Cagle pitches shutout, Clemson bats stay hot to advance to NCAA Regional final over Auburn |
CLEMSON - Clemson softball is one win away from another perfect home NCAA Regional and a trip to the NCAA Super Regionals after pulling away to a 7-0 win over Auburn on Saturday at McWhorter Stadium.
The ACC Tigers (48-9) will rematch with Auburn (42-18) after they emerged from the loser's bracket for a noon contest on Sunday (ESPN2). "Great win for the Tigers today against a very good opponent. I talked to the team a little bit after the game and one of our main discussion points is that we're just one step closer and I think they understand that we still have some unfinished business to win a championship in this regional," Clemson coach John Rittman said. Clemson improved to 26-3 at McWhorter Stadium this season, looking make it to 6-0 all-time in home NCAA regionals Sunday. The Tigers’ only home losses this season came versus No. 3 national seed and ACC champion Florida State. The pitching duel promised on paper looked to be coming as two of the nation’s best went toe-to-toe in the circle with Clemson’s Valerie Cagle and Auburn’s Maddie Penta. Penta (26-6), who worked four innings with one earned run in Auburn’s NCAAs opener Friday, didn’t allow a Clemson runner past first base through 2 2/3 innings before Clemson’s junior center fielder got things going. Working back from an 0-2 count – and Clemson’s Tigers down two outs in the third, McKenzie Clark sent Penta’s fifth offering into the camera stanchion in left center to take a one-run lead. "We needed someone to spark us and McKenzie did a great job today and really worked hard on her swing in the past week...and she's such a dynamic player and can change a game with a swing of the bat and did that today," Rittman said. "Like coach Rittman said, I've been working really hard in the last week changing my two-strike approach, minimizing movement to maximize efficiency," said Clark. "Staying within myself knowing that I have to fight for my team. This is a hole. We have two strikes and we have two outs and we have to make something happen and really working that at-bat and couldn't ask for anything better." National player of the year finalist Valerie Cagle (24-5) worked through some early location issues and received some excellent work behind her, with middle infielders Alia Logoleo and Maddie Moore making some stellar plays. "That helps so much knowing that maybe I don't have to make the perfect pitch and that Maddie and Alia are going to make the plays and you have Aby (Vieira) behind the plate having your back is really nice...Knowing that I have all that support behind me is very helpful," Cagle said. Cagle kept Auburn to a single hit through five innings, registering two strikeouts and a lone walk. Clemson’s bats warmed up in the fifth inning to add some insurance and then some, with Cagle helping herself out. With two in scoring position and two out, Ally Miklesh guided a hit through the middle of the Auburn infield that had creeped in on the plate. Miklesh didn’t have to wait long to make her own trip around the bags as Cagle sent a two-run shot off the left field pole. It was a sixth home run by a sixth different Clemson Tiger on the weekend. Logoleo added some insurance with an RBI single to round out the 5-run Clemson fifth. Reedy Davenport tacked on another with an RBI single in the sixth inning. Cagle finished out her 21st complete game and 11th shutout of the season, limiting the SEC Tigers to one hit and tallying four strikeouts. Clemson topped Auburn 1-0 in last year’s home NCAA Regional and went on to advance over Louisiana. Penta and Cagle also each started that game. B5 | That's home run No. 19 for Valerie Cagle 💣 B5 | Ally "clutch hit" Miklesh 😤 B3 | Fans wanted us to tweet, so McKenzie Clark gave us a reason to😋
With 2 outs, Cagle sends a 2 run homer out of the park‼️
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Miklesh finds the gap to score Bomhardt and Clark to extend Clemson's lead to 4-0
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Clemson up 1-0 after 3
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