CLEMSON, S.C. – McKenzie Clark, Aby Vieira and Maddie Moore each recorded firsts of their careers on the final day of the Clemson Classic that included first career homers, first career grand slam and first career inside the park home run, to propel the Tigers to a perfect 4-0 weekend.
From the plate, the Tigers put up 22 hits combined between the two games, led by Clark who tallied five and Marissa Guimbarda who added four. Clemson opened the day with a 10-5 victory over Akron, before defeating Boston University, 6-1, for the second time in two days in the evening matchup.
Game 1 vs. Akron
Box Score | Box Score (PDF)
Clark and Vieira had an afternoon at the plate against Akron as Clark went 4-for-4 with the program’s first inside the park home run and scored three runs, while Vieira recorded her first collegiate grand slam.
The Tigers came out swinging with a five-run first inning that began with Guimbarda hitting an RBI single to bring home Clark from second base. The Tigers loaded the bases with two outs for Vieira to hammer a ball out of right center for a grand slam, the first home run of her career.
With two outs in the second inning, Clark blasted a hit into deep right center that fell between both the center and right fielders. She turned on the jets to book it around the bases and was waved home by head coach John Rittman at third to record Clemson’s first inside the park home run. After two innings, Clemson led 6-0.
Akron struck back in the top of the fifth, scoring five runs of its own to make the score 6-5.
Clemson responded by loading the bases in the sixth with no outs. Guimbarda hit a deep fly ball that Akron’s right fielder dropped to scored Clark and Sam Russ. Cammy Pereira brought home Valerie Cagle and Guimbarda in the next at bat to close out Clemson’s 10-5 victory over the Zips.
Freshman Brooke McCubbin started in the circle for the Tigers and pitched four innings with two strikeouts en route to earning her second win of the season. Both Rachel Gibson and Emma Whitfield made their 2022 pitching debuts in the fifth inning, facing four and five batters, respectively. Cagle pitched the final two innings with three strikeouts to close out the game for CU and earn her second save.
Game 2 vs. Boston University
The star of game two was Moore as the freshman recorded her first collegiate home run with a two-run rocket out of left field in the third inning. The bats stayed hot in the evening finale as Clemson finished with 12 hits against the Terriers.
The Tigers jumped ahead of BU with a 1-0 lead in the first after Russ led off with a single and stole second. Guimbarda brought her home with a single through the left side two batters later.
Clemson came up with a big third inning beginning with Clark singling and Cagle drawing a walk to put two on for Guimbarda to hit her fourth and fifth RBIs of the day on a double into right center. Logoleo singled to bring another run home and was brought home herself by Moore’s homer to put Clemson ahead 6-0 after three.
Boston University responded with a single run in the fourth and an additional run in both the sixth and seventh innings but would not get any closer as Clemson added one more run in the bottom of the sixth to seal the 7-3 victory.
Sophomore Millie Thompson improves to 2-0 in the circle after pitching 5.2 innings with four strikeouts. McCubbin pitched the final 1.1 innings, allowing only three hits.
Up Next:
The Tigers are back in action for a single game on Tuesday, March 1 at 5 p.m. against Gardner-Webb at McWhorter Stadium – note this is a change from the originally scheduled doubleheader. Following the midweek game, Clemson will open ACC play with a by hosting No. 7 Virginia Tech for a three-game series at McWhorter beginning on Friday, March 4 at 5 p.m.
