ATHENS, Ga. - The Clemson Tigers dropped the opening game of the Athens Regional, 1-0, to UNC Greensboro on Friday afternoon. With the loss, the Tigers fell to 32-21, while UNCG improved to 43-17.
Junior Kiley Channell led the offense with two doubles. Additional hits came off the bat of Macey Cintron, Marian Collins and Kylee Johnson. In the circle, graduate Abby Dunning threw the complete game with seven strikeouts and limited the Spartans’ offense to only two hits.
The Spartans gained the early advantage after the leadoff batter got aboard on a single and made it home after a Clemson error extended the opening inning. Dunning settled into the circle for the Tigers after that and picked up five strikeouts through the first three innings, including back-to-back swinging strikeouts in both the second and third innings.
Clemson ended up with two additional errors through five innings but were able to keep UNCG contained after senior centerfielder Jamison Brockenbrough made two catches in the outfield that prevented runners from advancing.
Dunning kept the Tigers in the battle with two additional strikeouts, and the Tigers forced UNCG to leave one runner stranded in the top of the seventh. In the bottom of the seventh, Johnson singled into left field with two outs but ultimately was left stranded to end the game. In total, Clemson left six runners stranded.
Up Next
The Tigers will return to Jack Turner Softball Stadium on Saturday, May 16 at 3:30 p.m. to take on the loser of the No. 3 Georgia/College of Charleston game on the loser’s side of the bracket.