CLEMSON, S.C. - The Clemson Tigers (28-17, 10-9 ACC) upset the No. 18/23 Virginia Cavaliers (33-9, 10-8 ACC), 12-4, in a six-inning victory at McWhorter Stadium on Friday night. With 16 hits, the upset marked the most hits in a single-game this season and was the team’s seventh-most hits in a single game in program history.
Six Tigers finished with multi-hit outings that included freshman Sarah Breaux hitting two home runs. Senior Jamison Brockenbough and freshman Mac Pavese led the Tigers with three hits each, while Macey Cintron, Kiley Channell, Marian Collins and Breaux rounded out the multi-hit outings with two hits each. Corri Hicks and Kylee Johnson added one hit apiece, with Cintron and Breaux both recording four RBIs.
The Tigers struck early, scoring one in the bottom of the first. Brockenbrough walked and advanced to second off of a sac bunt from Channell. Pavese followed by singling up the middle to send Brockenbrough home and put Clemson up, 1-0.
Two innings later, Brockenbrough returned the plate and singled to right field with one out. Channell singled to shortstop, and Pavese bunted to load the bases. Cintron stepped to the plate and drove home two runs off of a single through the left side. Collins then doubled to left center, scoring Pavese and giving the Tigers a 4-0 edge.
The Cavaliers responded in the fifth, scoring four to tie the game. A single plated a runner from second, before a home run returned three additional runners home.
Clemson regained the lead in the bottom of the inning. Collins and Corri Hicks both singled, and Ava Wilson entered as pinch runner. Breaux then hammered a ball past the right field wall at 222 miles per hour to put the Tigers up 7-4.
In the following inning, Channell reached on a fielding error, and Sarah Rocheleau entered as pinch runner. A bunt from Pavese sent Rocheleau to second, and she completed her run home on Virginia throwing errors. With Pavese on second, Cintron hit her sixth home run of the season to give the Tigers a 10-4 lead.
Clemson’s momentum continued to build through the remainder of the inning. With two outs on the board, Breaux found her second home run of the night, pummeling a ball 76 feet over the left field wall. Johnson doubled to left center and Taylor Pipkins walked. Brockenbrough returned to the plate for her fourth at bat of the night, recording an RBI off of a single that returned Johnson home from second and solidified the run-rule victory.
Sierra Maness struck out five across 4.1 innings of work. Macey Cintron wrapped up the work in the circle, pitching 1.2 innings of relief. With the win, Cintron improved to a 3-0 record.
Up Next
The Tigers continue their series against the Cavaliers on Saturday, April 18. First pitch for game two is scheduled for 1 p.m. on ACCNX.