On a gorgeous sunny day in Clemson, South Carolina, the Clemson Tigers took to the field for their last regular season home game against the Pittsburgh Panthers. With a chance to complete a sweep, the Tigers looked to make a statement on Senior Day.
McKenzie Clark was the first up to bat for the Tigers, and on the very first pitch, she hit a home run to left field for her second of the series and 11th of the season. Ally Miklesh then reached first base on a fielder’s error, and Valerie Cagle came up next. After Ally stole second on a wild pitch, Valerie hit a ball past the shortstop to bring Ally home, making the score 2-0 for the Tigers in the bottom of the first inning. Maddie Moore then hit a single to left field, bringing Jacobson in and extending the Tigers’ lead to 3-0 at the end of the first inning.
In the top of the second inning, with the bases loaded, Yvonne Whaley of Pitt hit a single to bring in two runners, narrowing the score to 3-2 in favor of the Tigers. However, in the bottom of the second, Caroline Jacobson hit a single to left field, bringing in Ally Miklesh to extend Clemson’s lead to 4-2. Later in the inning, Maddie Moore hit a grand slam to left center, putting the Tigers up 8-2.
The game then turned into a defensive battle for innings 3, 4, and 5. But in the bottom of the 6th, Alia Logoleo hit a home run down the left field line, bringing in two runs with her and ending the game on a run rule. Clemson won the game 11-2 in their final home game of the season, improving their record to 44-5 (17-4 ACC). Pitt’s record fell to 21-22, with a 3-14 record in ACC play.
Cagle improved to 22-3 on the year after pitching her 17th complete game. Through her six innings of work, she struck out five batters. The Tigers outhit the Panthers 10-4, with Moore leading the charge, going 3-for-3. Logoleo and Valerie Cagle both had two hits each, while Ally Miklesh and Caroline Jacobson scored three runs apiece, leading the Tigers in that category.
Next up, the Tigers hit the road for the final week of the regular season, with a matchup against Liberty on Wednesday, April 26, at 5 p.m. on ESPN+. Clemson will conclude the weekend with a three-game series at Virginia Tech beginning on April 28.
