The #6 Clemson Tigers take the second game against South Carolina on the year to bring their record to 38-4 on the season, and sweep the season series while staying perfect against their in-state rival.
Millie Thompson started the game in the circle for Clemson and gave up two runs in the first inning. Clemson brought in Brooke Mccubbin for the second inning after the leadoff batter would get a leadoff single. Mccubbin gave the Tigers a stellar 4.1 innings giving up just two hits and zero runs. Valerie Cagle would close out the game going 1.2 innings allowing just one run.
Gamecocks left fielder Riley Blampied started the scoring for the night with an RBI double. South Carolina would add another run in the first inning to make it 2-0. Clemson would have runners on 2nd and 3rd but would not be able to scratch across any runs. Clemson got on the board in the third inning with an RBI double by Caroline Jacobsen, bringing the Tigers within one run (2-1).
Clemson tried to get a two out rally going in the sixth inning with a runner on second but South Carolina pitcher Marena Knowles got her 8th strikeout of the game to end the threat.
Valerie Cagle would come in with one out in the sixth inning and shut the door on the inning with a fly ball to right field. Jacobsen was able to double up the runner who was on second base.
Senior (graduate) outfielder Ally Miklesh would get the top of the seventh inning started with a single through the middle of the infield. After a foul out from Reedy Davenport and a fly out from Maddie Moore Clemson was down to their final out. Miklesh would steal second base and shortly after, Mckenzie Clark would earn a walk. Valerie Cagle came up to the plate with two on and two out, and with a 1-2 count, she would blast a three run home run over the left field wall to give her team a 4-2 lead.
South Carolina didn’t go away quietly, with a solo home run of their own to open up the home half of the 7th inning, and would follow that up with a single. The following batter would ground into a fielder’s choice and the game would end on a double play, Sellers got the interference call making N.Morgan out at first. Clemson would hang on to win the game and send the Clemson faithful home happy.
Clemson will travel to Raleigh, NC this weekend to play a three game set against the NC State Wolfpack.
