The Clemson softball team pulled off a come-from-behind victory against the Virginia Tech Hokies on Sunday, winning 5-4 in a closely contested game. Clemson had to battle back from a deficit to secure the win, scoring three runs in the sixth inning. The victory marked the 150th win for the Clemson softball program since its inaugural season in 2020.
The Clemson softball team’s victory over the Virginia Tech Hokies was a nail-biting affair. The Hokies took an early lead in the second inning, scoring three runs with a sac fly and a two-run homer. They added another run in the third inning to hold a 4-1 lead. But the Tigers fought back in the fifth inning, scoring a run to cut the Hokies’ lead in half. However, it was in the sixth inning that the Tigers pulled off the comeback. Jadeyn Ruszkowski started things off with a solo home run with one out. This marked back-to-back games in which Ruszkowski hit a home run and the second home run of her collegiate career. JoJo Hyatt followed it up with a single to right field and was replaced by Julia Bomhardt as her pinch runner. With one out and one on, Reedy Davenport drove the third pitch of her at bat down the left field line and out of the park to give the Tigers a 5-4 lead. This was Davenport’s fifth homer of the season and second of the series. The Hokies made a push to get a run back in the bottom of the sixth inning, putting runners on the corners with two outs. But Regan Spencer came up big in the circle for the Tigers and struck out the batter to force Virginia Tech to leave two stranded. Valerie Cagle pitched the final frame and secured the 5-4 victory for the Tigers.
The victory was significant for the Clemson softball program, as it marked the 150th win for the team since its inaugural season in 2020. It was also a milestone win for Head Coach John Rittman, as it secured his 900th career win. He currently holds an all-time career record of 900-392-3 (.696), including a 150-41 (.785) record at the helm of the Tigers. He became the 44th collegiate softball coach to reach the 900-win benchmark. In a post-game interview, Rittman said, “900 wins means I have been coaching a long time. It also means that I’ve been blessed to be around a lot of successful people. Players, coaches, administrators. As a coach, you don’t win those games. Certainly the decisions you make, the practices you run, the development of the talent have an impact, but the players in those games win them.”
The Clemson softball team had an impressive performance, finishing with 12 hits as a team. Ally Miklesh, Caroline Jacobsen, Alia Logoleo, and Reedy Davenport all clocked two hits each. Logoleo, Davenport, and Jadeyn Ruszkowski each hit a home run, while Jacobsen added the other RBI.
“We had a lot of different players step up today,” said Rittman. “Jadeyn with the two home runs, Reedy with the big hit, and Valerie coming in to close it out. That’s what makes this team so special. We have a lot of depth and a lot of players who can make an impact.”
The Clemson softball team’s recent win against the Virginia Tech Hokies was an important milestone for the program.
