in the bottom of the frame after loading the bases with two outs, but senior righthander Reese Basinger got the batter swinging with a 2-2 count to end the inning with a strikeout. Basinger went on to pitch 5.2 innings with four strikeouts on her way to her 12th win on the season.

Clemson added its third run of the game in the top of the third inning after loading the bases. After Brown, Knowler and Macey Cintron all got aboard off either walks or a fielder’s choice, Vieira was hit by the second pitch of her at bat to bring home Brown. Stanford responded with one run in both the third and fourth innings, but the Tigers maintained the 3-2 edge heading to the fifth.

The Tigers built upon their lead in the fifth after another bases loaded opportunity. Moore got one with a walk and was joined by Knowler, who notched a single into center. Cintron drew her second walk of the game to allow Vieira to step back up to the plate once again with the bases loaded. The catcher drew a four-pitch walk to bring home Moore and push Clemson’s lead to 4-2.

Knowler stretched the Tigers lead to 7-2 in the top of the sixth inning after hitting her 13th home run of the season with a three-run shot out of center field. With the home run, Knowler tied for second with Valerie Cagle for most home runs by a sophomore in program history. Cagle finished with 13 during the 2022 campaign, and trails only Alia Logoleo’s 15 from the 2022 season. On the hit, Knowler brought home Brockenbrough and Moore, who had both singled, to bring Knowler’s RBI count to 49 for the season, one shy of moving into fourth all-time for a single season.

The Cardinal answered with three runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth to cut Clemson’s lead back down to two after a solo home run and a double brought home two runners. Senior Brooke McCubbin entered in relief and forced Stanford to leave two stranded after picking up a strikeout to end the sixth. The right handed pitcher pitched the final 1.1 innings, including forcing a three-up, three-down seventh inning, to earn her third save of the season and secure the 7-5 victory in the series opener.

Clemson continues the series against No. 15/17 Stanford on Saturday, April 5 at 5 p.m. ET. Fans can catch all the action on ACCNX.