Clemson Softball would look to get even on the year with a win vs. Georgia State on Saturday, and they’d do so with a bang. In somewhat of a “get-right” game, the future of Clemson Softball would shine with the freshmen taking center stage by delivering key moment after key moment in the 10-1 victory.
Freshman pitcher Macey Cintron would set the tone in the circle, going five innings allowing just 1 earned run with eight strikeouts. She’d add an RBI from the plate as well. Fellow freshmen Sam Minish (3 RBI), Marian Collins (2), Ava Wilson (1), and Taylor Pipkins (1) would carry the day in a big way, delivering win number two on the young Tiger season.
Game Highlights
Cintron would take the mound for the first start of her career in game three of the Paradise Classic. She’d start with two strikeouts and get the first three of four Panther batters. Makayla Stephens would be the starting pitcher for Georgia State. She would also start strong, striking out opposing pitcher Cintron to end the inning with no damage done.
In the third, Ryleigh Garrett would start the inning by sending a ball to the wall in left center for a standup double. A sacrifice groundout would move Garrett to third. After a strikeout, the next batter would hit a missed bunt that would ricochet off of catcher Aby Viera‘s knee, causing her to walk it off gingerly. She’d stay in to catch the next pitch, another Cintron strikeout, ending the Panther threat.
Lauren Brister would start Georgia State off with another leadoff double in the top of the fourth. After Cintron’s sixth strikeout of the game, Alice Thomas (pitch running for Brister) would steal third. Cintron would respond with another strikeout. A shot into center field by Maia Mumfield would score Thomas, but not without center fielder Jamison Brockenbrough‘s diving effort for the catch. The umpires would rule the the ball down, but Brockenbrough would be slow to get up. Coach John Rittman would stop the game to check on her, as well as give an earful to the officials. A pop out would end the visitor’s frame, but the Panthers would finally break the tie with a 1-0 lead.
The Tiger bats would finally wake up in the bottom of the fourth. After a pop out by Cintron to start the home fourth, Viera would get a walk, and then Collins would deliver. She’d hit a ball to the gap in left center field to score Viera from first and earn a triple, tying the game. Wilson would hit the next ball over Stephens’ head into right center for a single, scoring Collins. This would chase Stephens (3.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K), with the Panthers going to Emily Hodnett instead. She’d go quickly, however (0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER). After hitting Sam Minish, the runners would advance on a wild pitch. Pipkins would then drive a ball to deep right for the sacrifice RBI, scoring Wilson. Brown would then draw a walk, and a bad throw from home on her attempt to steal would allow Minish to score and move Brown all the way to third. Brockenbrough would draw another walk, but Knowler would fly out to end the Clemson rally.
After Cintron sat the Panthers down in order, Zoey Defoor would be the next Georgia State pitcher. She’d walk Cintron and allow a hit to Viera. After striking out Collins, she would hit Wilson to load the bases. Minish would bring Riley Fennell (running for Cintron) home on a sacrifice fly, and the score would be 5-1 headed to the sixth.
The final inning of the game would bring a welcomed sight to Clemson fans, as Brook Melynchuk (LA Tech graduate transfer; injured in the Orange vs. White scrimmage) would take the mound for her first appearance as a TIger. She would sit down 3 of 4 batters faced, giving a nice, albeit brief, relief showing (1 IP, 1 H). In the final frame (game shortened from seven innings to six), Sydney Boulware would struggle (1.2 IP, 2 H, 4 ER). After walking Brown, Brockenbrough would single, and after Knowler flew out to move the runners, Cintron would fly out as well – scoring Brown from third. Collins would then hit home Brockenbrough with a single of her own, and end Boulware’s day. Sydney Garrett would then come in for Georgia State to finish the game (0.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER). Pinch-runner Hayley Whitesides would then take advantage of a wild pitch and score from third to make it 8-1. Minish would finish it off with a double to left center to score Kennedy Ariail (also pinch running) and Collins and the officials would call the game.
Next Up
Clemson will look to come out above .500 in this opening tournament and finish the Paradise Classic strong with an early game against Missouri State on Sunday (11:15am EST, FloSports / WCCP FM).
