Photos by Abbie Skeen, Clemson Athletics
CLEMSON, S.C. — The Clemson Softball team (14-2, 8-2 ACC) won its 11th straight game, setting a program record, in an 8-0 victory over Furman (4-9, 0-0 SoCon) at McWhorter Stadium Friday evening. Clemson’s Marissa Guimbarda smacked a two-run homer – the 40th of her career – to left field to end the game in the bottom of the sixth.
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Clemson ace Valerie Cagle, the ACC’s leader in wins, improved to 9-1 in the circle, in her third complete-game shutout of the season. The second-year freshman held Furman hitless for the first 3.0 innings of Friday’s contest. Cagle and the Tigers recorded 16 of Clemson’s 18 outs within the infield, including four strikeouts.
The Tigers struck first in the bottom of the third on an RBI infield-single by Marissa Guimbarda, the ACC’s RBI leader. Then, Abi Stuart recorded her first of two doubles to knock home Carlee Shannon, who was pinch running for Guimbarda.
The Tigers piled on four more runs in the bottom of the fifth as Stuart registered her second double of the game, this one worth two RBIs, to extend the Tigers’ lead to 4-0. Infielder Kyah Keller recorded her first career sac fly on a high-hit ball to right field, allowing Stuart to score. Clemson extended its lead to 6-0 after Casey Bigham roped her second hit of the day on an RBI single down the opposite right-field line before Guimbarda hit her two-run shot to left field.
Furman starting pitcher Sierra Tufts suffered the loss to fall to 3-4 on the season.
The Tigers’ 11-game win streak replaces the program’s previous longest win streak of 10 straight victories, which spanned from from Feb. 26 through March 7 last season.
Up next, the Tigers return to McWhorter Stadium tomorrow to face Furman in a doubleheader to wrap up the series. First pitch of Saturday’s opening game is set for 1 p.m. on ACCNX. For complete coverage of the Tiger softball team, follow @ClemsonSoftball on Twitter and Instagram and Facebook.
