CLEMSON, S.C. – Clemson Softball second-year freshman ace Valerie Cagle Valerie Cagle (Yorktown, Va.) has been named both the NFCA and ACC Pitcher of the Week, both organizations announced on Tuesday. Cagle is now the only player in the nation this season to be named both NFCA Player and Pitcher of the Week, having been tabbed national player of the week on March 23. Cagle is also the only player in the conference to garner both ACC Player and Pitcher of the Week. Tuesday’s announcement also marked the second time this season Cagle has been named the ACC’s Pitcher of the Week.
NFCA Release || ACC Release
Cagle is currently the only player in the nation to garner both NFCA Player and Pitcher of the Week this season, and is the first player to do so since UCLA’s Rachel Garcia, the 2019 NFCA Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-American, did so in 2018.
Cagle pitched two complete-game no-hitters to lead Clemson to a 6-0 week in the team’s pair of wins over Winthrop and its fifth ACC series sweep of the season against Boston College. Cagle went 4-0 in the circle and did not surrender a single run all week across the span of 23.2 innings pitched and struck out 36 batters. She also did not give up a single extra-base hit all week long, while walking just one. Her first complete-game no-hitter came in the Tigers’ 9-0 win over Winthrop, when she struck out 11 in five innings and only faced two batters above the minimum. Her peak performance came in the series finale against BC when a fielding error spoiled what would have been a perfect game in seven innings. She also did not allow the ball to leave the infield all game long.
Cagle also contributed at the plate last week as she led Clemson in batting average (.500), doubles (2), RBI (7), slugging percentage (.900) and tied for a team-leading two home runs. She also registered a hit in all six games to extend her current hit streak to 12 games. In her second no-hitter, Cagle went 3-for-4 with 2 RBI and was a triple shy of the cycle
This season, Cagle (20-3) currently leads the ACC in ERA (0.89) and tied for first in wins (20) and saves (4). She is also second in batters struck out (166) and is one of just two players in the conference to toss more than 125.0 innings, having pitched 141.1 innings this season.
Up next, Cagle and the Tigers travel to South Carolina (23-15, 2-11 SEC) on Wednesday, April 21 for the first-ever meeting against the Gamecocks. Wednesday’s contest is scheduled for 7 p.m. on SEC Network.
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