Gamecocks score three in the 12th to earn first win in series

Clemson lost to South Carolina for the first time in the series (Photo courtesy of Clemson Softball Twitter).

by TigerNet Staff - Wed Mar 20 21:06:06 GMT-04:00 2024

CLEMSON – No. 23 South Carolina scored three times in the top of the 12th to break open a tie game and defeat No. 11 Clemson 6-4 Wednesday in McWhorter Stadium.

Clemson tied the score at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth and the score remained that way until the 12th. South Carolina used four singles and a fielder’s choice to score the three runs and earn its first win in six tries in the rivalry series. Clemson added a run in the bottom of the inning and had the tying run on base and the winning run at the plate, but a popup ended the threat and the game.

Clemson run-ruled the Gamecocks, 10-0, in McWhorter Stadium last season, and held South Carolina scoreless for the four innings before that in TigerTown, but the Gamecocks hit the scoreboard early on Wednesday.

After a Gamecock runner reached on a throwing error to start, reigning ACC pitcher of the week Regan Spencer gave up her first runs in the last five outings – both unearned – by a Jen Cummings single down the right field line and a Karley Shelton RBI groundout for a 2-0 South Carolina lead after one.

The Tigers answered quickly, however, with a one-out single from Arielle Oda and a one-pitch bomb to left field from McKenzie Clark to tie things up.

Cummings struck again in the third inning to put South Carolina back on top, sending a flyball over the left field fence for a solo homer.

Gamecocks senior right-hander Alana Vawter kept Clemson hitless from the Clark knock through the fifth, but freshman Kylee Johnson led off Clemson’s sixth frame with a hit and scored on an Alia Logoleo sac fly to center field. The Tigers did strand a pair of runners on base to keep things tied into the seventh. Clemson put another runner aboard with two out in the seventh but a flyout to right field sent it to a fifth extra-innings game this season (1-4).

Vawter continued to control the action into extras setting the Tigers down 1-2-3 in the eighth and ninth innings – registering a first strikeout with over 100 pitches logged into the 10th. A one-out double from Grace Hiller broke up the run. A walk and a fielder’s choice set up runners on the corners for Arielle Oda, but Oda’s foul-out stranded them to send things to the 11th frame.

Spencer gave up four hits over five innings with one earned run out of three surrendered. She tallied two strikeouts and a walk. Millie Thompson came in and pitched 6 1/3 innings of stellar relief but was charged with two earned runs in the bottom of the 12th.

Vawter pitched all 12 innings to pick up the win.

Clemson heads back into ACC action this weekend with a trip to Virginia. The rivalry series concludes on April 9 in Columbia (7 p.m./ESPNU).

Note: Reigning national player of the year Valerie Cagle (illness) was not in the lineup for a fourth consecutive game, but unlike the weekend, Cagle was in the dugout in a Clemson hoodie.