The #13 Clemson softball fell 7-5 to #4 Texas in 10 innings Friday night at McCombs Field, forcing a winner-take-all Game 3 in the Austin Super Regional.
Offensive Battle Features 26 Combined Hits
Both teams showcased their offensive capabilities in a back-and-forth contest. Clemson’s attack was led by Julia Knowler’s three hits and Maddie Moore’s three RBIs, including a two-run homer in the third inning that tied the game 2-2 after Texas took an early 2-0 lead on Leighann Goode’s two-run blast.
The fourth inning proved pivotal as Clemson seized a 4-3 lead through aggressive baserunning. After Texas regained the lead 3-2 on Reese Atwood’s solo homer, the Tigers loaded the bases and capitalized with Jamison Brockenbrough’s RBI single and Moore’s RBI walk. Texas responded in the fifth inning with two runs as Mia Scott walked and Atwood singled before Joley Mitchell doubled to left field, driving in both runners for a 5-4 advantage. Clemson answered immediately with Macey Cintron’s solo homer, her 14th of the season, tying the game 5-5.
Pitching Changes Prove Decisive
Texas made a crucial pitching change in the fifth inning, bringing in Teagan Kavan to replace Citlaly Gutierrez. Kavan dominated Clemson’s offense for the remainder of the contest, pitching 5.2 innings of shutout baseball while allowing five hits and striking out seven batters. The performance earned her the victory, improving her record to 24-5.
Clemson starter Reese Basinger worked four solid innings, allowing three runs on five hits. Brooke McCubbin entered in relief and pitched admirably, working six innings while allowing four runs on eight hits, but suffered the loss to drop her record to 18-6.
Extra Innings Heartbreak
The tenth inning began ominously for Clemson as Texas loaded the bases when Katie Stewart singled and Goode reached on a fielding error by Marian Collins. After Cimusz executed a sacrifice bunt, Kaydee Bennett delivered a sacrifice fly that scored Stewart for a 6-5 lead. Ashton Maloney provided the decisive blow with an RBI single, extending the lead to 7-5. Clemson managed only one baserunner in the bottom of the tenth as Alex Brown reached on a fielder’s choice.
Game 3 Outlook
Saturday’s Game 3 presents Clemson with an opportunity to reach their first Women’s College World Series appearance. The Tigers will have to remember what they did right in their historic 7-4 victory in Game 1, which marked the program’s first-ever Super Regional win. Clemson had won 11 consecutive games since April 19 before the tonights loss to Texas. This including victories Florida State, Virginia Tech, and Tennessee, and the same Texas team, demonstrating their ability to perform in high-stakes situations.
Texas will look to leverage their home-field advantage and the momentum from Friday’s comeback victory. The pitching matchup will be crucial, as both teams have shown they can score runs consistently. For Clemson, Game 3 represents the culmination of a six-year journey from program inception to the brink of college softball’s biggest stage, where one more victory would cement their place in program history.
