Clemson no-hit, bounced from ACC Softball Championship by Blue Devils |
Clemson softball will not make an ACC Softball Championship final appearance for the first time in program history after falling to conference two-seed and No. 6-ranked Duke, 2-0.
The Tigers were held two baserunners and none came by way of a hit on Friday afternoon. It was only the second time Clemson has been held hitless as a program (also in 2022 versus Notre Dame). The third-seeded Tigers (46-9), ranked No. 7 nationally, now will await their NCAA regional hosting fate in a 7 p.m. NCAA Tournament announcement on Sunday (ESPN2). Clemson is assessed unanimously in the top-10 by national softball rankings, but the NCAA’s RPI metric had it No. 14 overall going into Friday's game. "Tough loss today," Clemson coach John Rittman said, per a news release. "Our pitching staff kept us in the game. Millie (Thompson) gave us a great start, and Brooke (McCubbin) was fabulous. If you take two ground balls away, it's a 0-0 ball game. Certainly, we have to do a better job at the plate and have more competitive at bats, and we will. We have to stay positive. I give a lot of credit to Duke's pitcher. She pitched a heck of a game, and we didn't make the necessary adjustments throughout the seven innings. If you don't make adjustments at this level, you are going to get beat. We have to do better offensively and continue to work. We still have championships to play for, and that has to be our mindset. "Wherever we end up for Regionals, whether we host or are sent on the road, we know we are going to have to beat good teams to get to where we want to go. We are who we are at this time of year. We have to be prepared, if we are at home or sent on the road, to play three good teams to be ready to win a championship." Duke won its 17th game in the last 18 contests, while Clemson fell in a fourth game in the last six. The Blue Devils advanced to their second ACC tournament final in the last three seasons, facing top seed Florida State at 1 p.m. on Saturday (ESPN2). In a first meeting between the top-10 programs this season, Duke struck first in the second inning. After a fielding error at second base put a Blue Devil aboard, Claire Davidson knocked through an RBI single to go on top. Left-handed junior Millie Thompson (13-4) was pulled in the third inning after Duke’s first two batters reached base, and the Blue Devils went on to load up the bases – right-handed reliever Brooke McCubbin limiting the damage to a single run, however. Duke freshman lefty Cassidy Curd (16-1) allowed just one baserunner in the first five innings with seven strikeouts. Clemson’s second try with a runner on came with Curd’s second hit batter of the game, with one out in the sixth inning. McKenzie Clark then dropped to 0-for-3 on the afternoon with a pop fly to right field, and Thursday’s hero Ally Miklesh fell to 0-for-3 as well with a groundout. Curd kept ACC player of the year Valerie Cagle hitless in an 0-for-3 day as well and struck out eight Tigers in all over the complete game effort. Blue Devils get it done! 😈
Duke beats Clemson 2-0 & will head to the ACC Championship! 🏆@DukeSoftball | @ACCSoftball #ACCSB pic.twitter.com/VkZVllc7UJ
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